MCP-1 in rats and mice creating neurobiological changes found in human addicted brain (Fig. 3). Similarly, human methamphetamine addicts and mice treated with methamphetamine show persistent increases in innate immune proteins (Loftis et al. 2010). Increased protein levels are also reflected by increased mRNA. Gene arrays following mRNA expression in post-mortem human alcoholic brain find increased NF-κB and target gene expression. Okvist (2007) found chronic alcoholic brain to contain increased NF-κB nuclear binding p50 subunits with 479 NF-κB target genes upregulated in the frontal cortex. Another post-mortem alcoholic human gene expression analysis (Liu et al. 2006) found increases in innate immune cell adhesion and extracellular membrane (ECM) components. Thus, studies of post-mortem human alcoholic brain are consistent with increased innate immune gene expression in addicted brain.
