The function of the ZFP189 transcription factor in the nucleus accumbens facilitates cocaine-specific transcriptional and behavioral adaptations

Distinguishing the brain mechanisms affected by distinct addictive drugs may inform targeted therapies against specific substance use disorders (SUDs). Here, we explore the function of a drug-associated, transcriptionally repressive transcription factor (TF), ZFP189, whose expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) facilitates cocaine-induced molecular and behavioral adaptations. To uncover the necessity of ZFP189-mediated transcriptional control in driving cocaine-induced behaviors, we created synthetic ZFP189 TFs of distinct transcriptional function, including ZFP189^VPR, which activates the expression of target genes and exerts opposite transcriptional control to the endogenously repressive ZFP189. By virally delivering synthetic ZFP189 TFs to the NAc of mice, we discover that the transcriptional control exerted by synthetic or endogenous ZFP189 solely alters behavioral adaptations to cocaine but not morphine, saline, or sucrose. Further, these synthetic ZFP189 TFs are only capable of producing gene-expression changes in rodents exposed to cocaine, but not morphine or saline. In these cocaine exposed mice, the gene-expression profile produced by ZFP189^VPR is inversely related to the cocaine-induced transcriptional response, as characterized by Upstream Regulator Analysis in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Lastly, we demonstrate that NAc ZFP189^WT increases vulnerability to cocaine reinforcement through selective sensitization to the reinforcing effects of small cocaine doses. In contrast, ZFP189^VPR treated mice do not experience changes in cocaine sensitivity and had lower rates of cocaine self-administration. Collectively, this research describes the brain mechanisms by which a TF specifically coordinates the molecular adaptations that produce increased cocaine addiction-like behaviors. The use of synthetic ZFP189^VPR uncovers novel strategies for therapeutic interventions to potentially halt these cocaine-induced transcriptional processes.