Locomotor response to acute nicotine in adolescent mice is altered by maternal undernutrition during lactation.
Undernutrition during brain development causes long lasting alterations in different neurotransmitter systems that may alter responses to psychoactive drugs. Despite the recognized effects of early undernutrition on the cholinergic system, no evidence that demonstrates the influence of this insult on nicotine susceptibility has been reported. We investigated the effects of protein/calorie restriction during lactation on the susceptibility to nicotine in adolescent mice. Dams were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: Control (C, 20 litters)--free access to standard laboratory diet (23% protein); Protein Restricted (PR, 12 litters)--free access to a isoenergetic, 8% protein diet; Calorie Restricted (CR, 12 litters)--access to standard laboratory diet in restricted quantities (mean ingestion of PR: pair-fed group). Undernutrition extended from postnatal day 2 (PN2) to weaning (PN21). At PN30, animals either received an i.p. injection of nicotine (0.5mg/Kg) or saline and were immediately placed in open field (OF). After the OF, adrenal glands and serum were collected for the analyses of stress-related endocrine parameters and leptin concentration. PR and CR offspring showed less body mass gain and visceral fat mass. PR offspring presented reduced serum leptin concentration. In the OF, nicotine increased locomotor activity of C and PR, but not of CR. CR and PR offspring showed decreased adrenal catecholamine content, which was not dependent on nicotine exposure. Our results indicate that early undernutrition interferes with nicotine-elicited locomotor effects in adolescent mice and suggest that endocrine parameters alterations in malnourished animals do not influence the behavioral response to nicotine.
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Ana C
AC
Dutra-Tavares
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Alex C
AC
Manhães
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Juliana O
JO
Silva
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
André L
AL
Nunes-Freitas
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Ellen P S
EP
Conceição
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Egberto G
EG
Moura
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Patrícia C
PC
Lisboa
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Cláudio C
CC
Filgueiras
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil.
Yael
Y
Abreu-Villaça
Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Manoel de Abreu 444, 5 andar - Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-170, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Dr. Francisco Portela 1470-Patronato, São Gonçalo, RJ 24435-005, Brazil. Electronic address: ribeiro_carvalho@yahoo.com.br.
Anderson
A
Ribeiro-Carvalho
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects*; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D005223:Fats; D006728:Hormones; D020738:Leptin; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine
Catecholamine; Corticosterone; Development; Drugs of abuse; Open field; Undernutrition