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Olszewski NA, Tetteh-Quarshie S, Henderson BJ. Neuronal Excitability in the Medial Habenula and Ventral Tegmental Area Is Differentially Modulated by Nicotine Dosage and Menthol in a Sex-Specific Manner. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0380-23.2024. [PMID: 38233142 PMCID: PMC10863631 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0380-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial habenula (MHb) has been identified as the limiting factor for nicotine intake and facilitating nicotine withdrawal. However, few studies have assessed MHb neuronal excitability in response to nicotine, and, currently, a gap in knowledge is present for finding behavioral correlates to neuronal excitability in the region. Moreover, no study to date has evaluated sex or nicotine dosage as factors of excitability in the MHb. Here, we utilized an e-vape self-administration (EVSA) model to determine differences between sexes with different nicotine dosages ± menthol. Following this paradigm, we employed patch-clamp electrophysiology to assess key metrics of MHb neuronal excitability in relation to behavioral endpoints. We observed female mice self-administered significantly more than males, regardless of dosage. We also observed a direct correlation between self-administration behavior and MHb excitability with low-dose nicotine + menthol in males. Conversely, a high dose of nicotine ± menthol yields an inverse correlation between excitability and self-administration behavior in males only. In addition, intrinsic excitability in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) does not track with the amount of nicotine self-administered. Rather, they correlate to the active/inactive discrimination of mice. Using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, we also observed that dopamine release dynamics are linked to reinforcement-related behavior in males and motivation-related behaviors in females. These results point to a sex-specific difference in the activity of the MHb and VTA leading to distinct differences in self-administration behavior. His could lend evidence to clinical observations of smoking and nicotine-use behavior differing between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan A Olszewski
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington 25703-1104, West Virginia
| | - Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington 25703-1104, West Virginia
| | - Brandon J Henderson
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington 25703-1104, West Virginia
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Kim K, Picciotto MR. Nicotine addiction: More than just dopamine. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 83:102797. [PMID: 37832393 PMCID: PMC10842238 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of research and anti-tobacco messaging, nicotine addiction remains an important public health problem leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. While fundamental studies have identified molecular, circuit-level and behavioral mechanisms important for nicotine reinforcement and withdrawal, recent studies have identified additional pathways that are important for both nicotine seeking and aversion. In particular, although dopaminergic mechanisms are necessary for nicotine-dependent reward and drug-seeking, novel glutamate and GABA signaling mechanisms in the mesolimbic system have been identified for their contributions to reward-related behaviors. An additional area of active investigation for nicotine addiction focuses on molecular mechanisms in the habenula-interpeduncular pathway driving nicotine aversion and withdrawal. Across all these domains, sex differences in the molecular basis of nicotine-induced behaviors have emerged that identify important new directions for future research. Recent studies reviewed here highlight additional pathways that could provide therapeutic targets for smoking cessation and problematic nicotine vaping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06508, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06508, USA. https://twitter.com/kristenkim415
| | - Marina R Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06508, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06508, USA.
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Reynaga DD, Cano M, Belluzzi JD, Leslie FM. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke extract increases nicotine withdrawal symptoms in adult and adolescent male rats. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2023; 3:11324. [PMID: 38389812 PMCID: PMC10880785 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2023.11324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to determine whether non-nicotine constituents of cigarette smoke contribute to nicotine dependence in adolescent and adult male Sprague Dawley rats. For 10 days animals were given three times daily intravenous injections of nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day) or cigarette smoke extract (CSE) containing an equivalent dose of nicotine. Both spontaneous and mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal were then measured. Chronic treatment with CSE induced significantly greater somatic and affective withdrawal signs than nicotine in both adolescents and adults. Mecamylamine-precipitated somatic signs were similar at both ages. In contrast, animals spontaneously withdrawn from chronic drug treatment exhibited significant age differences: whereas adolescents chronically treated with nicotine did not show somatic signs, those treated with CSE showed similar physical withdrawal to those of adults. Mecamylamine did not precipitate anxiety-like behavior at either age. However, both adolescents and adults showed significant anxiety in a light-dark box test 18 h after spontaneous withdrawal. Anxiety-like behavior was still evident in an open field test 1 month after termination of drug treatment, with adolescents showing significantly greater affective symptoms than adults. Our findings indicate that non-nicotine constituents of cigarette smoke do contribute to dependence in both adolescents and adults and emphasize the importance of including smoke constituents with nicotine in animal models of tobacco dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy D Reynaga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Michelle Cano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - James D Belluzzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Frances M Leslie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Jang EH, Bae YH, Yang EM, Gim Y, Suh HJ, Kim S, Park SM, Park JB, Hur EM. Comparing axon regeneration in male and female mice after peripheral nerve injury. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2874-2887. [PMID: 34510521 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Axons in the adult mammalian central nervous system fail to regenerate after injury. By contrast, spontaneous axon regeneration occurs in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) due to a supportive PNS environment and an increase in the intrinsic growth potential induced by injury via cooperative activation of multifaceted biological pathways. This study compared axon regeneration and injury responses in C57BL/6 male and female mice after sciatic nerve crush (SNC) injury. The extent of axon regeneration in vivo was indistinguishable in male and female mice when observed at 3 days after SNC injury, and primary dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from injured, male and female mice extended axons to a similar length. Moreover, the induction of selected regeneration-associated genes (RAGs), such as Atf3, Sprr1a, Gap43, Sox11, Jun, Gadd45a, and Smad1 were comparable in male and female DRGs when assessed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the RNA-seq analysis of male and female DRGs revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SNC groups compared to sham-operated groups included many common genes associated with neurite outgrowth. However, we also found that a large number of genes in the DEGs were sex dependent, implicating the involvement of distinct gene regulatory network in the two sexes following peripheral nerve injury. In conclusion, we found that male and female mice mounted a comparable axon regeneration response and many RAGs were commonly induced in response to SNC. However, given that many DEGs were sex-dependently expressed, future studies are needed to investigate whether they contribute to peripheral axon regeneration, and if so, to what extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Hae Jang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yun-Hee Bae
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun Mo Yang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,BK21 Four Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education & Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yunho Gim
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Jun Suh
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Subin Kim
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong-Min Park
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Bae Park
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea.,Rare Cancer Branch, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Mi Hur
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,BK21 Four Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education & Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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