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Nicotine Leads to Improvements in Behavioral Impairment and an Increase in the Nicotine Acetylcholine Receptor in Transgenic Mice

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Abstract

Nicotine is the principal psychoactive ingredient in cigarette smoke, and has been associated with health problems in humans. However, the pure form of nicotine may prove to be a valuable pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of AD. However, the beneficial effects of nicotine remain a matter of much controversy. In order to clarify this issue, 12-month-old transgenic mice, expressing neuron-specific enolase (NSE)-controlled APPsw, were treated with low, middle, and high doses of nicotine for 6 months. Herein, we have concluded that the nicotine-treated groups evidenced improvements in behavior and increases in the nicotine acetylcholine receptor, nAchRα7. These findings provide experimental evidence that nicotine effects an improvement in impaired memory, and that this improvement is associated with an increase in nAchRα7. Thus, nicotine may prove a good preventative or therapeutic modality for AD patients.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Seon M. Choi, B.S. and Mee K. Jang, M.S, animal technicians, for directing the animal facility at the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources. This research was supported by grants to Dr. Yong K. Kim from the Korea Health 21 R&D project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (A040042) and the Korean FDA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Team of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Institute of Toxicological Research, Korea Food and Drug Administration, 194 Tongilro Eunpyung-ku, Seoul, 122-704, Republic of Korea

    Sun B. Shim, Se H. Lee, Kab R. Chae, Chuel K. Kim, Dae Y. Hwang, Byoung G. Kim, Seung W. Jee, Su H. Lee, Ji S. Sin, Chang J. Bae, Byoung C. Lee & Yong K. Kim

  2. Department of Biological Science, KonKuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea

    Hyung H. Lee

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  1. Sun B. Shim
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  2. Se H. Lee
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Correspondence to Yong K. Kim.

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Shim, S.B., Lee, S.H., Chae, K.R. et al. Nicotine Leads to Improvements in Behavioral Impairment and an Increase in the Nicotine Acetylcholine Receptor in Transgenic Mice. Neurochem Res 33, 1783–1788 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-008-9629-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-008-9629-5

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