Cited by 274Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudyNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchSmoking Behavior and Cessation

Chronic Nicotine Cell Specifically Upregulates Functional α4* Nicotinic Receptors: Basis for Both Tolerance in Midbrain and Enhanced Long-Term Potentiation in Perforant Path

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Nashmi, Raad, Xiao, Cheng, Deshpande, Purnima, McKinney, Sheri, Grady, Sharon R., Whiteaker, Paul, Huang, Qi, McClure-Begley, Tristan +5 more·2007·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Understanding effects of chronic nicotine requires identifying the neurons and synapses whose responses to nicotine itself, and to endogenous acetylcholine, are altered by continued exposure to the drug. To address this problem, we developed mice whose α4 nicotinic receptor subunits are replaced by normally functioning fluorescently tagged subunits, providing quantitative studies of receptor regulation at micrometer resolution. Chronic nicotine increased α4 fluorescence in several regions; among these, midbrain and hippocampus were assessed functionally. Although the midbrain dopaminergic system dominates reward pathways, chronic nicotine does not change α4* receptor levels in dopaminergic neurons of ventral tegmental area (VTA) or substantia nigra pars compacta. Instead, upregulated, functional α4* receptors localize to the GABAergic neurons of the VTA and substantia nigra pars reticulata. In consequence, GABAergic neurons from chronically nicotine-treated mice have a higher basal firing rate and respond more strongly to nicotine; because of the resulting increased inhibition, dopaminergic neurons have lower basal firing and decreased response to nicotine. In hippocampus, chronic exposure to nicotine also increases α4* fluorescence on glutamatergic axons of the medial perforant path. In hippocampal slices from chronically treated animals, acute exposure to nicotine during tetanic stimuli enhances induction of long-term potentiation in the medial perforant path, showing that the upregulated α4* receptors in this pathway are also functional. The pattern of cell-specific upregulation of functional α4* receptors therefore provides a possible explanation for two effects of chronic nicotine: sensitization of synaptic transmission in forebrain and tolerance of dopaminergic neuron firing in midbrain.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.2199-07.2007

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  1. Nashmi R, Lester H (2007) Cell autonomy, receptor autonomy, and ther- modynamics in nicotine receptor upregulation. Biochem Pharmacol, in press.

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Authors
Nashmi, R., Xiao, C., Deshpande, P., McKinney, S., Grady, S. R., Whiteaker, P., Huang, Q., McClure-Begley, T., Lindstrom, J. M., Labarca, C., Collins, A. C., Marks, M. J., & Lester, H. A.
Affiliations
  • California Institute of Technology (US)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Lester, Henry A.
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2007-08-01
Volume
27
Issue
31
Pages
8202-8218
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2082275787
Cited by
274
References
108
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 23
FWCI
7.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • California Institute of Technology
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • National Institutes of Health (NS-1 1756)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA-19375, U19DA019375, R21DA019655, DA-19655, DA17279, R01DA017279, P30DA015663, DA-3194, DA15663, R01DA003194, DA09121, R01DA009121)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS11323, NS 11756, R01NS011323, R01NS011756)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
Keywords
chronic nicotine, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, receptor up-regulation, nicotine tolerance, long-term potentiation, perforant path, midbrain dopaminergic neurons, GABAergic neurons, substantia nigra pars reticulata, ventral tegmental area, hippocampus, neuronal firing rate
MeSH terms
Animals, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Tolerance, Mesencephalon, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Nicotine, Receptors, Nicotinic, Up-Regulation, Long-Term Potentiation, Mice, Knockout, Perforant Pathway, Mice

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