| Title | Nicotine addiction: the possible role of functional upregulation. | | Author(s) | Buisson B, Bertrand D | | Institution | Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, TROPHOS SA, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France. buisson@trophos.com | | Source | Trends Pharmacol Sci 2002 Mar; 23(3):130-6. | | MeSH | Animals
Binding Sites
Brain
Cells, Cultured
Humans
Neurons
Nicotine
Receptors, Nicotinic
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Smoking Cessation
Tobacco Use Disorder
Up-Regulation
| | Abstract | Upregulation of binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) is observed in the brains of both smokers and animals chronically exposed to nicotine, although whether this in vivo change is accompanied by an increase in receptor function is unknown. In vitro recordings indicate that alpha4beta2- and alpha7-subtypes of nAChRs, which are the most abundant subtypes in the brain, are functionally upregulated following prolonged exposure to nicotine. The possible consequences of functional upregulation for nicotine addiction are discussed. Moreover, we propose a new paradigm that describes the unusual behavior of these neuronal nAChRs and helps to explain the effects of nicotine in the CNS and the diffuse effects of ACh. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Review
| | PubMed ID | 11879680 |
|
