Interaction of JNK and mGluR5 in the regulation of psychomotor behaviours after repeated cocaine administration

Abstract Activation of protein kinases after cocaine administration controls psychomotor behaviours by interacting with metabotropic receptors in the brain. This study identified how c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) interacts with metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in vitro and in the caudate and putamen (CPu). The potential role of this interaction in the regulation of psychomotor behaviour was also evaluated after administration of cocaine. Active JNK phosphorylates a threonine residue at position 1055 in the carboxyl terminus (CT) of mGluR5 in vitro. The binding of active JNK to the D‐motif within CT2 is necessary for that phosphorylation. Interaction of phosphorylated JNK and mGluR5 occurs in the CPu. Unilateral interference of the interaction decreases the repeated cocaine‐induced increases in locomotor activity and conditioned place preference. These findings suggest that activation of JNK has the capability to interact with mGluR5 in the CPu. Phosphorylation of mGluR5 following the JNK–mGluR5 interaction may be responsible for the potentiation of behavioural sensitisation and cocaine‐wanting behaviour in response to cocaine administration.