Selective down-regulation of [(125)I]Y0-alpha-conotoxin MII binding in rat mesostriatal dopamine pathway following continuous infusion of nicotine

Individual differences in response to alcohol and nicotine in zebrafish: Gene expression and behavior

Alcohol and nicotine are psychoactive substances responsible for serious health consequences. Although the biological mechanisms of alcohol and nicotine have been studied extensively, individual differences in the response to these drugs have received little attention. Here we evaluated gene expression and behavior of bold and shy individuals after acute exposure to alcohol and nicotine. For this, zebrafish were classified as bold and shy individuals based on emergence tests, and then fish were exposed to 0.00, 0.10, and 0.50% alcohol or 0.00, 1.00, and 5.00 mg/L nicotine and their anxiety-like and locomotor behavior was observed. After behavioral assessment, brain mRNA expression (ache, bdnf, gaba1, gad1b, th1, and tph1) was evaluated. Locomotion patterns differed between profiles depending on alcohol and nicotine concentration. Anxiety increased in shy fish and decreased in bold fish after exposure to both drugs. Alcohol exposure induced an increase in tph1 mRNA expression in bold fish, while bdnf mRNA expression was increased in shy fish. Nicotine increased ache, bdnf, and tph1 mRNA levels in both profiles, but at higher levels in bold fish. Based on our research, we found that alcohol induces anxiogenic effects in both bold and shy zebrafish. Additionally, shy individuals exposed to a low concentration of nicotine exhibited stronger anxiety-like responses than their bold counterparts. These findings further support the validity of using zebrafish as a dependable tool for studying the effects of drugs and uncovering the underlying mechanisms associated with individual variations.

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Nicotine Reward and Aversion

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) regulate the rewarding actions of nicotine contained in tobacco that establish and maintain the smoking habit. nAChRs also regulate the aversive properties of nicotine, sensitivity to which decreases tobacco use and protects against tobacco use disorder. These opposing behavioral actions of nicotine reflect nAChR expression in brain reward and aversion circuits. nAChRs containing α4 and β2 subunits are responsible for the high-affinity nicotine binding sites in the brain and are densely expressed by reward-relevant neurons, most notably dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area. High-affinity nAChRs can incorporate additional subunits, including β3, α6, or α5 subunits, with the resulting nAChR subtypes playing discrete and dissociable roles in the stimulatory actions of nicotine on brain dopamine transmission. nAChRs in brain dopamine circuits also participate in aversive reactions to nicotine and the negative affective state experienced during nicotine withdrawal. nAChRs containing α3 and β4 subunits are responsible for the low-affinity nicotine binding sites in the brain and are enriched in brain sites involved in aversion, including the medial habenula, interpeduncular nucleus, and nucleus of the solitary tract, brain sites in which α5 nAChR subunits are also expressed. These aversion-related brain sites regulate nicotine avoidance behaviors, and genetic variation that modifies the function of nAChRs in these sites increases vulnerability to tobacco dependence and smoking-related diseases. Here, we review the molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms through which nicotine elicits reward and aversion and the adaptations in these processes that drive the development of nicotine dependence. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Tobacco use disorder in the form of habitual cigarette smoking or regular use of other tobacco-related products is a major cause of death and disease worldwide. This article reviews the actions of nicotine in the brain that contribute to tobacco use disorder.

Sex Differences in the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor System of Rodents: Impacts on Nicotine and Alcohol Reward Behaviors

Alcohol and nicotine are the two most widely used and misused drugs around the world, and co-consumption of both substances is highly prevalent. Multiple lines of evidence show a profound effect of sex in many aspects of alcohol and nicotine reward, with women having more difficulty quitting smoking and showing a faster progression toward developing alcohol use disorder compared with men. Both alcohol and nicotine require neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to elicit rewarding effects within the mesolimbic system, representing a shared molecular pathway that likely contributes to the frequent comorbidity of alcohol and nicotine dependence. However, the majority of preclinical studies on the mechanisms of alcohol and nicotine reward behaviors utilize only male rodents, and thus our understanding of alcohol and nicotine neuropharmacology relies heavily on male data. As preclinical research informs the development and refinement of therapies to help patients reduce drug consumption, it is critical to understand the way biological sex and sex hormones influence the rewarding properties of alcohol and nicotine. In this review, we summarize what is known about sex differences in rodent models of alcohol and nicotine reward behaviors with a focus on neuronal nAChRs, highlighting exciting areas for future research. Additionally, we discuss the way circulating sex hormones may interact with neuronal nAChRs to influence reward-related behavior.

Addiction-related neuroadaptations following chronic nicotine exposure

The addiction-relevant molecular, cellular, and behavioral actions of nicotine are derived from its stimulatory effects on neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central nervous system. nAChRs expressed by dopamine-containing neurons in the ventral midbrain, most notably in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), contribute to the reward-enhancing properties of nicotine that motivate the use of tobacco products. nAChRs are also expressed by neurons in brain circuits that regulate aversion. In particular, nAChRs expressed by neurons in the medial habenula (mHb) and the interpeduncular nucleus (IPn) to which the mHb almost exclusively projects regulate the "set-point" for nicotine aversion and control nicotine intake. Different nAChR subtypes are expressed in brain reward and aversion circuits and nicotine intake is titrated to maximally engage reward-enhancing nAChRs while minimizing the recruitment of aversion-promoting nAChRs. With repeated exposure to nicotine, reward- and aversion-related nAChRs and the brain circuits in which they are expressed undergo adaptations that influence whether tobacco use will transition from occasional to habitual. Genetic variation that influences the sensitivity of addiction-relevant brain circuits to the actions of nicotine also influence the propensity to develop habitual tobacco use. Here, we review some of the key advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which nicotine acts on brain reward and aversion circuits and the adaptations that occur in these circuits that may drive addiction to nicotine-containing tobacco products.

Chronic Menthol Does Not Change Stoichiometry or Functional Plasma Membrane Levels of Mouse α3β4-Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Heteromeric α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric ligand-gated cation channels that include at least two α3 and two β4 subunits. They have functions in peripheral tissue and peripheral and central nervous systems. We examined the effects of chronic treatment with menthol, a major flavor additive in tobacco cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems, on mouse α3β4 nAChRs transiently transfected into neuroblastoma-2a cells. Chronic menthol treatment at 500 nM, near the estimated menthol concentration in the brain following cigarette smoking, altered neither the [ACh]-response relationship nor Zn2+ sensitivity of ACh-evoked currents, suggesting that menthol does not change α3β4 nAChR subunit stoichiometry. Chronic menthol treatment failed to change the current density (peak current amplitude/cell capacitance) of 100 μM ACh-evoked currents. Chronic menthol treatment accelerated desensitization of 100 and 200 μM ACh-evoked currents. Chronic nicotine treatment (250 μM) decreased ACh-induced currents, and we found no additional effect of including chronic menthol. These data contrast with previously reported, marked effects of chronic menthol on β2* nAChRs studied in the same expression system. Mechanistically, the data support the emerging interpretation that both chronic menthol and chronic nicotine act on nAChRs in the early exocytotic pathway, and that this pathway does not present a rate-limiting step to the export of α3β4 nAChRs; these nAChRs include endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export motifs but not ER retention motifs. Previous reports show that smoking mentholated cigarettes enhances tobacco addiction; but our results show that this effect is unlikely to arise via menthol actions on α3β4 nAChRs.

Crucial roles of the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster on chromosome 8 in nicotine dependence: update and subjects for future research

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death throughout the world. Nicotine, the primary addictive compound in tobacco, plays a vital role in the initiation and maintenance of its use. Nicotine exerts its pharmacological roles through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which are ligand-gated ion channels consisting of five membrane-spanning subunits. Besides the CHRNA4, CHRNB2 and CHRNA5/A3/B4 cluster on chromosome 15, which has been investigated intensively, recent evidence from both genome-wide association studies and candidate gene-based association studies has revealed the crucial roles of the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster on chromosome 8 in nicotine dependence (ND). These studies demonstrate two distinct loci within this region. The first one is tagged by rs13277254, upstream of the CHRNB3 gene, and the other is tagged by rs4952, a coding single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 5 of that gene. Functional studies by genetic manipulation in mice have shown that α6*-nAChRs, located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), are of great importance in controlling nicotine self-administration. However, when the α6 subunit is selectively re-expressed in the VTA of the α6(-/-) mouse by a lentiviral vector, the reinforcing property of nicotine is restored. To further determine the role of α6*-nAChRs in the process of nicotine-induced reward and withdrawal, genetic knock-in strains have been examined, which showed that replacement of Leu with Ser in the 9' residue in the M2 domain of α6 produces nicotine-hypersensitive mice (α6 L9'S) with enhanced dopamine release. Moreover, nicotine-induced upregulation may be another ingredient in the pathology of nicotine addiction although the effect of chronic nicotine exposure on the expression of α6-containing receptors is controversial. To gain a better understanding of the pathological processes underlying ND and ND-related behaviors and to promote the development of effective smoking cessation therapies, we here present the most recent studies concerning the genetic effects of the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster in ND.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: upregulation, age-related effects and associations with drug use

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that exogenously bind nicotine. Nicotine produces rewarding effects by interacting with these receptors in the brain's reward system. Unlike other receptors, chronic stimulation by an agonist induces an upregulation of receptor number that is not due to increased gene expression in adults; while upregulation also occurs during development and adolescence there have been some opposing findings regarding a change in corresponding gene expression. These receptors have also been well studied with regard to human genetic associations and, based on evidence suggesting shared genetic liabilities between substance use disorders, numerous studies have pointed to a role for this system in comorbid drug use. This review will focus on upregulation of these receptors in adulthood, adolescence and development, as well as the findings from human genetic association studies which point to different roles for these receptors in risk for initiation and continuation of drug use.

Inside-out neuropharmacology of nicotinic drugs

Upregulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) is a venerable result of chronic exposure to nicotine; but it is one of several consequences of pharmacological chaperoning by nicotine and by some other nicotinic ligands, especially agonists. Nicotinic ligands permeate through cell membranes, bind to immature AChR oligomers, elicit incompletely understood conformational reorganizations, increase the interaction between adjacent AChR subunits, and enhance the maturation process toward stable AChR pentamers. These changes and stabilizations in turn lead to increases in both anterograde and retrograde traffic within the early secretory pathway. In addition to the eventual upregulation of AChRs at the plasma membrane, other effects of pharmacological chaperoning include modifications to endoplasmic reticulum stress and to the unfolded protein response. Because these processes depend on pharmacological chaperoning within intracellular organelles, we group them as "inside-out pharmacology". This term contrasts with the better-known, acute, "outside-in" effects of activating and desensitizing plasma membrane AChRs. We review current knowledge concerning the mechanisms and consequences of inside-out pharmacology. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor: From Molecular Biology to Cognition'.

Acute nicotine administration increases BOLD fMRI signal in brain regions involved in reward signaling and compulsive drug intake in rats

BACKGROUND

Acute nicotine administration potentiates brain reward function and enhances motor and cognitive function. These studies investigated which brain areas are being activated by a wide range of doses of nicotine, and if this is diminished by pretreatment with the nonselective nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine.

METHODS

Drug-induced changes in brain activity were assessed by measuring changes in the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal using an 11.1-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner. In the first experiment, nicotine naïve rats were mildly anesthetized and the effect of nicotine (0.03-0.6 mg/kg) on the BOLD signal was investigated for 10 min. In the second experiment, the effect of mecamylamine on nicotine-induced brain activity was investigated.

RESULTS

A high dose of nicotine increased the BOLD signal in brain areas implicated in reward signaling, such as the nucleus accumbens shell and the prelimbic area. Nicotine also induced a dose-dependent increase in the BOLD signal in the striato-thalamo-orbitofrontal circuit, which plays a role in compulsive drug intake, and in the insular cortex, which contributes to nicotine craving and relapse. In addition, nicotine induced a large increase in the BOLD signal in motor and somatosensory cortices. Mecamylamine alone did not affect the BOLD signal in most brain areas, but induced a negative BOLD response in cortical areas, including insular, motor, and somatosensory cortices. Pretreatment with mecamylamine completely blocked the nicotine-induced increase in the BOLD signal.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies demonstrate that acute nicotine administration activates brain areas that play a role in reward signaling, compulsive behavior, and motor and cognitive function.

Enhanced corticobulbar excitability in chronic smokers during visual exposure to cigarette smoking cues

BACKGROUND

Neuroimaging studies of chronic smokers report altered activity of several neural regions involved in the processing of rewarding outcomes. Neuroanatomical evidence suggests that these regions are directly connected to the tongue muscle through the corticobulbar pathways. Accordingly, we examined whether corticobulbar excitability might be considered a somatic marker for nicotine craving.

METHODS

We compared motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes recorded from the tongue and the extensor carpi radialis (control muscle) of chronic smokers under drug withdrawal and intake conditions as well as a nonsmoker group. All participants were tested during passive exposure to pictures showing a smoking cue or a meaningless stimulus. In the intake condition, chronic smokers were asked to smoke a real cigarette (CSn: group 1) or a placebo (CSp: group 2).

RESULTS

Results show that MEP amplitudes recorded from the tongues of participants in the CSn and CSp groups under the withdrawal condition were selectively enhanced during exposure to a smoking cue. However, this effect on tongue MEP amplitudes disappeared in the intake condition for both the CSn and CSp groups.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include the fact that the study was conducted in 2 different laboratories, the small sample size, the absence of data on chronic smoker craving strength and the different tastes of the real and placebo cigarettes.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that, in chronic smokers, tongue muscle MEP amplitudes are sensitive to neural processes active under the physiological status of nicotine craving. This finding implicates a possible functional link between neural excitability of the corticobulbar pathway and the reward system in chronic smokers.

α6β2*-subtype nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are more sensitive than α4β2*-subtype receptors to regulation by chronic nicotine administration

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) of the α6β2* subtype (where *indicates the possible presence of additional subunits) are prominently expressed on dopaminergic neurons. Because of this, their role in tobacco use and nicotine dependence has received much attention. Previous studies have demonstrated that α6β2*-nAChR are down-regulated following chronic nicotine exposure (unlike other subtypes that have been investigated - most prominently α4β2* nAChR). This study examines, for the first time, effects across a comprehensive chronic nicotine dose range. Chronic nicotine dose-responses and quantitative ligand-binding autoradiography were used to define nicotine sensitivity of changes in α4β2*-nAChR and α6β2*-nAChR expression. α6β2*-nAChR down-regulation by chronic nicotine exposure in dopaminergic and optic-tract nuclei was ≈three-fold more sensitive than up-regulation of α4β2*-nAChR. In contrast, nAChR-mediated [(3) H]-dopamine release from dopamine-terminal region synaptosomal preparations changed only in response to chronic treatment with high nicotine doses, whereas dopaminergic parameters (transporter expression and activity, dopamine receptor expression) were largely unchanged. Functional measures in olfactory tubercle preparations were made for the first time; both nAChR expression levels and nAChR-mediated functional measures changed differently between striatum and olfactory tubercles. These results show that functional changes measured using synaptosomal [(3) H]-DA release are primarily owing to changes in nAChR, rather than in dopaminergic, function. This study examined dose-response relationships for murine α6β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) down-regulation by chronic nicotine treatment. The ID50 value for α6β2* down-regulation (35 nM) is ≈ 3x lower than the ED50 value for α4β2* nAChR up-regulation (95 nM), both well within the range reached by human smokers. Chronic nicotine treatment altered α6β2*- and α4β2*-nAChR-mediated [(3) H]-dopamine release from striatal and olfactory tubercle synaptosomes, but dopaminergic parameters were largely unaffected. We conclude that functional changes are primarily driven by altered nAChR activity.

Pharmacological chaperoning of nAChRs: a therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease

Chronic exposure to nicotine results in an upregulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at the cellular plasma membrane. nAChR upregulation occurs via nicotine-mediated pharmacological receptor chaperoning and is thought to contribute to the addictive properties of tobacco as well as relapse following smoking cessation. At the subcellular level, pharmacological chaperoning by nicotine and nicotinic ligands causes profound changes in the structure and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ER exit sites, the Golgi apparatus and secretory vesicles of cells. Chaperoning-induced changes in cell physiology exert an overall inhibitory effect on the ER stress/unfolded protein response. Cell autonomous factors such as the repertoire of nAChR subtypes expressed by neurons and the pharmacological properties of nicotinic ligands (full or partial agonist versus competitive antagonist) govern the efficiency of receptor chaperoning and upregulation. Together, these findings are beginning to pave the way for developing pharmacological chaperones to treat Parkinson's disease and nicotine addiction.

Chronic administration of nicotine enhances NMDA-activated currents in the prefrontal cortex and core part of the nucleus accumbens of rats

Nicotine is an addictive substance of tobacco. It has been suggested that nicotine acts on glutamatergic (N-methyl-d-aspartate, NMDA) neurotransmission affecting dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic system. This effect is reflected in neuroadaptative changes that can modulate neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) core (cNAcc) and shell (sNAcc) regions. We evaluated the effect of chronic administration of nicotine (4.23 mg/kg/day for 14 days) on NMDA activated currents in dissociated neurons from the PFC, and NAcc (from core and shell regions). We assessed nicotine blood levels by mass spectrophotometry and we confirmed that nicotine increases locomotor activity. An electrophysiological study showed an increase in NMDA currents in neurons from the PFC and core part of the NAcc in animals treated with nicotine compared to those of control rats. No change was observed in neurons from the shell part of the NAcc. The enhanced glutamatergic activity observed in the neurons of rats with chronic administration of nicotine may explain the increased locomotive activity also observed in such rats. To assess one of the possible causes of increased NMDA currents, we used magnesium, to block NMDA receptor that contains the NR2B subunit. If there is a change in percent block of NMDA currents, it means that there is a possible change in expression of NMDA receptor subunits. Our results showed that there is no difference in the blocking effect of magnesium on the NMDA currents. The magnesium lacks of effect after nicotinic treatment suggests that there is no change in expression of NR2B subunit of NMDA receptors, then, the effect of nicotine treatment on amplitude of NMDA currents may be due to an increase in the quantity of receptors or to a change in the unitary conductance, rather than a change in the expression of the subunits that constitute it.

Nicotinic receptors regulate the dynamic range of dopamine release in vivo

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are expressed presynaptically on dopamine axon terminals, and their activation by endogenous acetylcholine from striatal cholinergic interneurons enhances dopamine release both independently of and in concert with dopamine neuron activity. Acute nAChR inactivation is believed to enhance the contrast between low- and high-frequency dopamine cell activity. Although these studies reveal a key role for acute activation and inactivation of nAChRs in striatal microcircuitry, it remains unknown if chronic inactivation/desensitization of nAChRs can alter dopamine release dynamics. Using in vivo cyclic voltammetry in anaesthetized mice, we examined whether chronic inactivation of nAChRs modulates dopamine release across a parametric range of stimulation, varying both frequency and pulse number. Deletion of β2*nAChRs and chronic nicotine exposure greatly diminished dopamine release across the entire range of stimulation parameters. In addition, we observed a facilitation of dopamine release at low frequency and pulse number in wild-type mice that is absent in the β2* knockout and chronic nicotine mice. These data suggest that deletion or chronic desensitization of nAChRs reduces the dynamic range of dopamine release in response to dopamine cell activity, decreasing rather than increasing contrast between high and low dopamine activity.

Striatal dopamine transmission is reduced after chronic nicotine with a decrease in α6-nicotinic receptor control in nucleus accumbens

Nicotine directly regulates striatal dopamine (DA) neurotransmission via presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) that are α6β2 and/or α4β2 subunit-containing, depending on region. Chronic nicotine exposure in smokers upregulates striatal nAChR density, with some reports suggesting differential impact on α6- or α4-containing nAChRs. Here, we explored whether chronic nicotine exposure modifies striatal DA transmission, whether the effects of acute nicotine on DA release probability persist and whether there are modifications to the regulation of DA release by α6-subunit-containing (*) relative to non-α6* nAChRs in nucleus accumbens (NAc) and in caudate-putamen (CPu). We detected electrically evoked DA release at carbon-fiber microelectrodes in striatal slices from mice exposed for 4-8 weeks to nicotine (200 μg/mL in saccharin-sweetened drinking water) or a control saccharin solution. Chronic nicotine exposure subtly reduced striatal DA release evoked by single electrical pulses, and in NAc enhanced the range of DA release evoked by different frequencies. Effects of acute nicotine (500 nm) on DA release probability and its sensitivity to activity were apparent. However, in NAc there was downregulation of the functional dominance of α6-nAChRs (α6α4β2β3), and an emergence in function of non-α6* nAChRs. In CPu, there was no change in the control of DA release by its α6 nAChRs (α6β2β3) relative to non-α6. These data suggest that chronic nicotine subtly modifies the regulation of DA transmission, which, in NAc, is through downregulation of function of a susceptible population of α6α4β2β3 nAChRs. This imbalance in function of α6:non-α6 nAChRs might contribute to DA dysregulation in nicotine addiction.

The nicotine-mediated decline in l-dopa-induced dyskinesias is associated with a decrease in striatal dopamine release

l-dopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) are a side effect of Parkinson's disease therapy that is thought to arise, at least in part, because of excessive dopaminergic activity. Thus, drugs that regulate dopaminergic tone may provide an approach to manage LIDs. Our previous studies showed that nicotine treatment reduced LIDs in Parkinsonian animal models. This study investigates whether nicotine may exert its beneficial effects by modulating pre-synaptic dopaminergic function. Rats were unilaterally lesioned by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (2 × 3 ug per site) into the medial forebrain bundle to yield moderate Parkinsonism. They were then implanted with minipumps containing vehicle or nicotine (2.0 mg/kg/d) and rendered dyskinetic with l-dopa (8 mg/kg plus 15 mg/kg benserazide). Lesioning alone decreased the striatal dopamine transporter, nicotinic receptor (nAChR) levels, and nAChR-mediated (3)H-dopamine release, consistent with previous results. Nicotine administration reduced l-dopa-induced abnormal involuntary movements throughout the course of the study (4 months). Nicotine treatment led to declines in the striatal dopamine transporter, α6β2* nAChRs and various components of α6β2* and α4β2* nAChR-mediated release. l-dopa treatment had no effect. These data suggest that nicotine may improve LIDs in Parkinsonian animal models by dampening striatal dopaminergic activity.

Drugs from slugs. Part II--conopeptide bioengineering

The biological transformation of toxins as research probes, or as pharmaceutical drug leads, is an onerous and drawn out process. Issues regarding changes to pharmacological specificity, desired potency, and bioavailability are compounded naturally by their inherent toxicity. These often scuttle their progress as they move up the narrowing drug development pipeline. Yet one class of peptide toxins, from the genus Conus, has in many ways spearheaded the expansion of new peptide bioengineering techniques to aid peptide toxin pharmaceutical development. What has now emerged is the sequential bioengineering of new research probes and drug leads that owe their lineage to these highly potent and isoform specific peptides. Here we discuss the progressive bioengineering steps that many conopeptides have transitioned through, and specifically illustrate some of the biochemical approaches that have been established to maximize their biological research potential and pharmaceutical worth.

α6β2* and α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors as drug targets for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a debilitating movement disorder characterized by a generalized dysfunction of the nervous system, with a particularly prominent decline in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway. Although there is currently no cure, drugs targeting the dopaminergic system provide major symptomatic relief. As well, agents directed to other neurotransmitter systems are of therapeutic benefit. Such drugs may act by directly improving functional deficits in these other systems, or they may restore aberrant motor activity that arises as a result of a dopaminergic imbalance. Recent research attention has focused on a role for drugs targeting the nicotinic cholinergic systems. The rationale for such work stems from basic research findings that there is an extensive overlap in the organization and function of the nicotinic cholinergic and dopaminergic systems in the basal ganglia. In addition, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) drugs could have clinical potential for Parkinson's disease. Evidence for this proposition stems from studies with experimental animal models showing that nicotine protects against neurotoxin-induced nigrostriatal damage and improves motor complications associated with l-DOPA, the "gold standard" for Parkinson's disease treatment. Nicotine interacts with multiple central nervous system receptors to generate therapeutic responses but also produces side effects. It is important therefore to identify the nAChR subtypes most beneficial for treating Parkinson's disease. Here we review nAChRs with particular emphasis on the subtypes that contribute to basal ganglia function. Accumulating evidence suggests that drugs targeting α6β2* and α4β2* nAChR may prove useful in the management of Parkinson's disease.

Adenosinergic system: an assorted approach to therapeutics for drug addiction

Adenosine is an endogenous purine nucleoside and it is extensively present in the brain. It exerts several metabolic and neuromodulatory roles in the body. Adenosine also acts as an important messenger molecule for extracellular signaling and shows a homeostatic neuromodulatory function at the synaptic level. Extracellular adenosine exerts a wide variety of biological actions through four cell surface G-protein-coupled receptor subtypes, namely A1, A2A, A2B and A3 adenosine receptors. The extracellular levels of adenosine have been found to be enhanced in several neuropathological conditions, including drug addiction, and thus a neuroprotective role of adenosine was perceived by various experimental studies. The aversive withdrawal symptoms emanating from drug discontinuation provokes rebound drug intake patterns. In addition, alteration of neurotransmitter(s) release and changes in receptor expression contribute to the behavioral changes of drug withdrawal. Furthermore, the abuse of major drugs such as alcohol and opioids are reported to modulate extracellular adenosine levels. In this context, the neuromodulatory functions of adenosine would be valuable if projected to the clinical applications and thus, an increasing attention is currently given to the functional role of adenosine in human addictive disorders. This review will focus on recent clinical and experimental studies that reveal the actions of adenosine and related ligands in drug addiction and various drug-withdrawal syndromes. The evidence and reports provided in this review highlight the looming therapeutic potential of purinergic drugs, with a hope that new therapeutic interventions based on the adenosinergic concept will emerge in the coming years for the management of drug withdrawal syndrome.

Chronic nicotine exposure selectively activates a carrier-mediated release of endogenous glutamate and aspartate from rat hippocampal synaptosomes

The effect of chronic nicotine treatment on the release of endogenous glutamate (GLU), aspartate (ASP) and GABA evoked in vitro by KCl, 4-aminopyridine (4AP) and nicotinic agonists in synaptosomes of rat hippocampus was investigated. Rats were chronically administered with nicotine bitartrate or saline vehicle each for 14 days using osmotic mini-pumps. Hippocampal synaptosomes were stimulated with KCl, 4AP, nicotine or with choline (Ch) and 5-iodo-A-85380 dihydrochloride (5IA85380). The GLU and ASP overflow evoked by Ch, nicotine, KCl and 4AP were increased in treated animals while the nicotine-evoked GABA overflow was reduced and that evoked by Ch, KCl and 4AP was unaffected. The 5IA85380-evoked overflow of the three aminoacids (AAs) was always reduced. The increase of ASP and GLU overflow evoked by KCl, 4AP or Ch was blocked by dl-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartic acid (dl-TBOA), a carrier transporter inhibitor, and by inhibitors of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers 2-[[4-[(4-nitrophenyl)methoxy]phenyl]methyl]-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid ethyl ester (SN-6) and 2-[2-[4-(4-nitrobenzyloxy)phenyl]ethyl]isothiourea mesylate (KB-R7943). In conclusion long-term nicotine treatment may selectively increase GLU and ASP overflow elicited by KCl, 4AP and Ch through the activation of a carrier-mediated release mechanism and completely abolished the stimulatory effects of α4β2 nAChRs which modulate the release of all the three AA.

bPiDI: a novel selective α6β2* nicotinic receptor antagonist and preclinical candidate treatment for nicotine abuse

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) containing α6β2 subunits expressed by dopamine neurons regulate nicotine-evoked dopamine release. Previous results show that the α6β2* nAChR antagonist, N,N'-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB) inhibits nicotine-evoked dopamine release from dorsal striatum and decreases nicotine self-administration in rats. However, overt toxicity emerged with repeated bPiDDB treatment. The current study evaluated the preclinical pharmacology of a bPiDDB analogue.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The C₁₀ analogue of bPiDDB, N,N-decane-1,10-diyl-bis-3-picolinium diiodide (bPiDI), was evaluated preclinically for nAChR antagonist activity.

KEY RESULTS

bPiDI inhibits nicotine-evoked [³H]dopamine overflow (IC₅₀= 150 nM, I(max)=58%) from rat striatal slices. Schild analysis revealed a rightward shift in the nicotine concentration-response curve and surmountability with increasing nicotine concentration; however, the Schild regression slope differed significantly from 1.0, indicating surmountable allosteric inhibition. Co-exposure of maximally inhibitory concentrations of bPiDI (1 µM) and the α6β2* nAChR antagonist α-conotoxin MII (1 nM) produced inhibition not different from either antagonist alone, indicating that bPiDI acts at α6β2* nAChRs. Nicotine treatment (0.4 mg·kg⁻¹·da⁻¹, 10 days) increased more than 100-fold the potency of bPiDI (IC₅₀=1.45 nM) to inhibit nicotine-evoked dopamine release. Acute treatment with bPiDI (1.94-5.83 µmol·kg⁻¹, s.c.) specifically reduced nicotine self-administration relative to responding for food. Across seven daily treatments, bPiDI decreased nicotine self-administration; however, tolerance developed to the acute decrease in food-maintained responding. No observable body weight loss or lethargy was observed with repeated bPiDI.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These results are consistent with the hypothesis that α6β2* nAChR antagonists have potential for development as pharmacotherapies for tobacco smoking cessation.

Native α6β4* nicotinic receptors control exocytosis in human chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland

In the present study, we have electrophysiologically characterized native nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in human chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland as well as their contribution to the exocytotic process. α-Conotoxin AuIB blocked by 14 ± 1% the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced nicotinic current. α-Conotoxin MII (α-Ctx MII) exhibited an almost full blockade of the nicotinic current at nanomolar concentrations (IC(50)=21.6 nM). The α6*-preferring α-Ctx MII mutant analogs, α-Ctx MII[H9A,L15A] and α-Ctx MII[S4A,E11A,L15A], blocked nAChR currents with an IC(50) of 217.8 and 33 nM, respectively. These data reveal that nAChRs in these cells include the α6* subtype. The washout of the blockade exerted by α-conotoxin BuIA (α-Ctx BuIA; 1 μM) on ACh-evoked currents was slight and slow, arguing in favor of the presence of a β4 subunit in the nAChR composition. Exocytosis was almost fully blocked by 1 μM α-Ctx MII, its mutant analogs, or α-Ctx BuIA. Finally, the fluorescent analog Alexa Fluor 546-BuIA showed distinct staining in these cells. Our results reveal that α6β4* nAChRs are expressed and contribute to exocytosis in human chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland, the main source of adrenaline under stressful situations.

Role of α6 nicotinic receptors in CNS dopaminergic function: relevance to addiction and neurological disorders

Although a relative newcomer to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) family, substantial evidence suggests that α6 containing nAChRs play a key role in CNS function. This subtype is unique in its relatively restricted localization to the visual system and catecholaminergic pathways. These latter include the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic systems, which may account for the involvement of α6 containing nAChRs in the rewarding properties of nicotine and in movement. Here, we review the literature on the role of α6 containing nAChRs with a focus on the striatum and nucleus accumbens. This includes molecular, electrophysiological and behavioral studies in control and lesioned animal models, as well as in different genetic models. Converging evidence suggest that the major α6 containing nAChRs subtypes in the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine system are the α6β2β3 and α6α4β2β3 nAChR populations. They appear to have a dominant role in regulating dopamine release, with consequent effects on nAChR-modulated dopaminergic functions such as reinforcement and motor behavior. Altogether these data suggest that drugs directed to α6 containing nAChRs may be of benefit for the treatment of addiction and for neurological disorders with locomotor deficits such as Parkinson's disease.

Development of the motivational system during adolescence, and its sensitivity to disruption by nicotine

The brain continues to develop during adolescence, and exposure to exogenous substances such as nicotine can exert long-lasting adaptations during this vulnerable period. In order to fully understand how nicotine affects the adolescent brain it is important to understand normal adolescent brain development. This review summarizes human and animal data on brain development, with emphasis on the prefrontal cortex, for its important function in executive control over behavior. Moreover, we discuss how nicotine exposure during adolescence can disrupt brain development bearing long-term consequences on executive cognitive function in adulthood.

Neural systems governed by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: emerging hypotheses

Cholinergic neurons and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain participate in diverse functions: reward, learning and memory, mood, sensory processing, pain, and neuroprotection. Nicotinic systems also have well-known roles in drug abuse. Here, we review recent insights into nicotinic function, linking exogenous and endogenous manipulations of nAChRs to alterations in synapses, circuits, and behavior. We also discuss how these contemporary advances can motivate attempts to exploit nicotinic systems therapeutically in Parkinson's disease, cognitive decline, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

Differential region-specific regulation of α4β2* nAChRs by self-administered and non-contingent nicotine in C57BL/6J mice

Neuronal nAChR upregulation is the hallmark of chronic nicotine exposure. Neuroplasticity to abused drugs, however, depends on whether their administration is forced by the experimenter or is under the control of the experimental animal. Neuroadaptation to chronic nicotine self-administration was examined with a yoked-control paradigm, using nose-poking as the operating procedure. Freely moving C57BL/6J mice that responded for 0.03 mg/kg/infusion of intravenous nicotine under a continuous schedule of reinforcement (FR-1), had control over the rate and amount of drug intake that a yoked littermate passively received (n = 11). The impact of response dependency on neurobiological changes in nicotinic and dopaminergic systems was subsequently assessed using quantitative autoradiography. Cytisine-sensitive [(125)I]epibatidine binding, [³H]SCH23390, [³H]raclopride and [³H]mazindol were used to label nAChRs with α4β2* subtype properties, D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors, and dopamine transporters, respectively. During a period of 12 days, self-administration was reliably initiated and maintained in animals receiving response-contingent nicotine. Region specific changes in the density of α4β2* nAChRs were found to be dependent on the contingency of nicotine treatment. Higher levels of α4β2* receptor binding were observed in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and the ventral tegmental area of self-administering mice, compared to non-contingent animals. Moreover, response-independent increases in D2 binding were observed following chronic nicotine administration. No change in D1 and DAT binding was observed among groups. These findings indicate regional specific alterations in the regulation of the nicotinic cholinergic system following contingent and non-contingent nicotine exposure, and underline the importance of response dependency on the development of nicotine addiction.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the mesolimbic pathway: primary role of ventral tegmental area alpha6beta2* receptors in mediating systemic nicotine effects on dopamine release, locomotion, and reinforcement

alpha6* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are highly and selectively expressed by mesostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons. These neurons are thought to mediate several behavioral effects of nicotine, including locomotion, habit learning, and reinforcement. Yet the functional role of alpha6* nAChRs in midbrain DA neurons is mostly unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the composition and in vivo functional role of alpha6* nAChR in mesolimbic DA neurons of male rats. Immunoprecipitation and immunopurification techniques coupled with cell-specific lesions showed that the composition of alpha6* nAChR in the mesostriatal system is heterogeneous, with (non-alpha4)alpha6beta2* being predominant in the mesolimbic pathway and alpha4alpha6beta2* in the nigrostriatal pathway. We verified whether alpha6* receptors mediate the systemic effects of nicotine on the mesolimbic DA pathway by perfusing the selective antagonists alpha-conotoxin MII (CntxMII) (alpha3/alpha6beta2* selective) or alpha-conotoxin PIA (CntxPIA) (alpha6beta2* selective) into ventral tegmental area (VTA). The intra-VTA perfusion of CntxMII or CntxPIA markedly decreased systemic nicotine-elicited DA release in the nucleus accumbens and habituated locomotion; the intra-VTA perfusion of CntxMII also decreased the rate of nicotine infusion in the maintenance phase of nicotine, but not of food, self-administration. Overall, the results of these experiments show that the alpha6beta2* nAChRs expressed in the VTA are necessary for the effects of systemic nicotine on DA neuron activity and DA-dependent behaviors such as locomotion and reinforcement, and suggest that alpha6beta2*-selective compounds capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier may affect the addictive properties of nicotine and therefore be useful in the treatment of tobacco dependence.

Repeated nicotine administration robustly increases bPiDDB inhibitory potency at alpha6beta2-containing nicotinic receptors mediating nicotine-evoked dopamine release

The novel nicotinic receptor (nAChR) antagonist, N,N'-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB), and its chemically reduced analog, r-bPiDDB, potently inhibit nicotine-evoked dopamine (DA) release from rat striatal slices. Since tobacco smokers self-administer nicotine repeatedly, animal models incorporating repeated nicotine treatment allow for mechanistic evaluation of therapeutic candidates following neuroadaptive changes. The current study determined the ability of bPiDDB, r-bPiDDB and alpha-conotoxin MII (alpha-CtxMII), a peptide antagonist selective for alpha6beta2-containing nAChRs, to inhibit nicotine-evoked [(3)H]DA release from striatal slices from rats repeatedly administered nicotine (0.4mg/kg for 10 days) or saline (control). Concomitant exposure to maximally effective concentrations of r-bPiDDB (1nM) and alpha-CtxMII (1nM) resulted in inhibition of nicotine-evoked [(3)H]DA release no greater than that produced by either antagonist alone, suggesting that r-bPiDDB inhibits alpha6beta2-containing nAChRs. Repeated nicotine treatment increased locomotor activity, demonstrating behavioral sensitization. Concentration-response curves for nicotine-evoked [(3)H]DA release were not different between nicotine-treated and control groups. Maximal inhibition for alpha-CtxMII was greater following repeated nicotine compared to control (I(max)=90% vs. 62%), with no change in potency. bPiDDB was 3-orders of magnitude more potent in inhibiting nicotine-evoked [(3)H]DA release in nicotine-treated rats compared to control rats (IC(50)=5pM vs. 6nM), with no change in maximal inhibition. Neither a shift to the left in the concentration response nor a change in maximal inhibition was observed for r-bPiDDB following repeated nicotine. Thus, repeated nicotine treatment may differentially regulate the stoichiometry, conformation and/or composition of alpha6beta2-containing nAChRs mediating nicotine-evoked striatal DA release. Therefore, bPiDDB and r-bPiDDB appear to target different alpha6beta2-containing nAChR subtypes.

Chronic nicotine selectively enhances alpha4beta2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway

These electrophysiological experiments, in slices and intact animals, study the effects of in vivo chronic exposure to nicotine on functional alpha4beta2* nAChRs in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) pathway. Recordings were made in wild-type and alpha4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit knock-out mice. Chronic nicotine enhanced methyllycaconitine citrate hydrate-resistant, dihydro-beta-erythroidine hydrobromide-sensitive nicotinic currents elicited by 3-1000 mum ACh in GABAergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), but not in DA neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). This enhancement leads to higher firing rates of SNr GABAergic neurons and consequently to increased GABAergic inhibition of the SNc DA neurons. In the dorsal striatum, functional alpha4* nAChRs were not found on the neuronal somata; however, nicotine acts via alpha4beta2* nAChRs in the DA terminals to modulate glutamate release onto the medium spiny neurons. Chronic nicotine also increased the number and/or function of these alpha4beta2* nAChRs. These data suggest that in nigrostriatal DA pathway, chronic nicotine enhancement of alpha4beta2* nAChRs displays selectivity in cell type and in nAChR subtype as well as in cellular compartment. These selective events augment inhibition of SNc DA neurons by SNr GABAergic neurons and also temper the release of glutamate in the dorsal striatum. The effects may reduce the risk of excitotoxicity in SNc DA neurons and may also counteract the increased effectiveness of corticostriatal glutamatergic inputs during degeneration of the DA system. These processes may contribute to the inverse correlation between tobacco use and Parkinson's disease.

Chronic nicotine treatment increases nAChRs and microglial expression in monkey substantia nigra after nigrostriatal damage

Our previous work had shown that long-term nicotine administration improved dopaminergic markers and nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) in the striatum of monkeys with nigrostriatal damage. The present experiments were done to determine whether nicotine treatment also led to changes in the substantia nigra, the region containing dopaminergic cell bodies. Monkeys were chronically treated with nicotine in the drinking water for 6 months after which they were injected with low dose of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophridine (MPTP) for a further 6-month period. Nicotine was administered until the monkeys were euthanized 2 months after the last MPTP injection. Nicotine treatment did not affect the dopamine transporter or the number of tyrosine hydroxylase positive cells in the substantia nigra of lesioned monkeys. However, nicotine administration did lead to a greater increase in alpha3/alpha6beta2* and alpha4beta2* nAChRs in lesioned monkeys compared to controls. Nicotine also significantly elevated microglia and reduced the number of extracellular neuromelanin deposits in the substantia nigra of MPTP-lesioned monkeys. These findings indicate that long-term nicotine treatment modulates expression of several molecular measures in monkey substantia nigra that may result in an improvement in nigral integrity and/or function. These observations may have therapeutic implications for Parkinson's disease.

Structural and functional diversity of native brain neuronal nicotinic receptors

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a family of ligand-gated ion channels present in the central and peripheral nervous systems, that are permeable to mono- and divalent cations. They share a common basic structure but their pharmacological and functional properties arise from the wide range of different subunit combinations making up distinctive subtypes. nAChRs are involved in many physiological functions in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and are the targets of the widely used drug of abuse nicotine. In addition to tobacco dependence, changes in their number and/or function are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, ranging from epilepsy to dementia. Although some of the neural circuits involved in the acute and chronic effects of nicotine have been identified, much less is known about which native nAChR subtypes are involved in specific physiological functions and pathophysiological conditions. We briefly review some recent findings concerning the structure and function of native nAChRs, focusing on the subtypes identified in the mesostriatal and habenulo-interpeduncular pathways, two systems involved in nicotine reinforcement and withdrawal. We also discuss recent findings concerning the effect of chronic nicotine on the expression of native subtypes.

Nicotine is neuroprotective when administered before but not after nigrostriatal damage in rats and monkeys

Nicotine reduces dopaminergic deficits in parkinsonian animals when administered before nigrostriatal damage. Here we tested whether nicotine is also beneficial when given to rats and monkeys with pre-existing nigrostriatal damage. Rats were administered nicotine before and after a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the medial forebrain bundle, and the results compared with those in which rats received nicotine only after lesioning. Nicotine pre-treatment attenuated behavioral deficits and lessened lesion-induced losses of the striatal dopamine transporter, and alpha6beta2* and alpha4beta2* nicotinic receptors (nAChRs). By contrast, nicotine administered 2 weeks after lesioning, when 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurodegenerative effects are essentially complete, did not improve these same measures. Similar results were observed in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-lesioned monkeys. Nicotine did not enhance striatal markers when administered to monkeys with pre-existing nigrostriatal damage, in contrast to previous data that showed improvements when nicotine was given to monkeys before lesioning. These combined findings in two animal models suggest that nicotine is neuroprotective rather than neurorestorative against nigrostriatal damage. Receptor studies with (125)I-alpha-conotoxinMII and the alpha-conotoxinMII analog E11A were next performed to determine whether nicotine treatment pre- or post-lesioning differentially affected expression of alpha6alpha4beta2* and alpha6(nonalpha4)beta2* nAChR subtypes in striatum. The observations suggest that protection against nigrostriatal damage may be linked to striatal alpha6alpha4beta2* nAChRs.

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of nicotine in the CNS

Nicotine achieves its psychopharmacological effects by interacting with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain. There are numerous subtypes of nAChR that differ in their properties, including their sensitivity to nicotine, permeability to calcium and propensity to desensitise. The nAChRs are differentially localised to different brain regions and are found on presynaptic terminals as well as in somatodendritic regions of neurones. Through their permeability to cations, these ion channel proteins can influence both neuronal excitability and cell signalling mechanisms, and these various responses can contribute to the development or maintenance of dependence. However, many questions and uncertainties remain in our understanding of these events and their relevance to tobacco addiction. In this chapter, we briefly overview the fundamental characteristics of nAChRs that are germane to nicotine's effects and then consider the cellular responses to acute and chronic nicotine, with particular emphasis on dopamine systems because they have been the most widely studied in the context of nicotine dependence. Where appropriate, methodological aspects are critically reviewed.

Mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: from structure to function

The classical studies of nicotine by Langley at the turn of the 20th century introduced the concept of a "receptive substance," from which the idea of a "receptor" came to light. Subsequent studies aided by the Torpedo electric organ, a rich source of muscle-type nicotinic receptors (nAChRs), and the discovery of alpha-bungarotoxin, a snake toxin that binds pseudo-irreversibly to the muscle nAChR, resulted in the muscle nAChR being the best characterized ligand-gated ion channel hitherto. With the advancement of functional and genetic studies in the late 1980s, the existence of nAChRs in the mammalian brain was confirmed and the realization that the numerous nAChR subtypes contribute to the psychoactive properties of nicotine and other drugs of abuse and to the neuropathology of various diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and schizophrenia, has since emerged. This review provides a comprehensive overview of these findings and the more recent revelations of the impact that the rich diversity in function and expression of this receptor family has on neuronal and nonneuronal cells throughout the body. Despite these numerous developments, our understanding of the contributions of specific neuronal nAChR subtypes to the many facets of physiology throughout the body remains in its infancy.

Prenatal exposure of rats to nicotine causes persistent alterations of nicotinic cholinergic receptors

We examined for immediate and persistent changes in nAChRs in cerebral cortex, thalamus and striatum of male rats caused by prenatal exposure to nicotine from gestational day 3 to postnatal day 10 (PN10), and how such exposure affected the responses of adolescents to subsequent nicotine challenge. Receptor numbers were assessed by [(3)H]epibatidine binding and receptor function was measured by acetylcholine-stimulated (86)Rb efflux (cerebral cortex and thalamus) and nicotine-stimulated dopamine release (striatum). Immediate effects of prenatal nicotine, assessed in PN10 animals, were not detected for any parameter. A subsequent 14 day nicotine exposure in adolescence revealed persistent changes caused by prenatal nicotine exposure. Nicotine exposure in adolescents caused up-regulation of binding in all three regions; however, this up-regulation was lost in thalamus from animals prenatally exposed to nicotine. Nicotine exposure in adolescents caused decreased nicotine-stimulated dopamine release in striatum; this effect was lost in animals prenatally exposed to nicotine. Comparison of parameters in PN10 and PN42 rats revealed developmental changes in the CNS cholinergic system. In thalamus, binding increased with age, as did the proportion of (86)Rb efflux with high sensitivity to acetylcholine. In cortex, binding also increased with age, but there was no change in total (86)Rb efflux, and the proportion of high to low sensitivity efflux declined with age. Nicotine-stimulated striatal dopamine release (both total and alpha-conotoxin MII-resistant release) increased with age in naïve animals, but not in those prenatally exposed to nicotine. These findings demonstrate that prenatal exposure to nicotine causes alterations in nAChRs and in their regulation by nicotine that persist into adolescence. These changes may play a role in the increased risk for nicotine addiction observed in adolescent offspring of smoking mothers.

Adult and periadolescent rats differ in expression of nicotinic cholinergic receptor subtypes and in the response of these subtypes to chronic nicotine exposure

Adolescence is a time of significant brain development, and exposure to nicotine during this period is associated with higher subsequent rates of dependence. Chronic nicotine exposure alters expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), changing the pattern of nicotine responsiveness. We used quantitative autoradiography to measure three major subtypes of nAChRs after chronic nicotine exposure by osmotic minipump in adult and periadolescent rats. Comparison of control animals at the two different ages revealed that periadolescents express consistently greater numbers of alpha4beta2* nAChRs compared to the same brain regions of adults. Similar but less pronounced increases in alpha7 nAChRs were found in control periadolescent rats compared to adults. Binding of [(125)I]alpha-conotoxin MII (largely to alpha6* nAChRs) did not systematically differ between adults and periadolescents. The response to chronic nicotine exposure also differed by age. Up-regulation of alpha4beta2* nAChRs was prominent and widespread in adult animals; in periadolescents, alpha4beta2* up-regulation also occurred, but in fewer regions and to a lesser extent. A similar pattern of response was seen with alpha7 receptors: adults were more responsive than periadolescents to nicotine-induced up-regulation. In adult animals, chronic nicotine exposure did not cause up-regulation of alpha6* nAChRs; binding was down-regulated in three regions. Unlike the other subtypes, the response of alpha6* nAChRs to chronic nicotine was greater in periadolescents, with more regions showing greater down-regulation compared to adults. These differences in receptor expression and regulation between age groups are likely to be important given the unique vulnerability of adolescents to nicotine-induced behavioral changes and susceptibility to drug abuse.

The neurocircuitry of addiction: an overview

Drug addiction presents as a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by persistent drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviours. Given the significant detrimental effects of this disease both socially and economically, a considerable amount of research has been dedicated to understanding a number of issues in addiction, including behavioural and neuropharmacological factors that contribute to the development, loss of control and persistence of compulsive addictive behaviours. In this review, we will give a broad overview of various theories of addiction, animal models of addiction and relapse, drugs of abuse, and the neurobiology of drug dependence and relapse. Although drugs of abuse possess diverse neuropharmacological profiles, activation of the mesocorticolimbic system, particularly the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, amygdala and prefrontal cortex via dopaminergic and glutamatergic pathways, constitutes a common pathway by which various drugs of abuse mediate their acute reinforcing effects. However, long-term neuroadaptations in this circuitry likely underlie the transition to drug dependence and cycles of relapse. As further elucidated in more comprehensive reviews of various subtopics on addiction in later sections of this special issue, it is anticipated that continued basic neuroscience research will aid in the development of effective therapeutic interventions for the long-term treatment of drug-dependent individuals.

Amino acid residues that confer high selectivity of the alpha6 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit to alpha-conotoxin MII[S4A,E11A,L15A]

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) containing alpha3 and beta2 subunits are found in autonomic ganglia and mediate ganglionic transmission. The closely related alpha6 nAChR subtype is found in the central nervous system where changes in its level of expression are observed in Parkinson's disease. To obtain a ligand that discriminates between these two receptors, we designed and synthesized a novel analog ofalpha-conotoxin MII, MII[S4A,E11A,L15A], and tested it on nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The peptide blocked chimeric alpha6/alpha3beta2beta3 nAChRs with an IC(50) of 1.2 nm; in contrast, its IC(50) on the closely related alpha3beta2 as well as non-alpha6 nAChRs was three orders of magnitude higher. We identified the residues in the receptors that are responsible for their differential sensitivity to the peptide. We constructed chimeras with increasingly longer fragments of the N-terminal ligand binding domain of the alpha3 subunit inserted into the homologous positions of the alpha6 subunit, and these were used to determine that the region downstream of the first 140 amino acids was involved. Further mutagenesis of this region revealed that the alpha6 subunit residues Glu-152, Asp-184, and Thr-195 were critical, and replacement of these three residues with their homologs from the alpha3 subunit increased the IC(50) of the peptide by >1000-fold. Conversely, when these key residues inalpha3 were replaced with those fromalpha6, the IC(50) decreased by almost 150-fold. Similar effects were seen with other alpha6-selective conotoxins, suggesting the general importance of thesealpha6 residues in conferring selective binding.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the motivational effects of nicotine

In addition to the primary rewarding properties of nicotine and the alleviation of withdrawal symptoms, cues associated with smoking are critical contributors to maintenance of smoking behavior. Nicotine-paired cues are also critical for precipitating relapse after smoking cessation. An accumulation of evidence suggests that repeated exposure to tobacco, including the primary psychoactive ingredient, nicotine, changes brain neurochemistry in a way that promotes the control that cues associated with smoking or other rewards have over behavior. This chapter will consider the neurochemical mechanisms underlying these neuroadaptations. Targeting these molecular alterations may provide novel treatments for smoking cessation.

Nicotine improves cognitive deficits of dopamine transporter knockout mice without long-term tolerance

Various studies suggest a dysfunction of nicotinic neurotransmission in schizophrenia and establish that patients suffering from schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a high tobacco consumption, potentially for the purpose of self-medication. Owing to its neuroprotective and procognitive effects, transdermal nicotine was proposed to be an effective treatment of some neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Mice deficient in the dopamine transporter (DAT KO) exhibit a phenotype reminiscent of schizophrenia and ADHD, including hyperdopaminergia, hyperactivity, paradoxical calming by methylphenidate and cognitive deficits, some of which being improved by antipsychotic agents. We recently demonstrated that nicotinic receptor content and function were profoundly modified in DAT KO mice. In this study, we assessed the effects of a chronic nicotine treatment in the drinking water on the nicotine-induced locomotion, anxiety status and learning performance. Chronically nicotine-treated DAT KO mice were always hypersensitive to the hypolocomotor effect of nicotine without tolerance and did not exhibit the anxiogenic effect of nicotine treatment observed in WT mice. Very interestingly, both acute and chronic nicotine treatments greatly improved their deficits in the cued and spatial learning, without eliciting tolerance. We speculate that the procognitive effects of nicotine in DAT KO mice are related to the upregulation of alpha7 nicotinic receptors in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prelimbic cortex, all areas involved in cognition. Data from our studies on DAT KO mice shed light on the nicotine self-medication in psychiatric patients and suggest that nicotinic agonists could favorably lead to additional therapy of psychiatric diseases.

Regulation of neuronal nicotinic receptor traffic and expression

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a family of cation channels widely distributed in the brain, whose subunit composition and biophysical properties vary depending on the subtype and the area of the brain in which they are found. Brain nAChRs are also the target of nicotine, the most widespread drug of abuse. Chronic nicotine exposure differentially affects the number, subunit composition, stoichiometry and functional state of some nAChR subtypes, leaving others substantially unaffected. In this review, we will summarise recent data concerning the nAChR subtypes expressed in the CNS, and how they are regulated by means of chronic nicotine and/or nicotinic drugs. We will particularly focus on the possible mechanisms involved in the up-regulation of nAChRs.