Role of κ-Opioid Receptors in the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis in Reinstatement of Alcohol Seeking

kappa-Opioid receptors (KORs) and their endogenous ligand dynorphin are involved in stress-induced alcohol seeking but the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. We previously showed that systemic injections of the KOR agonist U50,488, which induce stress-like aversive states, reinstate alcohol seeking after extinction of the alcohol-reinforced responding. Here, we used the neuronal activity marker Fos and site-specific injections of the KOR antagonist nor-BNI and U50,488 to study brain mechanisms of U50,488-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. We trained male Long-Evans rats to self-administer alcohol (12% w/v) for 23-30 days. After extinction of the alcohol-reinforced responding, we tested the effect of U50,488 (0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg) on reinstatement of alcohol seeking. Next, we correlated regional Fos expression with reinstatement induced by the most effective U50,488 dose (5 mg/kg). Based on the correlational Fos results, we determined the effect of bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) injections of nor-BNI (4 mu g/side) on U50,488-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and reinstatement induced by injections of U50,488 (0, 0.3, 1, and 3 mu g/side) into the BNST. U50,488-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking was associated with increased Fos expression in multiple brain areas, including the BNST, where it was significantly correlated with lever pressing. U50,488-induced reinstatement was blocked by BNST nor-BNI injections, and BNST U50,488 injections partially mimicked the drug's systemic effect on reinstatement. Our data indicate that the BNST is a critical site for U50,488-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking and suggest that KOR/dynorphin mechanisms in this brain area play a key role in stress-induced alcohol seeking.