title: Methyllycaconitine prevents methamphetamine-induced effects in mouse striatum: involvement of alpha7 nicotinic receptors.
abstract: In a previous study, we demonstrated that in rat striatal synaptosomes, methamphetamine (METH)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was prevented by methyllycaconitine (MLA), a specific antagonist of alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (alpha7 nAChR). The aim of this study was to test the influence of MLA on acute METH effects and neurotoxicity in mice, using both in vivo and in vitro models. MLA inhibited METH-induced climbing behavior by 50%. Acute effects after 30-min preincubation with 1 microM METH also included a decrease in striatal synaptosome dopamine (DA) uptake, which was prevented by MLA. METH-induced neurotoxicity was assessed in vivo in terms of loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals (73%) and of tyrosine hydroxylase levels (by 90%) at 72 h post-treatment, which was significantly attenuated by MLA. Microglial activation [measured as 1-(2-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide binding] was also present at 24 h post-treatment and was fully prevented by MLA, tending to confirm its neuroprotective activity. MLA had no effect on METH-induced hyperthermia. Additionally, flow cytometry assays showed that METH-induced ROS generation occurs inside synaptosomes from mouse striatum. This effect implied release of vesicular DA and was calcium-, neuronal nitric-oxide synthase-, and protein kinase C-dependent. MLA and alpha-bungarotoxin, but not dihydro-beta-erythroidine (an antagonist that blocks nAChR-containing beta2 subunits), fully prevented METH-induced ROS production without affecting vesicular DA uptake. The importance of this study lies not only in the neuroprotective effect elicited by the blockade of the alpha7 nicotinic receptors by MLA but also in that it proposes a new mechanism with which to study METH-induced acute and long-term effects.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Farmacologia i Farmacognòsia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Nucli Universitari de Pedralbes, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escubedo
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chipana
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Sánchez
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camarasa
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pubill
mesh_terms: D000157:Aconitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects*; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; C579166:Chrna7 protein, mouse; C579165:Chrna7 protein, rat; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007546:Isoquinolines; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; C054634:methyllycaconitine; D008694:Methamphetamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D002118:Calcium; D004298:Dopamine; D000157:Aconitine; C037850:PK 11195