Addictive substances regulate proteasome activity and expression in SH-SY5Y cells.
Cocaine increased and ethanol reduced proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity.
Cocaine increased the β1, α5 and Rpt3 mRNAs, while it reduced α6 transcripts.
Ethanol augmented β1, β2 and α5 mRNAs, whereas it decreased Rpt3 gene expression.
Subunit alterations may cause structural changes affecting the proteasome complex.