Blocking α4β2 and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors inhibits the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP by drug priming in mice

Behav Brain Res. 2011 Jun 20;220(1):100-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.01.040. Epub 2011 Jan 28.

Abstract

Investigating the interaction between nicotinic and opioid receptors is of great interest for both basic mechanistic and clinical reasons. Morphine and nicotine, two common drugs of abuse, share several behavioral and rewarding properties. However, little is known about the subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the reinstatement of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). In this study, we found that a non-specific nAChR agonist, nicotine (0.5mg/kg), had no effects on the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP. However, we found that pretreatment with specific α(4)β(2) and α(7) nAChR subtype antagonists, dihydroxy-β-erithroidine (DHβE, 5mg/kg) and methyllycaconitine (MLA, 4 mg/kg), 20 min prior to administration of morphine, inhibited the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP by drug priming in mice. Furthermore, depression of the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP by a single DHβE or MLA treatment lasted at least three days later when the reinstatement was induced by morphine priming. The data suggest that specific nAChR subtypes, i.e., α(4)β(2) and α(7), may contribute to the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP by drug priming in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aconitine / analogs & derivatives
  • Aconitine / pharmacology
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Cholinergic Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects*
  • Dihydro-beta-Erythroidine / pharmacology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Extinction, Psychological / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Morphine / administration & dosage*
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Narcotics / administration & dosage*
  • Nicotine / pharmacology
  • Nicotinic Agonists / pharmacology
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism*
  • Reinforcement, Psychology*
  • Time Factors
  • alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

Substances

  • Cholinergic Antagonists
  • Chrna7 protein, mouse
  • Narcotics
  • Nicotinic Agonists
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
  • nicotinic receptor alpha4beta2
  • methyllycaconitine
  • Dihydro-beta-Erythroidine
  • beta-erythroidine
  • Nicotine
  • Morphine
  • Aconitine