title: Partial agonists for α4β2 nicotinic receptors stimulate dopaminergic neuron firing with relatively enhanced maximal effects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Partial agonists selective for α4β2 nicotinic ACh receptors have been developed for smoking cessation as they induce weak activation of native α4β2* receptors and inhibit effect of nicotine. However, it is unclear whether at brain functions there is an existence of receptor reserve that allows weak receptor activation to induce maximum physiological effects. We assessed the extent of α4β2 partial agonist-induced increase of firing rate in dopaminergic neurons and evaluated the influence of receptor reserve.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relative maximal effects and potencies of six nicotinic agonists were assessed on recombinant human α4β2 and α7 receptors expressed in mammalian cell lines by measuring calcium influx. Agonist-induced increase of the spontaneous firing rate of dopaminergic neurons was recorded using microelectrodes in the ventral tegmental area of rat brain slices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All α4β2 partial and full agonists increased the firing rate concentration-dependently. Their sensitivity to subtype-selective antagonists showed predominant activation of native α4β2* receptors. However, partial agonists with relative maximal effects as low as 33% on α4β2 receptors maximally increased the firing rate and induced additional depolarization block of firing, demonstrating that partial activation of receptors caused the maximum increase in firing rate in the presence of a receptor reserve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partial α4β2 agonists induced relatively enhanced effects on the firing rate of dopaminergic neurons, and the effect was mainly attributed to the existence of native α4β2* receptor reserve. The results have implications in the understanding of physiological effects and therapeutic efficacies of α4β2 partial agonists.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK Eli Lilly & Co. Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, UK. ying.chen@surrey.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Broad
authors.forename: Keith G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Ruud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zwart
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D054333:Drug Partial Agonism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C403531:nicotinic receptor alpha4beta2; D009538:Nicotine; D002118:Calcium