Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase regulates cocaine reward through Sirtuin 1.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), a rate-limiting enzyme in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis in mammals, converts nicotinamide into nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). NMN is subsequently converted to NAD, a component that is critical for cell energy metabolism and survival. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), an NAD-dependent histone deacetylase, plays an important role in mediating memory and synaptic plasticity.

NMR-Based Metabolic Profiling Reveals Neurochemical Alterations in the Brain of Rats Treated with Sorafenib.

Sorafenib, an active multi-kinase inhibitor, has been widely used as a chemotherapy drug to treat advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma patients. In spite of the relative safety, sorafenib has been shown to exert a negative impact on cognitive functioning in cancer patients, specifically on learning and memory; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, an NMR-based metabolomics approach was applied to investigate the neurochemical effects of sorafenib in rats.

Prenatal cocaine exposure impairs cognitive function of progeny via insulin growth factor II epigenetic regulation.

Studies have showed that prenatal cocaine exposure (PCOC) can impair cognitive function and social behavior of the offspring; however, the mechanism underlying such effect is poorly understood. Insulin-like growth factor II (Igf-II), an imprinted gene, has a critical role in memory consolidation and enhancement. We hypothesized that epigenetic regulation of hippocampal Igf-II may attribute to the cognitive deficits of PCOC offspring.

1H-Nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomic analysis of brain in mice with nicotine treatment.

Background: Nicotine is rapidly absorbed from cigarette smoke and therefore induces a number of chronic illnesses with the widespread use of tobacco products. Studies have shown a few cerebral metabolites modified by nicotine; however, endogenous metabolic profiling in brain has not been well explored.

Results: H NMR-based on metabonomics was applied to investigate the endogenous metabolic profiling of brain hippocampus, nucleus acumens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum.

Mechanisms of metabonomic for a gateway drug: nicotine priming enhances behavioral response to cocaine with modification in energy metabolism and neurotransmitter level.

Nicotine, one of the most commonly used drugs, has become a major concern because tobacco serves as a gateway drug and is linked to illicit drug abuse, such as cocaine and marijuana. However, previous studies mainly focused on certain genes or neurotransmitters which have already been known to participate in drug addiction, lacking endogenous metabolic profiling in a global view. To further explore the mechanism by which nicotine modifies the response to cocaine, we developed two conditioned place preference (CPP) models in mice.