title: Drug discrimination and neurochemical studies in alpha7 null mutant mice: tests for the role of nicotinic alpha7 receptors in dopamine release.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The nicotine discriminative stimulus has been linked to beta2-containing (beta2*) nicotinic receptors, with little evidence of a role for alpha7 nicotinic receptors, because nicotine discrimination was very weak in beta2 null mutant mice but normal in alpha7 mutants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  As both alpha7 and beta2* nicotinic receptors have been implicated in nicotine-stimulated dopamine overflow, this study focused on the dopamine-mediated element in the nicotine stimulus by examining cross-generalisation between amphetamine and nicotine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male alpha7 nicotinic receptor null mutant mice and wild-type controls were bred in-house and trained to discriminate nicotine (0.8 mg/kg) or (+)-amphetamine (0.6 mg/kg) from saline in a two-lever procedure with a tandem VI-30 FR-10 schedule of food reinforcement. Dopamine release from striatal slices was determined in parallel experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An alpha7 nicotinic receptor-mediated component of dopamine release was demonstrated in tissue from wild-type mice using choline as a selective agonist. This response was absent in tissue from null mutant animals. The mutation did not influence acquisition of drug discriminations but subtly affected the results of cross-generalisation tests. In mice trained to discriminate nicotine or amphetamine, there was partial cross-generalisation in wild-type mice and, at certain doses, these effects were attenuated in mutants. Further support for an alpha7 nicotinic receptor-mediated component was provided by the ability of the alpha7 nicotinic receptor antagonist methyllycaconitine to attenuate responses to nicotine and amphetamine in wild-type mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the concept of an alpha7 nicotinic receptor-mediated dopaminergic element in nicotine discrimination, warranting further tests with selective dopamine agonists.
authors.affiliation: Section of Behavioural Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry P049, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quarta
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barik
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wonnacott
authors.forename: Ian P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Stolerman