Substitutability of nicotine and sucrose in rats: A behavioral economic analysis.

Despite considerable evidence suggesting that sweet foods are a substitute for nicotine in humans, no formal behavioral economic analysis of this interrelationship has been conducted in nonhumans. The purpose of the present study was to examine this phenomenon in rats using concurrent schedules of sucrose pellet, chow pellet, and nicotine reinforcer delivery. Rats responded on separate levers that delivered sucrose pellets, chow pellets, or nicotine infusions under concurrent fixed-ratio (FR) 1 schedules for each commodity within a closed economy. Following stable food and nicotine intake, the unit price of either sucrose or nicotine (the primary commodity) was increased while the two alternative commodities remained unchanged. Substitution was quantified using a behavioral economic cross-price model, as well as a novel commodity relation index that normalizes consumption of dissimilar commodities. Asymmetrical partial substitution was observed, wherein sucrose served as a partial substitute for nicotine, but nicotine failed to substitute for sucrose. Moreover, sucrose was a stronger partial substitute for nicotine than chow in most rats. These findings indicate that substitution of food for nicotine depends on the type of food. These findings mirror the selective increase in carbohydrate intake that can occur during smoking cessation and demonstrate a behavioral economic mechanism that may mediate it.

A TLR7/8 agonist increases efficacy of anti-fentanyl vaccines in rodent and porcine models.

Opioid use disorders (OUD) and overdose are public health threats worldwide. Widespread access to highly potent illicit synthetic opioids such as fentanyl is driving the recent rise in fatal overdoses. Vaccines containing fentanyl-based haptens conjugated to immunogenic carrier proteins offer a long-lasting, safe, and cost-effective strategy to protect individuals from overdose upon accidental or deliberate exposure to fentanyl and its analogs. Prophylactic or therapeutic active immunization with an anti-fentanyl vaccine induces the production of fentanyl-specific antibodies that bind the drug in the blood and prevent its distribution to the brain, which reduces its reinforcing effects and attenuates respiratory depression and bradycardia. To increase the efficacy of a lead anti-fentanyl vaccine, this study tested whether the incorporation of synthetic toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and TLR7/8 agonists as vaccine adjuvants would increase vaccine efficacy against fentanyl challenge, overdose, and self-administration in either rats or Hanford miniature pigs. Formulation of the vaccine with a nucleolipid TLR7/8 agonist enhanced its immunogenicity and efficacy in preventing fentanyl-induced respiratory depression, analgesia, bradycardia, and self-administration in either rats or mini-pigs. These studies support the use of TLR7/8 adjuvants in vaccine formulations to improve their clinical efficacy against OUD and potentially other substance use disorders (SUD).

The relative reinforcing efficacy of nicotine in an adolescent rat model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Introduction: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an independent risk factor for tobacco use disorder. Individuals with ADHD are more likely to begin smoking at a younger age, become a daily smoker sooner, smoke more cigarettes per day, and exhibit greater nicotine dependence than individuals without ADHD. It is unclear whether these findings are due to the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine per se being greater among individuals with ADHD. The purpose of the present study was to examine this issue using an animal model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strain. Methods: Adolescent SHR and Wistar (control) rats were given access to a typically reinforcing nicotine unit dose (30 µg/kg), a threshold reinforcing nicotine dose (4 µg/kg), or saline under an FR 1 (week 1) and FR 2 (week 2) schedule during 23 h sessions to examine acquisition of self-administration. Behavioral economic demand elasticity was then evaluated at the 30 µg/kg dose through an FR escalation procedure. Results: At the 30 µg/kg dose, SHR rats exhibited a lower average response rate, lower mean active to inactive lever discrimination ratio, and lower proportion of rats acquiring self-administration compared to control rats. During demand assessment, SHR rats showed no significant difference from Wistars in demand intensity (Q0) or elasticity (α; i.e., reinforcing efficacy). In addition, no strain difference in acquisition measures were observed at the 4 µg/kg dose. Discussion: These findings suggest that the increased risk of tobacco use disorder in adolescents with ADHD may not be attributable to a greater reinforcing efficacy of nicotine, and that other aspects of tobacco smoking (e.g., non-nicotine constituents, sensory factors) may play a more important role. A policy implication of these findings is that a nicotine standard to reduce initiation of tobacco use among adolescents in the general population may also be effective among those with ADHD.

Cigarette Smoke Extract, but Not Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Extract, Inhibits Monoamine Oxidase in vitro and Produces Greater Acute Aversive/Anhedonic Effects Than Nicotine Alone on Intracranial Self-Stimulation in Rats.

Conventional tobacco cigarettes appear to have greater abuse liability than non-combusted products such as electronic cigarettes (ECs) and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This may be due to the higher levels of behaviorally active non-nicotine constituents [e.g., monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors such as ß-carbolines] in cigarette smoke (CS) compared to non-combusted products. To evaluate this hypothesis, the current studies compared the relative abuse liability of CS and EC aerosol extracts containing nicotine and a range of non-nicotine constituents to that of nicotine alone (NRT analog) using intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) in rats. Effects of formulations on brain MAO activity in vitro and ex vivo were also studied to evaluate the potential role of MAO inhibition in the ICSS study. CS extract contained higher levels of several behaviorally active non-nicotine constituents (e.g., the ß-carbolines norharmane and harmane) than EC extract. Nicotine alone reduced ICSS thresholds at a moderate nicotine dose, suggesting a reinforcement-enhancing effect that may promote abuse liability, and elevated ICSS thresholds at a high nicotine dose, suggesting an aversive/anhedonic effect that may limit abuse liability. CS extract elevated ICSS thresholds to a greater degree than nicotine alone at high nicotine doses. Effects of EC extract on ICSS did not differ from those of nicotine alone. Finally, CS extract significantly inhibited MAO-A and MAO-B activity in vitro, whereas EC extract and nicotine alone did not. None of the formulations inhibited MAO measured ex vivo. These findings indicate greater acute aversive/anhedonic effects for CS extract compared to nicotine alone, suggesting lower abuse liability. Although confirmation of our findings using other dosing regimens, preclinical addiction models, and tobacco product extracts is needed, these findings suggest that the centrally-mediated effects of MAO inhibitors and other non-nicotine constituents may not account for the greater abuse liability of cigarettes compared to non-combusted products. Nonetheless, identifying the specific constituent(s) mediating the effects of CS extracts in this study could help clarify mechanisms mediating tobacco addiction and inform FDA product standards.

Stimulus functions of nicotine.

Behavioral pharmacology has made vital contributions to the concepts and methods used in tobacco and other drug use research, and is largely responsible for the now generally accepted notion that nicotine is the primary component in tobacco that engenders and maintains tobacco use. One of the most important contributions of behavioral pharmacology to the science of drug use is the notion that drugs can act as environmental stimuli that control behavior in many of the same ways as other stimuli (e.g., visual, gustatory, olfactory). The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of research that illustrates the respondent and operant stimulus functions of nicotine, using a contemporary taxonomy of stimulus functions as a general framework. Each function is formally defined and examples from research on the behavioral pharmacology of nicotine are presented. Some of the factors that modulate each function are also discussed. The role of nicotine's stimulus functions in operant and respondent theories of tobacco use is examined and some suggestions for future research are presented. The chapter illustrates how a taxonomy of stimulus functions can guide conceptions of tobacco use and direct research and theory accordingly.

Attenuating nicotine's effects with high affinity human anti-nicotine monoclonal antibodies.

Use of nicotine-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to sequester and reduce nicotine distribution to brain has been proposed as a therapeutic approach to treat nicotine addiction (the basis of tobacco use disorder). A series of monoclonal antibodies with high affinity for nicotine (nic•mAbs) was isolated from B-cells of vaccinated smokers. Genes encoding 32 unique nicotine binding antibodies were cloned, and the mAbs expressed and tested by surface plasmon resonance to determine their affinity for S-(-)-nicotine. The highest affinity nic•mAbs had binding affinity constants (KD) between 5 and 67 nM. The 4 highest affinity nic•mAbs were selected to undergo additional secondary screening for antigen-specificity, protein properties (including aggregation and stability), and functional in vivo studies to evaluate their capacity for reducing nicotine distribution to brain in rats. The 2 most potent nic•mAbs in single-dose nicotine pharmacokinetic experiments were further tested in a dose-response in vivo study. The most potent lead, ATI-1013, was selected as the lead candidate based on the results of these studies. Pretreatment with 40 and 80 mg/kg ATI-1013 reduced brain nicotine levels by 56 and 95%, respectively, in a repeated nicotine dosing experiment simulating very heavy smoking. Nicotine self-administration was also significantly reduced in rats treated with ATI-1013. A pilot rat 30-day repeat-dose toxicology study (4x200mg/kg ATI-1013) in the presence of nicotine indicated no drug-related safety concerns. These data provide evidence that ATI-1013 could be a potential therapy for the treatment of nicotine addiction.

The reinforcement threshold and elasticity of demand for nicotine in an adolescent rat model of depression.

BACKGROUND: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering setting a nicotine standard for tobacco products to reduce their addictiveness. Such a standard should account for the apparent greater vulnerability to nicotine addiction in some subpopulations, such as adolescents with depression. The present study examined whether the reinforcement threshold and elasticity of demand (i.e., reinforcing efficacy) for nicotine in a genetic inbred rat model of depression (Flinders Sensitive Line [FSL]) differs from an outbred control strain. METHODS: Acquisition of nicotine self-administration (NSA) across a wide range of nicotine doses was measured in both FSL and Sprague-Dawley (SD) control adolescent rats. At the highest dose, elasticity of demand was also measured. Nicotine pharmacokinetics was examined to determine whether it might modulate NSA, as it does smoking in humans. RESULTS: FSL rats acquired self-administration quicker and showed more inelastic demand (greater reinforcing efficacy) than SDs at the highest unit dose. However, there was no strain difference in the reinforcement threshold of nicotine. FSL rats exhibited faster nicotine clearance, larger volume of distribution, and lower plasma and brain nicotine concentrations. However, these differences were not consistently related to strain differences in NSA measures. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with studies showing greater dependence and reinforcing efficacy of cigarettes in smokers with depression and those with relatively fast nicotine metabolism. However, these findings also suggest that a nicotine standard to reduce initiation of tobacco use should be similarly effective in both the general adolescent population and those with depression.

ß-Carbolines found in cigarette smoke elevate intracranial self-stimulation thresholds in rats.

Identifying novel constituents that contribute to tobacco addiction is essential for developing more effective treatments and informing FDA regulation of tobacco products. While preclinical data indicate that monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors can have abuse liability or potentiate the addiction-related effects of nicotine, most of these studies have used clinical MAO inhibitors (e.g., tranylcypromine) that are not present in cigarette smoke. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the abuse potential of the ß-carbolines harmane, norharmane, and harmine - MAO inhibitors that are found in cigarette smoke - in an intracranial self-simulation (ICSS) model in rats. A secondary goal was to evaluate the ability of norharmane to influence nicotine's acute effects on ICSS. None of the ß-carbolines lowered ICSS thresholds at any dose studied when administered alone, suggesting a lack of abuse liability. Rather, all three ß-carbolines produced dose-dependent elevations in ICSS thresholds, indicating aversive/anhedonic effects. Harmane and harmine also elevated ICSS response latencies, suggesting a disruption of motor function, albeit with reduced potency compared to their ICSS threshold-elevating effects. Norharmane (2.5 mg/kg) modestly attenuated the effects of nicotine on ICSS thresholds. Our findings indicate that these ß-carbolines produced only aversive/anhedonic effects in an ICSS model when administered alone, and that norharmane unexpectedly attenuated nicotines acute effects on ICSS. Future work evaluating the addiction-related effects of nicotine combined with these and other MAO inhibitors present in smoke may be useful for understanding the role of MAO inhibition in tobacco addiction and informing FDA tobacco regulation.

Higher anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid self-administration in rats.

RATIONALE: Understanding factors contributing to individual differences in vulnerability to opioid addiction is essential for developing more effective preventions and treatments, yet few reliable behavioral predictors of subsequent opioid self-administration have been identified in rodents. Sensitivity to the acute effects of initial drug exposure predicts later addiction vulnerability in both humans and animals, but the relationship between sensitivity to withdrawal from initial drug exposure and later drug use vulnerability is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the current study was to evaluate whether the degree of anhedonia experienced during withdrawal from early opioid exposure predicts subsequent vulnerability to opioid self-administration. METHODS: Rats were first tested for withdrawal sensitivity following acute injections of morphine (i.e., "acute dependence"), measured as elevations in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds (anhedonia-like behavior) during naloxone-precipitated and spontaneous withdrawal. Rats were then tested for addiction-like behavior using various measures of i.v. morphine self-administration (MSA) including acquisition, demand, extinction, and reinstatement induced by morphine, stress, and/or drug-associated cues. RESULTS: Greater naloxone-precipitated withdrawal across repeated morphine injections and greater peak spontaneous withdrawal severity following a single morphine injection were associated with lower addiction-like behavior on multiple MSA measures. Withdrawal-induced anhedonia predicted a wider range of MSA measures than did any individual measure of MSA itself. CONCLUSIONS: Our data establish WIA as one of the first behavioral measures to predict individual differences in opioid SA in rodents. This model promises to be useful for furthering our understanding of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying vulnerability to opioid addiction.

Comparison of the Relative Abuse Liability of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Extracts and Nicotine Alone in Adolescent Rats: A Behavioral Economic Analysis.

Background: Characterizing the determinants of the abuse liability of electronic cigarettes (ECs) in adolescents is needed to inform product regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We recently reported that Vuse Menthol EC aerosol extract containing nicotine and a range of non-nicotine constituents (e.g., menthol, propylene glycol) had reduced aversive effects compared to nicotine alone in adolescent rats, whereas Aroma E-Juice EC aerosol extract did not. The current study used a behavioral economic approach to compare the relative abuse liability of these EC extracts and nicotine alone in an i.v. self-administration (SA) model in adolescents. Methods: Adolescents were tested for the SA of EC extracts prepared using an ethanol (ETOH) solvent or nicotine and saline, with and without 4% ETOH (i.e., the same concentration in the EC extracts) in 23 h/day sessions. Results. Although acquisition of SA was faster for nicotine + ETOH compared to all other formulations, the elasticity of demand for all nicotine-containing formulations was similar. Conclusions: EC aerosol extracts did not have greater abuse liability than nicotine alone in adolescents. These data suggest that nicotine may be the primary determinant of the abuse liability of these ECs in youth, at least in terms of the primary reinforcing effects of ECs mediated within the central nervous system.

Non-nicotine constituents in e-cigarette aerosol extract attenuate nicotine's aversive effects in adolescent rats.

BACKGROUND: Development of preclinical methodology for evaluating the abuse liability of electronic cigarettes (ECs) in adolescents is urgently needed to inform FDA regulation of these products. We previously reported reduced aversive effects of EC liquids containing nicotine and a range of non-nicotine constituents (e.g., propylene glycol, minor tobacco alkaloids) compared to nicotine alone in adult rats as measured using intracranial self-stimulation. The goal of this study was to compare the aversive effects of nicotine alone and EC aerosol extracts in adolescent rats as measured using conditioned taste aversion (CTA), which can be conducted during the brief adolescent period. METHODS AND RESULTS: In Experiment 1, nicotine alone (1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg, s.c.) produced significant CTA in adolescent rats in a two-bottle procedure, thereby establishing a model to study the effects of EC extracts. At a nicotine dose of 1.0 mg/kg, CTA to Vuse Menthol EC extract, but not Aroma E-Juice EC extract, was attenuated compared to nicotine alone during repeated two-bottle CTA tests (Experiment 2a). At a nicotine dose of 0.5 mg/kg, CTA to Vuse Menthol EC extract did not differ from nicotine alone during the first two-bottle CTA test but extinguished more rapidly across repeated two-bottle tests (Experiment 2b). CONCLUSIONS: Non-nicotine constituents in Vuse Menthol EC extracts attenuated CTA in a two-bottle procedure in adolescents. This model may be useful for anticipating the abuse liability of ECs in adolescents and for modeling FDA-mandated changes in product standards for nicotine or other constituents in ECs.

Propylene glycol, a major electronic cigarette constituent, attenuates the adverse effects of high-dose nicotine as measured by intracranial self-stimulation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Non-nicotine tobacco constituents may contribute to the abuse liability of tobacco products. We previously reported that electronic cigarette (EC) refill liquids containing nicotine and a range of non-nicotine constituents attenuated the anhedonic/aversive effects of nicotine in an intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) model. The alcohol propylene glycol (PG) is a primary ingredient in these and other EC liquids, yet its abuse potential has not been established. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of parenteral administration of PG alone and PG combined with nicotine on ICSS in rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: PG alone did not affect ICSS at concentrations up to 100%. PG (25% or 60%) did not affect nicotine's reinforcement-enhancing (ICSS threshold-decreasing) effects at low to moderate nicotine doses, but attenuated nicotine's reinforcement-attenuating/aversive (ICSS threshold-increasing) effects at a high nicotine dose. PG concentrations similar to those in EC liquid doses used in our previous studies (1% or 3%) modestly attenuated the ICSS threshold-elevating effects of a high nicotine dose. CONCLUSIONS: PG attenuated elevations in ICSS thresholds induced by high-dose nicotine, which may reflect an attenuation of nicotine's acute aversive/anhedonic and/or toxic effects. PG may have contributed to the attenuated ICSS threshold-elevating effects of EC liquids reported previously. Further examination of PG in models of addiction and toxicity is needed to understand the consequences of EC use and to inform the development of EC product standards by the FDA.

Status and Future Directions of Preclinical Behavioral Pharmacology in Tobacco Regulatory Science.

Behavioral pharmacology is a branch of the experimental analysis of behavior that has had great influence in drug addiction research and policy. This paper provides an overview of recent behavioral pharmacology research in the field of tobacco regulatory science, which provides the scientific foundation for the Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products (FDA CTP) to set tobacco control policies. The rationale and aims of tobacco regulatory science are provided, including the types of preclinical operant behavioral models it deems important for assessing the abuse liability of tobacco products and their constituents. We then review literature relevant to key regulatory actions being considered by the FDA CTP, including regulations over nicotine and menthol content of cigarettes, and conclude with suggesting some directions for future research. The current era of tobacco regulatory science provides great opportunities for behavioral pharmacologists to address the leading cause of preventable death and disease worldwide.

A Bayesian hierarchical model for demand curve analysis.

Drug self-administration experiments are a frequently used approach to assess the abuse liability and reinforcing property of a compound. It has been used to assess the abuse liabilities of various substances such as psychomotor stimulants and hallucinogens, food, nicotine, and alcohol. The demand curve generated from a self-administration study describes how demand of a drug or non-drug reinforcer varies as a function of price. With the approval of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, demand curve analysis provides crucial evidence to inform the US Food and Drug Administration's policy on tobacco regulation because it produces several important quantitative measurements to assess the reinforcing strength of nicotine. The conventional approach popularly used to analyze the demand curve data is individual-specific non-linear least square regression. The non-linear least square approach sets out to minimize the residual sum of squares for each subject in the dataset; however, this one-subject-at-a-time approach does not allow for the estimation of between- and within-subject variability in a unified model framework. In this paper, we review the existing approaches to analyze the demand curve data, non-linear least square regression, and the mixed effects regression and propose a new Bayesian hierarchical model. We conduct simulation analyses to compare the performance of these three approaches and illustrate the proposed approaches in a case study of nicotine self-administration in rats. We present simulation results and discuss the benefits of using the proposed approaches.

The nicotine-degrading enzyme NicA2 reduces nicotine levels in blood, nicotine distribution to brain, and nicotine discrimination and reinforcement in rats.

BACKGROUND: The bacterial nicotine-degrading enzyme NicA2 isolated from P. putida was studied to assess its potential use in the treatment of tobacco dependence. RESULTS: Rats were pretreated with varying i.v. doses of NicA2, followed by i.v. administration of nicotine at 0.03 mg/kg. NicA2 had a rapid onset of action reducing blood and brain nicotine concentrations in a dose-related manner, with a rapid onset of action. A 5 mg/kg NicA2 dose reduced the nicotine concentration in blood by > 90% at 1 min after the nicotine dose, compared to controls. Brain nicotine concentrations were reduced by 55% at 1 min and 92% at 5 min post nicotine dose. To evaluate enzyme effects at a nicotine dosing rate equivalent to heavy smoking, rats pretreated with NicA2 at 10 mg/kg were administered 5 doses of nicotine 0.03 mg/kg i.v. over 40 min. Nicotine levels in blood were below the assay detection limit 3 min after either the first or fifth nicotine dose, and nicotine levels in brain were reduced by 82 and 84%, respectively, compared to controls. A 20 mg/kg NicA2 dose attenuated nicotine discrimination and produced extinction of nicotine self-administration (NSA) in most rats, or a compensatory increase in other rats, when administered prior to each daily NSA session. In rats showing compensation, increasing the NicA2 dose to 70 mg/kg resulted in extinction of NSA. An enzyme construct with a longer duration of action, via fusion with an albumin-binding domain, similarly reduced NSA in a 23 h nicotine access model at a dose of 70 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: These data extend knowledge of NicA2's effects on nicotine distribution to brain and its ability to attenuate addiction-relevant behaviors in rats and support its further investigation as a treatment for tobacco use disorder.

Substitutability of nicotine alone and an electronic cigarette liquid using a concurrent choice assay in rats: A behavioral economic analysis.

BACKGROUND: For the Food and Drug Administration to effectively regulate tobacco products, the contribution of non-nicotine tobacco constituents to the abuse liability of tobacco must be well understood. Our previous work compared the abuse liability of electronic cigarette refill liquids (EC liquids) and nicotine (Nic) alone when each was available in isolation and found no difference in abuse liability (i.e., demand elasticity). Another, and potentially more sensitive measure, would be to examine abuse liability in a choice context, which also provides a better model of the tobacco marketplace. METHODS: Demand elasticity for Nic alone and an EC liquid were measured when only one formulation was available (alone-price demand) and when both formulations were concurrently available (own-price demand), allowing an assessment of the degree to which each formulation served as a substitute (cross-price demand) when available at a low fixed-price. RESULTS: Own-price demand for both formulations were more elastic compared to alone-price demand, indicating that availability of a substitute increased demand elasticity. During concurrent access, consumption of the fixed-price formulation increased as the unit-price of the other formulation increased. The rate of increase was similar between formulations, indicating that they served as symmetrical substitutes. CONCLUSION: The cross-price model reliably quantified the substitutability of both nicotine formulations and indicated that the direct CNS effects of non-nicotine constituents in EC liquid did not alter its abuse liability compared to Nic. These data highlight the sensitivity of this model and its potential utility for examining the relative abuse liability and substitutability of tobacco products.

Effects of nicotine-containing and "nicotine-free" e-cigarette refill liquids on intracranial self-stimulation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Animal models are needed to inform FDA regulation of electronic cigarettes (ECs) because they avoid limitations associated with human studies. We previously reported that an EC refill liquid produced less aversive/anhedonic effects at a high nicotine dose than nicotine alone as measured by elevations in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds, which may reflect the presence of behaviorally active non-nicotine constituents (e.g., propylene glycol) in the EC liquids. The primary objective of this study was to assess the generality of our prior ICSS findings to two additional EC liquids. We also compared effects of "nicotine-free" varieties of these EC liquids on ICSS, as well as binding affinity and/or functional activity of nicotine alone, nicotine-containing EC liquids, and "nicotine-free" EC liquids at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). METHODS AND RESULTS: Nicotine alone and nicotine dose-equivalent concentrations of both nicotine-containing EC liquids produced similar lowering of ICSS thresholds at low to moderate nicotine doses, indicating similar reinforcement-enhancing effects. At high nicotine doses, nicotine alone elevated ICSS thresholds (a measure of anhedonia-like behavior) while the EC liquids did not. Nicotine-containing EC liquids did not differ from nicotine alone in terms of binding affinity or functional activity at nAChRs. "Nicotine-free" EC liquids did not affect ICSS, but bound with low affinity at some (e.g., α4ß2) nAChRs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that non-nicotine constituents in these EC liquids do not contribute to their reinforcement-enhancing effects. However, they may attenuate nicotine's acute aversive/anhedonic and/or toxic effects, which may moderate the abuse liability and/or toxicity of ECs.

Locomotor activity does not predict individual differences in morphine self-administration in rats.

Understanding factors contributing to individual differences in opioid addiction vulnerability is essential for developing more effective preventions and treatments. Sensation seeking has been implicated in addiction to several drugs of abuse, yet its relationship with individual differences in opioid addiction vulnerability has not been well established. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between locomotor activity in a novel environment, a preclinical model of sensation-seeking, and individual differences in acquisition of i.v. morphine self-administration (SA) in rats. A secondary goal was to evaluate the relationship between activity and elasticity of demand (reinforcing efficacy) for morphine measured using a behavioral economic approach. Following an initial locomotor activity screen, animals were allowed to acquire morphine SA at a unit dose of 0.5 mg/kg/infusion in 4 hour/day sessions (Experiment 1) or 0.2 mg/kg/infusion in 2 hour/day sessions (Experiment 2) until infusion rates were stable. Unit price was subsequently manipulated via progressive reductions in unit dose (Experiment 1) or increases in response requirement per infusion (Experiment 2). Activity levels were not correlated with acquisition of morphine SA in either experiment. Morphine consumption was generally well described by an exponential demand function in both experiments (R2 values > 0.95 for rats as a group), but activity did not correlate with behavioral economic measures. Locomotor activity in a novel environment did not predict individual differences in acquisition of morphine SA. These data complement findings from some human studies and suggest that the role of sensation seeking in individual differences in opioid addiction vulnerability may be limited.

Consortium on Methods Evaluating Tobacco: Research Tools to Inform US Food and Drug Administration Regulation of Snus.

Introduction: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has purview over tobacco products. To set policy, the FDA must rely on sound science, yet most existing tobacco research methods have not been designed to specifically inform regulation. The NCI and FDA-funded Consortium on Methods Evaluating Tobacco (COMET) was established to develop and assess valid and reliable methods for tobacco product evaluation. The goal of this article is to describe these assessment methods using a US manufactured "snus" as the test product. Methods: In designing studies that could inform FDA regulation, COMET has taken a multidisciplinary approach that includes experimental animal models and a range of human studies that examine tobacco product appeal, addictiveness, and toxicity. This article integrates COMET's findings over the last 4 years. Results: Consistency in results was observed across the various studies, lending validity to our methods. Studies showed low abuse liability for snus and low levels of consumer demand. Toxicity was less than cigarettes on some biomarkers but higher than medicinal nicotine. Conclusions: Using our study methods and the convergence of results, the snus that we tested as a potential modified risk tobacco product is likely to neither result in substantial public health harm nor benefit. Implications: This review describes methods that were used to assess the appeal, abuse liability, and toxicity of snus. These methods included animal, behavioral economics, consumer perception studies, and clinical trials. Across these varied methods, study results showed low abuse-liability and appeal of the snus product we tested. In several studies, demand for snus was lower than for less toxic nicotine gum. The consistency and convergence of results across a range of multi-disciplinary studies lends validity to our methods and suggests that promotion of snus as a modified risk tobacco products is unlikely to produce substantial public health benefit or harm.

The effects of nicotine self-administration and withdrawal on concurrently available chow and sucrose intake in adult male rats.

Carbohydrate intake, preference, and taste thresholds may be altered in current and former cigarette smokers, which may mediate weight gain and risk for obesity in individuals who quit smoking. Attempts to model these effects in rodents have primarily used noncontingent nicotine administration. The purpose of this research was to characterize changes in chow and sucrose intake in rats during a 23-h access model of i.v. nicotine self-administration (NSA), in which rats lever-pressed for chow, sucrose, and nicotine under concurrent fixed-ratio (FR) 1 schedules. Male rats were assigned to one of three groups that differed in food and drug availability. The Nicotine C+S group had concurrent access to nicotine, chow, and sucrose. The Saline C+S group had access to saline, chow, and sucrose. The Nicotine C-Only group had access to nicotine and chow, but not sucrose. Changes in food intake and weight gain were assessed during baseline, NSA, and nicotine withdrawal (i.e., saline extinction). Weight gain was significantly slowed during NSA and increased during withdrawal, but did not differ between the nicotine groups. NSA produced a significant decrease in both chow and sucrose intake. Gradual tolerance to nicotine's effects on sucrose, but not chow intake, occurred. During withdrawal, chow and sucrose intake increased, with a larger percent increase in sucrose intake compared to chow. The proportion of total food intake from sucrose was greater at the end of withdrawal compared to baseline, indicating a history of nicotine intake changed dietary preference. Combined, these results indicate that sucrose intake is more resistant to nicotine's appetite suppressant effects and withdrawal from nicotine produces a greater increase in sweet food intake alongside general increases in chow intake. Changes in overall food intake in current and ex-smokers may lead to increased risk for obesity and other health problems, potentially limiting the benefit of quitting smoking.