α-Conotoxin TxIB Inhibits Development of Morphine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference in Mice via Blocking α6β2* Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Morphine, the main component of opium, is a commonly used analgesic in clinical practice, but its abuse potential limits its clinical application. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the mesolimbic circuitry play an important role in the rewarding effects of abused drugs. Previous studies have showed that α6β2* (* designated other subunits) nAChRs are mainly distributed in dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain area, which regulates the release of dopamine. So α6β2* nAChRs are regarded as a new target to treat drug abuse. α-Conotoxin TxIB was discovered in our lab, which is the most selective ligand to inhibit α6β2* nAChRs only. Antagonists of α6β2* nAChRs decreased nicotine, cocaine, and ethanol rewarding effects previously. However, their role in morphine addiction has not been reported so far. Thus, it is worth evaluating the effect of α-conotoxin TxIB on the morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and its behavioral changes in mice. Our results showed that TxIB inhibited expression and acquisition of morphine-induced CPP and did not produce a rewarding effect by itself. Moreover, repeated injections of TxIB have no effect on learning, memory, locomotor activity, and anxiety-like behavior. Therefore, blocking α6/α3β2β3 nAChRs inhibits the development of morphine-induced CPP. α-Conotoxin TxIB may be a potentially useful compound to mitigate the acquisition and/or retention of drug-context associations.

Download Full-text

Acquisition and reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in rats: Effects of the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil and rivastigmine

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881116642539 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (7) ◽

pp. 676-687 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Kinga Gawel ◽

Krzysztof Labuz ◽

Ewa Gibula-Bruzda ◽

Malgorzata Jenda ◽

Marta Marszalek-Grabska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Receptor Antagonist ◽

Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Similar Efficacy ◽

Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine

The present study examined the influence of the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil (a selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase) and rivastigmine (also an inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase) on the acquisition and reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats. Before the CPP procedure, animals received a single injection of ethanol (0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) for 15 days. The ethanol-induced CPP (biased method) was developed by four injections of ethanol (0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v, i.p.) every second day. Control rats received saline instead of ethanol. Donepezil (0.5, 1 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) or rivastigmine (0.03, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered before ethanol during conditioning or before the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP. The cholinesterase inhibitors were equally effective in increasing (dose dependently) the acquisition of ethanol-induced CPP. Furthermore, priming injections of both inhibitors reinstated (cross-reinstatement) the ethanol-induced CPP with similar efficacy. These effects of both cholinesterase inhibitors were reversed by mecamylamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.), a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, but not by scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. Thus, our results show that the cholinergic system is involved in the reinforcing properties of ethanol, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the relapse to ethanol-seeking behaviour.

Download Full-text

The cytisine derivatives, CC4 and CC26, reduce nicotine-induced conditioned place preference in zebrafish by acting on heteromeric neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1007/s00213-014-3619-x ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 231 (24) ◽

pp. 4681-4693 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Luisa Ponzoni ◽

Daniela Braida ◽

Luca Pucci ◽

Donzelli Andrea ◽

Francesca Fasoli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Place Preference ◽

Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine ◽

Cytisine Derivatives

Download Full-text

Contrasting effects of the α7 nicotinic receptor antagonist methyllycaconitine in different rat models of heroin reinstatement

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881121991570 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026988112199157

Author(s):

Josephine Palandri ◽

Sharon L Smith ◽

David J Heal ◽

Sue Wonnacott ◽

Chris P Bailey

Keyword(s):

Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Place Preference ◽

Self Administration ◽

Α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine ◽

Α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Background: α7 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are implicated in the reinstatement of drug-seeking, an important component of relapse. We showed previously that the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, methyllycaconitine, specifically attenuated morphine-primed reinstatement of conditioned place preference in rodents and this effect was mediated in the ventral hippocampus. Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonism in reinstatement of the conditioned place preference for the more widely abused opioid, heroin, and to compare the effect of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor blockade on reinstatement of heroin-seeking and heroin self-administration in an intravenous self-administration model of addictive behaviour. Methods: Rats were trained to acquire heroin conditioned place preference or heroin self-administration; both followed by extinction of responding. Methyllycaconitine or saline was given prior to reinstatement of drug-primed conditioned place preference, or drug-prime plus cue-induced reinstatement of intravenous self-administration, using two protocols: without delivery of heroin in response to lever pressing to model heroin-seeking, or with heroin self-administration, using fixed and progressive ratio reward schedules, to model relapse. Results: Methyllycaconitine had no effect on acquisition of heroin conditioned place preference or lever-pressing for food rewards. Methyllycaconitine blocked reinstatement of heroin-primed conditioned place preference. Methyllycaconitine did not prevent drug-prime plus cue-induced reinstatement of heroin-seeking, reinstatement of heroin self-administration, or diminish the reinforcing effect of heroin. Conclusions: The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, methyllycaconitine, prevented reinstatement of the opioid conditioned place preference, consistent with a role for α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the retrieval of associative memories of drug liking. The lack of effect of methyllycaconitine in heroin-dependent rats in two intravenous self-administration models suggests that α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors do not play a role in later stages of heroin abuse.

Download Full-text

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the dorsal hippocampus and the basolateral amygdala are involved in ethanol-induced conditioned place preference

Neuroscience ◽

10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.03.019 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 168 (2) ◽

pp. 505-513 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

M.R. Zarrindast ◽

J. Meshkani ◽

A. Rezayof ◽

R. Beigzadeh ◽

P. Rostami

Keyword(s):

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Basolateral Amygdala ◽

Dorsal Hippocampus ◽

Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine

Download Full-text

Brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are involved in stress-induced potentiation of nicotine reward in rats

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881117707745 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (7) ◽

pp. 945-955 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Parastoo Javadi ◽

Ameneh Rezayof ◽

Maryam Sardari ◽

Zahra Ghasemzadeh

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Conditioned Place Preference ◽

Chronic Stress ◽

Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Basolateral Amygdala ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Place Preference ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine

The aim of the present study was to examine the possible role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the dorsal hippocampus (CA1 regions), the medial prefrontal cortex or the basolateral amygdala in the effect of acute or sub-chronic stress on nicotine-induced conditioned place preference. Our results indicated that subcutaneous administration of nicotine (0.2 mg/kg) induced significant conditioned place preference. Exposure to acute or sub-chronic elevated platform stress potentiated the response of an ineffective dose of nicotine. Pre-conditioning intra-CA1 (0.5–4 µg/rat) or intra-medial prefrontal cortex (0.2–0.3 µg/rat) microinjection of mecamylamine (a non-selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist) reversed acute stress-induced potentiation of nicotine reward as measured in the conditioned place preference paradigm. By contrast, pre-conditioning intra-basolateral amygdala microinjection of mecamylamine (4 µg/rat) potentiated the effects of acute stress on nicotine reward. Our findings also showed that intra-CA1 or intra-medial prefrontal cortex, but not intra-basolateral amygdala, microinjection of mecamylamine (4 µg/rat) prevented the effect of sub-chronic stress on nicotine reward. These findings suggest that exposure to elevated platform stress potentiates the rewarding effect of nicotine which may be associated with the involvement of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. It seems that there is a different contribution of the basolateral amygdala, the medial prefrontal cortex or the CA1 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in stress-induced potentiation of nicotine-induced conditioned place preference.

Download Full-text

Structure-Function of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Inhibitors Derived From Natural Toxins

Frontiers in Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnins.2020.609005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Thao N. T. Ho ◽

Nikita Abraham ◽

Richard J. Lewis

Keyword(s):

Drug Design ◽

Ligand Binding ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Rational Drug Design ◽

Comprehensive Overview ◽

Nicotinic Acetylcholine ◽

Structure Based Drug Design ◽

Selective Ligand

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are prototypical cation-selective, ligand-gated ion channels that mediate fast neurotransmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems. nAChRs are involved in a range of physiological and pathological functions and hence are important therapeutic targets. Their subunit homology and diverse pentameric assembly contribute to their challenging pharmacology and limit their drug development potential. Toxins produced by an extensive range of algae, plants and animals target nAChRs, with many proving pivotal in elucidating receptor pharmacology and biochemistry, as well as providing templates for structure-based drug design. The crystal structures of these toxins with diverse chemical profiles in complex with acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP), a soluble homolog of the extracellular ligand-binding domain of the nAChRs and more recently the extracellular domain of human α9 nAChRs, have been reported. These studies have shed light on the diverse molecular mechanisms of ligand-binding at neuronal nAChR subtypes and uncovered critical insights useful for rational drug design. This review provides a comprehensive overview and perspectives obtained from structure and function studies of diverse plant and animal toxins and their associated inhibitory mechanisms at neuronal nAChRs.

Download Full-text