Nicotine exposure during pregnancy is a factor which influences serotonin transporter density in the rat brain.
We examined the effects of nicotine exposure during pregnancy on serotonin transporter (SERT) expression in the brain. Nicotine (6 mg/kg/day) was administered to pregnant rats via subcutaneous injections or infusion pumps. Irrespective of the route of administration, nicotine increased SERT density in the forebrain on postnatal day 22, but not in the other brain regions. Our results suggest that nicotine use by pregnant women might be an environmental factor influencing SERT expression in their children.
Muneoka
K
K
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan. muneoka@med4.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Ogawa
T
T
Kamei
K
K
Mimura
Y
Y
Kato
H
H
Takigawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009538:Nicotine; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D017374:Paroxetine; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C493232:Slc6a4 protein, rat