Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) as a gut microbiome dependent immune factor that alters molecular and behavioral responses to cocaine

Cocaine use disorder is a condition that leads to tremendous morbidity and mortality for which there are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies. Previous research has demonstrated an important role for the resident population of bacteria of the large intestine, collectively dubbed the gut microbiome, in modulating brain and behavior in models of cocaine and other substance use disorders. Importantly, previous work has repeatedly shown that depletion of the gut microbiome leads to increased cocaine taking and seeking behaviors in multiple models. While the precise mechanism of these gut-brain signaling pathways in models of cocaine use is not fully clear, and intriguing possibility is through gut microbiome influences on innate immune system function. In this manuscript we identify the cytokine colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) as an immune factor that is increased by cocaine in a gut microbiome dependent manner. Peripherally injected CSF2 crosses the blood-brain barrier into the nucleus accumbens, a brain region central to behavioral responses to cocaine. Treatment with peripheral CSF2 reduces acute and sensitized locomotor responses to cocaine as well as reducing cocaine place preference at high doses. On a molecular level, we find that peripheral injections of CSF2 alter the transcriptional response to both acute and repeated cocaine in the nucleus accumbens. Finally, treatment of microbiome depleted mice with CSF2 reverses the behavioral effects of microbiome depletion on the conditioned place preference assay. Taken together, this work identifies an innate immune factor that represents a novel gut-brain signaling cascade in models of cocaine use and lays the foundations for further translational work targeting this pathway.