Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Low Dose Nicotine And Antagonism Of Β2 Subunit Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Have Similar Effects On Affective Behavior In Mice, Shawn M. Anderson, Darlene H. Brunzell

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Nicotine leads to both activation and desensitization (inactivation) of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). This study tested the hypothesis that nicotine and a selective antagonist of β2*nAChRs would have similar effects on affective behavior. Adult C57BL/6J male mice were tested in a conditioned emotional response (CER) assay which evaluates the ability of an aversive stimulus to inhibit goal-directed behavior. Mice lever-pressed for a saccharin reinforcer according to a variable schedule of reinforcement during sessions in which two presentations of a compound light/tone conditioned stimulus (CS) co-terminated with a 0.1 or 0.3 mA, 0.5 s footshock unconditioned stimulus (US). During testing in …

Mice Deficient In Gem Gtpase Show Abnormal Glucose Homeostasis Due To Defects In Beta-Cell Calcium Handling, Jenny E. Gunton, Mary Sisavanh, Rebecca A. Stokes, Jon Satin, Leslie S. Satin, Min Zhang, Sue M. Liu, Weikang Cai, Kim Cheng, Gregory J. Cooney, D. Ross Laybutt, Trina So, Juan-Carlos Molero, Shane T. Grey, Douglas A. Andres, Michael S. Rolph, Charles R. Mackay

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Aims and Hypothesis

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from beta-cells is a tightly regulated process that requires calcium flux to trigger exocytosis of insulin-containing vesicles. Regulation of calcium handling in beta-cells remains incompletely understood. Gem, a member of the RGK (Rad/Gem/Kir) family regulates calcium channel handling in other cell types, and Gem over-expression inhibits insulin release in insulin-secreting Min6 cells. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Gem in insulin secretion. We hypothesised that Gem may regulate insulin secretion and thus affect glucose tolerance in vivo.

Methods

Gem-deficient mice were generated and their metabolic phenotype characterised by …

Acid Sphingomyelinase Gene Knockout Ameliorates Hyperhomocysteinemic Glomerular Injury In Mice Lacking Cystathionine-Β-Synthase, Krishna M. Boini, Min Xia, Justine M. Abais, Ming Xu, Cai-Xia Li, Pin-Lan Li

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) has been implicated in the development of hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys)-induced glomerular oxidative stress and injury. However, it remains unknown whether genetically engineering of ASM gene produces beneficial or detrimental action on hHcys-induced glomerular injury. The present study generated and characterized the mice lacking cystathionine β-synthase (Cbs) and Asm mouse gene by cross breeding Cbs+/− and Asm+/− mice. Given that the homozygotes of Cbs−/−/Asm−/− mice could not survive for 3 weeks. Cbs+/−/Asm+/+, Cbs+/−/Asm+/− and Cbs+/−/Asm−/− as well as their Cbs wild type littermates were used to study the role of Asm−/− under a background of Cbs+/− with hHcys. HPLC …

Discovery Of Prostamide F2Α And Its Role In Inflammatory Pain And Dorsal Horn Nociceptive Neuron Hyperexcitability, Luisa Gatta, Fabiana Piscitelli, Catia Giordano, Serana Boccella, Aron H. Lichtman, Sebatino Maione, Vincenzo Di Marzo

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

It was suggested that endocannabinoids are metabolized by cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the spinal cord of rats with kaolin/λ-carrageenan-induced knee inflammation, and that this mechanism contributes to the analgesic effects of COX-2 inhibitors in this experimental model. We report the development of a specific method for the identification of endocannabinoid COX-2 metabolites, its application to measure the levels of these compounds in tissues, and the finding of prostamide F2α (PMF2α) in mice with knee inflammation. Whereas the levels of spinal endocannabinoids were not significantly altered by kaolin/λ-carrageenan-induced knee inflammation, those of the COX-2 metabolite of AEA, PMF2α, were strongly elevated. The …

Lipid Environment Modulates The Development Of Acute Tolerance To Ethanol In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jill C. Bettinger, Kapo Leung, Mia H. Bolling, Andrew D. Goldsmith, Andrew G. Davies

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

The development of tolerance to a drug at the level of the neuron reflects a homeostatic mechanism by which neurons respond to perturbations of their function by external stimuli. Acute functional tolerance (AFT) to ethanol is a fast compensatory response that develops within a single drug session and normalizes neuronal function despite the continued presence of the drug. We performed a genetic screen to identify genes required for the development of acute functional tolerance to ethanol in the nematode C. elegans. We identified mutations affecting multiple genes in a genetic pathway known to regulate levels of triacylglycerols (TAGs) via …

Morphine Decreases Enteric Neuron Excitability Via Inhibition Of Sodium Channels, Tricia H. Smith, John R. Grider, William L. Dewey, Hamid I. Akbarali

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Gastrointestinal peristalsis is significantly dependent on the enteric nervous system. Constipation due to reduced peristalsis is a major side-effect of morphine, which limits the chronic usefulness of this excellent pain reliever in man. The ionic basis for the inhibition of enteric neuron excitability by morphine is not well characterized as previous studies have mainly utilized microelectrode recordings from whole mount myenteric plexus preparations in guinea pigs. Here we have developed a Swiss-Webster mouse myenteric neuron culture and examined their electrophysiological properties by patch-clamp techniques and determined the mechanism for morphine-induced decrease in neuronal excitability. Isolated neurons in culture were confirmed …