Sex differences in tolerance to the locomotor depressant effects of lobeline in periadolescent rats

Intravenous Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Alters METH-Induced Hyperactivity, Conditioned Hyperactivity, and BDNF in Adult Rat Offspring

In the USA, approximately 15% of women smoke tobacco cigarettes during pregnancy. In utero tobacco smoke exposure produces somatic growth deficits like intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight in offspring, but it can also negatively influence neurodevelopmental outcomes in later stages of life, such as an increased incidence of obesity and drug abuse. Animal models demonstrate that prenatal nicotine (PN) alters the development of the mesocorticolimbic system, which is important for organizing goal-directed behavior. In the present study, we determined whether intravenous (IV) PN altered the initiation and/or expression of methamphetamine (METH)-induced locomotor sensitization as a measure of mesocorticolimbic function in adult rat offspring. We also determined whether PN and/or METH exposure altered protein levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the nucleus accumbens, the dorsal striatum, and the prefrontal cortex of adult offspring. BDNF was of interest because of its role in the development and maintenance of the mesocorticolimbic pathway and its ability to modulate neural processes that contribute to drug abuse, such as sensitization of the dopamine system. Dams were injected with IV nicotine (0.05 mg/kg/injection) or saline, 3×/day on gestational days 8-21. Testing was conducted when offspring reached adulthood (around postnatal day 90). Following 3 once daily habituation sessions the animals received a saline injection and baseline locomotor activity was measured. PN and prenatal saline (PS)-exposed offspring then received 10 once daily injections of METH (0.3 mg/kg) to induce locomotor sensitization. The animals received a METH injection (0.3 mg/kg) to assess the expression of sensitization following a 14-day period of no injections. A day later, all animals were injected with saline and conditioned hyperactivity was assessed. Brain tissue was harvested 24 h later. PN animals habituated more slowly to the activity chambers compared to PS controls. PN rats treated with METH showed significant enhancement of locomotor behavior compared to PS rats following acute and repeated injections; however, PN did not produce differential initiation or expression of behavioral sensitization. METH produced conditioned hyperactivity, and PN rats exhibited a greater conditioned response of hyperactivity relative to controls. PN and METH exposure produced changes in BDNF protein levels in all three regions, and complex interactions were observed between these two factors. Logistic regression revealed that BDNF protein levels, throughout the mesocorticolimbic system, significantly predicted the difference in the conditioned hyperactive response of the animals: both correlations were significant, but the predicted relationship between BDNF and context-elicited activity was stronger in the PN (r = 0.67) compared to the PS rats (r = 0.42). These findings indicate that low-dose PN exposure produces long-term changes in activity and enhanced sensitivity to the locomotor effects of METH. The enhanced METH-induced contextual conditioning shown by the PN animals suggests that offspring of in utero tobacco smoke exposure have greater susceptibility to learn about drug-related conditional stimuli, such as the context. The PN-induced alterations in mesocorticolimbic BDNF protein lend further support for the hypothesis that maternal smoking during pregnancy produces alterations in neuronal plasticity that contribute to drug abuse vulnerability. The current findings demonstrate that these changes are persistent into adulthood.

Intranasal Delivery of Recombinant NT4-NAP/AAV Exerts Potential Antidepressant Effect

The present study was designed to construct a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) which can express NAP in the brain and examine whether this virus can produce antidepressant effects on C57 BL/6 mice that had been subjected to open field test and forced swimming test, via nose-to-brain pathway. When the recombinant plasmid pGEM-T Easy/NT4-NAP was digested by EcoRI, 297 bp fragments can be obtained and NT4-NAP sequence was consistent with the designed sequence confirmed by DNA sequencing. When the recombinant plasmid pSSCMV/NT4-NAP was digested by EcoRI, 297 bp fragments is visible. Immunohistochemical staining of fibroblasts revealed that expression of NAP was detected in NT4-NAP/AAV group. Intranasal delivery of NT4-NAP/AAV significantly reduced immobility time when the FST was performed after 1 day from the last administration. The effects observed in the FST could not be attributed to non-specific increases in activity since intranasal delivery of NT4-NAP/AAV did not alter the behavior of the mice during the open field test. The results indicated that a recombinant AAV vector which could express NAP in cells was successfully constructed and NAP may be a potential target for therapeutic action of antidepressant treatment.

Intra-ventral tegmental area HIV-1 Tat1-86 attenuates nicotine-mediated locomotor sensitization and alters mesocorticolimbic ERK and CREB signaling in rats

Cigarette smoking prevalence in the HIV-positive individuals is profoundly higher than that in the HIV-negative individuals. We have demonstrated that HIV-1 transgenic rats exhibit attenuated nicotine-mediated locomotor activity, altered cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling in the mesocorticolimbic regions. This study investigated the role of HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein in the alterations of nicotine-mediated behavior and the signaling pathway observed in the HIV-1 transgenic rats. Rats received bilateral microinjection of recombinant Tat1-86 (25 μg/side) or vehicle directed at ventral tegmental area (VTA) followed by locomotor testing in response to 13 daily intravenous injections of nicotine (0.05 mg/kg, freebase, once/day) or saline. Further, we examined the phosphorylated levels of CREB (pCREB) and ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and VTA. Tat diminished baseline activity in saline control rats, and attenuated nicotine-induced behavioral sensitization. Following repeated saline injection, the basal levels of pERK1 in the NAc and VTA and pERK2 in VTA were lower in the vehicle control group, relative to the Tat group. After repeated nicotine injection, pERK1 in NAc and VTA and pERK2 in VTA were increased in the vehicle group, but not in the Tat group. Moreover, repeated nicotine injections decreased pCREB in the PFC and VTA in the Tat group but not in the vehicle group. Thus, these findings indicate that the direct injection of Tat at the VTA may mediate CREB and ERK activity in response to nicotine-induced locomotor activity.

Antiepileptic activity of lobeline isolated from the leaf of Lobelia nicotianaefolia and its effect on brain GABA level in mice

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the anticonvulsant activity of the lobeline isolated from the Lobelia nicotianaefolia in chemoconvulsant-induced seizures and its biochemical mechanism by investigating relationship between seizure activities and altered gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in brain of mice in Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure models.

METHODS

The anticonvulsant activity of the isolated lobeline (5, 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) was investigated in PTZ and strychnine induced seizures in mice and the effect of isolated lobeline on brain GABA level in seizures induced by PTZ. Diazepam was used as reference anticonvulsant drugs for comparison.

RESULTS

Isolated lobeline (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly delayed and antagonized (P < 0.050-0.001) the onset of PTZ-induced seizures. It also antagonized strychnine induced seizures. The mortality was also prevented in the test group of animals. In biochemical evaluation, isolated lobeline (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased the brain GABA level. And at dose of 30 mg/kg GABA level showed slight decrease in PTZ model.

CONCLUSIONS

In our findings, isolated lobeline (20mg/kg) exhibited potent anticonvulsant activity against PTZ induced seizures. Also a biochemical evaluation suggested significant increase in barain GABA level at 20 mg/kg i.p. of isolated lobeline. Hence, we may propose that lobeline reduces epileptic seizures by enhancing the GABA release supporting the GABAergic mechanism.

The effects of lobeline on nicotine withdrawal-induced depression-like behavior in mice

RATIONALE

Evidence suggests that neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) ligand lobeline has antidepressant-like properties.

OBJECTIVES

The present study investigated the effects of lobeline on nicotine withdrawal-induced depression-like behavior.

METHODS

Adult C57BL/6J mice were exposed to nicotine (200 μg/ml) in drinking solution for 3 weeks. During withdrawal, depression-like behavior was measured by the forced swim test (FST). We also determined norepinephrine (NE) levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus during nicotine withdrawal. Furthermore, we determined the effects of repeated treatment with lobeline or a selective α4β2 nAChR ligand 3-(pyridine-3́-yl)-cytisine on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element binding (p-CREB) protein expression in the hippocampus.

RESULTS

Withdrawal from chronic nicotine increased immobility time in the FST, a measure for depression-like behavior. Pretreatment with lobeline significantly decreased immobility time during nicotine withdrawal. In addition, pretreatment with lobeline attenuated nicotine withdrawal-induced increased NE levels in the PFC and hippocampus. Further, repeated treatment with lobeline or 3-(pyridine-3́-yl)-cytisine decreased immobility time in the FST and reduced withdrawal-induced increased BDNF and p-CREB expression in the hippocampus.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our results indicate that lobeline attenuated nicotine withdrawal-induced depression-like behavior likely by targeting brain nAChRs, noradrenergic neurotransmission, and/or hippocampal BDNF. Thus, lobeline may have some potential to prevent smoking relapse by counteracting nicotine withdrawal-induced depression in humans.

Antidepressant-like effects of lobeline in mice: behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroendocrine evidence

Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonists have antidepressant-like properties. The present study examined the effects of lobeline, a nAChR antagonist, in the forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and novelty suppressed feeding test (NSFT) of antidepressant efficacy. Lobeline (1 or 4 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered 20 min before the FST and TST in C57BL/6J mice. Pretreatment with lobeline significantly reduced immobility time in the FST but not in the TST. Repeated lobeline (1 or 4 mg/kg, s.c.) treatment for 21 days significantly reduced feeding latency in the NSFT. We also determined the effects of lobeline on forced swim stress (FSS)-induced increased in plasma corticosterone levels using enzyme immunoassay. Pretreatment with lobeline (1 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly attenuated the corticosterone levels. Further, the effects of lobeline on FSS-induced increased in norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Pretreatment with lobeline (1 or 10 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly reduced NE levels in the PFC. Overall, the present study indicates that lobeline produces antidepressant-like effects by targeting brain nAChRs and/or neuroendocrine and brain noradrenergic systems.

Environmental enrichment alters nicotine-mediated locomotor sensitization and phosphorylation of DARPP-32 and CREB in rat prefrontal cortex

Exposure within an environmental enrichment paradigm results in neurobiological adaptations and decreases the baseline of locomotor activity. The current study determined activation of DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein-32) and CREB (cAMP response element binding protein), and locomotor activity in rats raised in enriched (EC), impoverished (IC), and standard (SC) conditions following repeated administration of nicotine or saline. In the saline-control group, the basal phosphorylation state of DARPP-32 at Threonine-34 site (pDARPP-32 Thr34) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was lower in EC compared to IC and SC rats, which was positively correlated with their respective baseline activities. While nicotine (0.35 mg/kg, freebase) produced locomotor sensitization across all housing conditions when the nicotine-mediated locomotor activity was expressed as a percent change from their respective saline control, EC rats displayed greater sensitization to nicotine than IC and SC rats. Consistent with the behavioral findings, repeated nicotine injection increased pDARPP-32 Thr34 in PFC of EC and IC rats and in nucleus accumbens of EC rats; however, the magnitude of change from saline control in nicotine-induced enhancement of pDARPP-32 Thr34 in PFC was strikingly increased in EC rats relative to IC rats. Moreover, EC rats had lower basal phosphorylation levels of CREB at serine 133 in PFC and nucleus accumbens compared to IC and SC rats, whereas the nicotine-induced increase in phosphorylated CREB-Ser133 was more pronounced in PFC of EC rats relative to IC and SC rats. Collectively, these findings suggest innovative insights into advancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of enrichment-induced changes in the motivational effects of nicotine, and aiding in the identification of new therapeutic strategies for tobacco smokers.

Lobeline attenuates neonatal ethanol-mediated changes in hyperactivity and dopamine transporter function in the prefrontal cortex in rats

Current therapies for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have varying efficacy in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), suggesting that alternative therapeutics are needed. Developmental exposure to ethanol produces changes in dopamine (DA) systems, and DA has also been implicated in ADHD pathology. In the current study, lobeline, which interacts with proteins in dopaminergic presynaptic terminals, was evaluated for its ability to attenuate neonatal ethanol-induced locomotor hyperactivity and alterations in dopamine transporter (DAT) function in striatum and prefrontal cortex (PFC). From postnatal days (PND) 1-7, male and female rat pups were intubated twice daily with either 3 g/kg ethanol or milk, or were not intubated (non-intubated control) as a model for "third trimester" ethanol exposure. On PND 21 and 22, pups received acute lobeline (0, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg), and locomotor activity was assessed. On PND 23-25, pups again received an acute injection of lobeline (1 or 3 mg/kg), and DAT kinetic parameters (Km and V(max)) were determined. Results demonstrated that neonatal ethanol produced locomotor hyperactivity on PND 21 that was reversed by lobeline (1 and 3 mg/kg). Although striatal DAT function was not altered by neonatal ethanol or acute lobeline, neonatal ethanol exposure increased the V(max) for DAT in the PFC, suggesting an increase in DAT function in PFC. Lobeline ameliorated this effect on PFC V(max) at the same doses that decreased hyperactivity. Methylphenidate, the gold standard therapeutic for ADHD, was also evaluated for comparison with lobeline. Methylphenidate decreased DAT V(max) and Km in PFC from ethanol-treated pups. Thus, lobeline and methylphenidate differentially altered DAT function following neonatal ethanol exposure. Collectively, these findings provide support that lobeline may be a useful pharmacotherapy for some of the deficits associated with neonatal ethanol exposure.

Genetically expressed HIV-1 viral proteins attenuate nicotine-induced behavioral sensitization and alter mesocorticolimbic ERK and CREB signaling in rats

The prevalence of tobacco smoking in HIV-1 positive individuals is 3-fold greater than that in the HIV-1 negative population; however, whether HIV-1 viral proteins and nicotine together produce molecular changes in mesolimbic structures that mediate psychomotor behavior has not been studied. This study determined whether HIV-1 viral proteins changed nicotine-induced behavioral sensitization in HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg) rats. Further, we examined cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). HIV-1Tg rats exhibited a transient decrease of activity during habituation, but showed attenuated nicotine (0.35mg/kg, s.c.)-induced behavioral sensitization compared to Fisher 344 (F344) rats. The basal levels of phosphorylated CREB and ERK2 were lower in the PFC of HIV-1Tg rats, but not in the NAc and VTA, relative to the controls. In the nicotine-treated groups, the levels of phosphorylated CREB and ERK2 in the PFC were increased in HIV-1Tg rats, but decreased in F344 animals. Moreover, repeated nicotine administration reduced phosphorylated ERK2 in the VTA of HIV-1Tg rats and in the NAc of F344 rats, but had no effect on phosphorylated CREB, indicating a region-specific change of intracellular signaling. These results demonstrate that HIV-1 viral proteins produce differences in basal and nicotine-induced alterations in CREB and ERK signaling that may contribute to the alteration in psychomotor sensitization. Thus, HIV-1 positive smokers are possibly more vulnerable to alterations in CREB and ERK signaling and this has implications for motivated behavior, including tobacco smoking, in HIV-1 positive individuals who self-administer nicotine.