Withdrawal from nicotine facilitates diazepam binding inhibitor mRNA expression in mouse cerebral cortex

Co-administration of ethanol and nicotine: the enduring alterations in the rewarding properties of nicotine and glutamate activity within the mesocorticolimbic system of female alcohol-preferring (P) rats

RATIONALE

The co-abuse of ethanol (EtOH) and nicotine (NIC) increases the likelihood that an individual will relapse to drug use while attempting to maintain abstinence. There is limited research examining the consequences of long-term EtOH and NIC co-abuse.

OBJECTIVES

The current experiments determined the enduring effects of chronic EtOH, NIC, or EtOH + NIC intake on the reinforcing properties of NIC and glutamate (GLU) activity within the mesocorticolimbic (MCL) system.

METHODS

Alcohol-preferring (P) rats self-administered EtOH, Sacc + NIC, or EtOH + NIC combined for 10 weeks. The reinforcing properties of 0.1-3.0 μM NIC within the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) were assessed following a 2-3-week drug-free period using intracranial self-administration (ICSA) procedures. The effects of EtOH, Sacc, Sacc + NIC, or EtOH + NIC intake on extracellular levels and clearance of glutamate (GLU) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were also determined.

RESULTS

Binge intake of EtOH (96-100 mg%) and NIC (21-27 mg/mL) were attained. All groups of P rats self-infused 3.0 μM NIC directly into the AcbSh, whereas only animals in the EtOH + NIC co-abuse group self-infused the 0.3 and 1.0 μM NIC concentrations. Additionally, self-administration of EtOH + NIC, but not EtOH, Sacc or Sacc + NIC, resulted in enduring increases in basal extracellular GLU levels in the mPFC.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the co-abuse of EtOH + NIC produced enduring neuronal alterations within the MCL which enhanced the rewarding properties of NIC in the AcbSh and elevated extracellular GLU levels within the mPFC.

Long-chain acyl-CoA esters in metabolism and signaling: Role of acyl-CoA binding proteins

Long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters are key intermediates in numerous lipid metabolic pathways, and recognized as important cellular signaling molecules. The intracellular flux and regulatory properties of acyl-CoA esters have been proposed to be coordinated by acyl-CoA-binding domain containing proteins (ACBDs). The ACBDs, which comprise a highly conserved multigene family of intracellular lipid-binding proteins, are found in all eukaryotes and ubiquitously expressed in all metazoan tissues, with distinct expression patterns for individual ACBDs. The ACBDs are involved in numerous intracellular processes including fatty acid-, glycerolipid- and glycerophospholipid biosynthesis, β-oxidation, cellular differentiation and proliferation as well as in the regulation of numerous enzyme activities. Little is known about the specific roles of the ACBDs in the regulation of these processes, however, recent studies have gained further insights into their in vivo functions and provided further evidence for ACBD-specific functions in cellular signaling and lipid metabolic pathways. This review summarizes the structural and functional properties of the various ACBDs, with special emphasis on the function of ACBD1, commonly known as ACBP.

Rodent models of nicotine withdrawal syndrome

Simple, rapid and inexpensive rodent models of nicotine physical dependence and withdrawal syndrome have proved useful for preliminary screening of smoking cessation treatments. They have led to an exponential increase of knowledge regarding the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of dependence and withdrawal syndrome. The human nicotine withdrawal syndrome in smoking cessation is variable and multidimensional, involving irritability, anxiety, depression, cognitive and attentional impairments, weight gain, sleep disturbances, and craving for nicotine. Aside from sleep disturbances, analogous phenomena have been seen in rodent models using different measures of withdrawal intensity. It appears likely that different withdrawal phenomena may involve some partially divergent mechanisms. For example, depression-like phenomena may involve alterations in mechanisms such as the mesolimbic dopamine pathway from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens. Irritability and anxiety may involve alterations in endogenous opioid systems and other regions, such as the amygdala. This chapter reviews many additional anatomical, neurochemical, and developmental elements that impact nicotine physical dependence.

Acyl-CoA binding proteins; structural and functional conservation over 2000 MYA

Besides serving as essential substrates for beta-oxidation and synthesis of triacylglycerols and more complex lipids like sphingolipids and sterol esters, long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters are increasingly being recognized as important regulators of enzyme activities and gene transcription. Acyl-CoA binding protein, ACBP, has been proposed to play a pivotal role in the intracellular trafficking and utilization of long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters. Depletion of acyl-CoA binding protein in yeast results in aberrant organelle morphology incl. fragmented vacuoles, multi-layered plasma membranes and accumulation of vesicles of variable sizes. In contrast to synthesis and turn-over of glycerolipids, the levels of very-long-chain fatty acids, long-chain bases and ceramide are severely affected by Acb1p depletion, suggesting that Acb1p, rather than playing a general role, serves specific roles in cellular lipid metabolism.

Functional Proteins Involved in Regulation of Intracellular Ca2+ for Drug Development: Chronic Nicotine Treatment Upregulates L-Type High Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

Neurochemical mechanisms underlying drug dependence and withdrawal syndrome remain unclear. In this review, we discuss how chronic nicotine exposure to neurons affects expression of diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI), an endogenous anxiogenic neuropeptide supposed to be a common substance participating drug dependence, and function of L-type high voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (HVCCs). We also discuss the functional interaction between DBI and L-type HVCCs in nicotine dependence. Both DBI levels and [(45)Ca(2+)] influx significantly increased in the brain from mice treated with nicotine for long term, which was further enhanced after abrupt cessation of nicotine and was abolished by nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonists. Similar responses of DBI expression and L-type HVCC function were observed in cerebral cortical neurons after sustained exposure to nicotine. In addition, increased DBI expression was inhibited by antagonists of nAChR and L-type HVCCs. Sustained exposure of neurons to nicotine significantly enhanced expression of alpha(1) and alpha(2)/delta(1) subunits for L-type HVCCs and caused an increase in the B(max) value of [(3)H]verapamil binding to the particulate fractions. Therefore, it is concluded that the alterations in DBI expression is mediated via increased influx of Ca(2+) through upregulated L-type HVCCs and these neurochemical changes have a close relationship with development of nicotine dependence and/or its withdrawal syndrome.

Pharmacological Basis for Management of Drug Dependence

Neurochemical mechanisms underlying development of drug dependence and withdrawal syndrome remain unclear. Several clinical features of withdrawal syndrome, such as anxiety, are considered to be common among patients with drug dependence induced by different drugs of abuse. In the present study, we investigated whether diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), an endogenous anxiogenic neuropeptide, participates in the anxiety associated with drug dependence and its withdrawal symptoms. When we examined brain from mice dependent on alcohol, nicotine, and morphine, we observed that the levels of DBI protein and its mRNA significantly increased. Abrupt cessation of these drugs facilitated further increases in DBI expression. In the cases of nicotine- and morphine-dependent mice, concomitant administration of specific antagonists for nicotinic acetylcholine and m-opioid receptors, respectively, abolished the increased expression. Similar patterns of DBI expression were observed in the neurons after sustained exposure to these drugs and its removal from culture medium. Sustained exposure of the neurons to abused drugs significantly increased the KCl (30 mM)-induced 45Ca2+ influx and enhanced expression of alpha1 subunits for L-type high voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (HVCCs). In addition, the increase in DBI expression was completely blocked by L-type HVCC inhibitors. Therefore, these alterations in DBI expression, mediated via increased influx of Ca2+ through upregulated L-type HVCCs, are closely related to drug dependence and/or its withdrawal syndrome and are considered to be part of a common biochemical process in drug dependence induced by different drugs of abuse.