Hierarchical control of dopamine neuron-firing patterns by nicotinic receptors.

Nicotine elicits dopamine release by stimulating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on dopaminergic neurons. However, a modulation of these neurons by endogenous acetylcholine has not been described. We recorded, in vivo, the spontaneous activity of dopaminergic neurons in the VTA of anaesthetized wt and nAChR knockout mice and their response to nicotine injections. Deleting alpha7 or beta2 subunits modified the spontaneous firing patterns, demonstrating their direct stimulation by endogenous acetylcholine. Quantitative analysis further revealed four principal modes of firing, each depending on the expression of particular nAChR subunits and presenting unique responses to nicotine. The prominent role of the beta2 subunit was further confirmed by its selective lentiviral reexpression in the VTA. These data suggest a hierarchical control of dopaminergic neuron firing patterns by nAChRs: activation of beta2*-nAChR switches cells from a resting to an excited state, whereas activation of alpha7*-nAChRs finely tunes the latter state but only once beta2*-nAChRs have been activated.

Dual effects of nicotine on dopamine neurons mediated by different nicotinic receptor subtypes.

Burst firing of dopaminergic neurons has been found to represent a particularly effective means of increasing dopamine release in terminal areas as well as activating immediate early genes in dopaminoceptive cells. Spontaneous burst firing is largely controlled by the level of activation of NMDA receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a consequence of glutamate released from afferents arising mainly in the prefrontal cortex. Nicotine has been found to effectively increase burst firing of dopaminergic cells. This effect of nicotine may be due to an alpha 7 nicotinic receptor-mediated presynaptic facilitation of glutamate release in the VTA. By the use of in-vivo single-cell recordings and immunohistochemistry we here evaluated the role of alpha 7 nicotinic receptors in nicotine-induced burst firing of dopamine cells in the VTA and the subsequent activation of immediate early genes in dopaminoceptive target areas. Nicotine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) was found to increase firing rate and burst firing of dopaminergic neurons. In the presence of methyllycaconitine (MLA, 6.0 mg/kg i.p.) nicotine only increased firing rate. Moreover, in the presence of dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DH beta E, 1.0 mg/kg i.p.), an antagonist at non-alpha 7 nicotinic receptors, nicotine produced an increase in burst firing without increasing the firing rate. Nicotine also increased Fos-like immunoreactivity in dopamine target areas, an effect that was antagonized with MLA but not with DH beta E. Our data suggest that nicotine's augmenting effect on burst firing is, indeed, due to stimulation of alpha 7 nicotinic receptors whereas other nicotinic receptors seem to induce an increase in firing frequency.

Long-term effects of chronic nicotine exposure on brain nicotinic receptors.

Chronic nicotine exposure results in long-term homeostatic regulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) that play a key role in the adaptative cellular processes leading to addiction. However, the relative contribution of the different nAChR subunits in this process is unclear. Using genetically modified mice and pharmacological manipulations, we provide behavioral, electrophysiological, and pharmacological evidence for a long-term mechanism by which chronic nicotine triggers opposing processes differentially mediated by beta2*- vs. alpha7*nAChRs. These data offer previously undescribed insights into the understanding of nicotine addiction and the treatment of several human pathologies by nicotine-like agents chronically acting on beta2*- or alpha7*nAChRs.