Introduction: Previously we suggested that the CHRNA7 polymorphism in nicotinic receptor genes, in particular the D15S1360 in CHRNA7, is associated with smoking in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia patients are usually heavy smokers. In this study we hypothesized that high-affinity nicotinic receptors are associated with smoking in such patients.
Objective: To investigate the role of alpha4 (Ch 20) and beta2 (Ch 1) genes in conferring a risk for smoking and for smoking a large number of cigarettes daily in subjects with schizophrenia.
Methods: Our study sample consisted of 241 white European schizophrenia patients (157 smokers and 84 nonsmokers) from the Toronto area. Current smoking status was assessed by the medical history. We investigated 4 markers located in the CHRNA4 gene and 3 markers located in the CHRNB2 gene.
Results: There was no difference in age or ethnicity between the 2 groups and the population was not stratified (lambda=0.4527). We found a significant association between the CHRNA4 rs3746372 allele 1 and a large number of cigarettes smoked daily (p=0.0203). The intragenic interaction between rs3787116 and rs3746372 (p = 0.0050) in CHRNA4 showed a significant interaction for the number of cigarettes smoked.
Conclusion: Although our findings suggest an association between rs3746372 allele 1 and heavy smoking, further study is warranted to investigate the relation between smoking and high-affinity nicotinic receptor genes in schizophrenia.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077346 | PMC |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Predaceous and Phytophagous Pentatomidae Insects Exhibit Contrasting Susceptibilities to Imidacloprid.
Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
Sino-American Biological Control Laboratory, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
Imidacloprid, a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, targets insect pests but also affects natural enemies. However, the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on closely related insects remain unclear. We evaluated the harmful effects of imidacloprid on the phytophagous and predaceous .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFS100A8/A9 innate immune signaling as a distinct mechanism driving progression of smoking-related breast cancers.
Oncogene
January 2025
Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
Smoking plays an underappreciated role in breast cancer progression, increasing recurrence and mortality in patients. Here, we show that S100A8/A9 innate immune signaling is a molecular mechanism that identifies smoking-related breast cancers and underlies their enhanced malignancy. In contrast to acute exposure, chronic nicotine increased tumorigenicity and reprogrammed breast cancer cells to express innate immune response genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlcohol-induced liver injury is mediated via α4-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in hepatocytes.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken)
January 2025
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Background: Our previous study demonstrated that alcohol induced the expression of the α4 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the livers of wild type mice (WT), and that whole-body α4 nAChR knockout mice (α4KO) showed protection against alcohol-induced steatosis, inflammation, and injury. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that hepatocyte-specific α4 nAChRs may directly contribute to the detrimental effects of alcohol on the liver.
Methods: Hepatocyte-specific α4 knockout mice (α4HepKO) were generated, and the absence of α4 nAChR was confirmed through PCR of genomic DNA.
Discovery of Novel Neonicotinoids with Conjugated Diene Enabled by Cascade Allylation/Isomerization Synthetic Methodology.
J Agric Food Chem
January 2025
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China.
As one of the most significant insecticides, neonicotinoids have played a pivotal role in crop protection and public sanitation. However, the high resistance and bee toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides have attracted considerable attention. Herein, a series of neonicotinoid compounds with conjugated diene moieties were synthesized through the cascade allylation/isomerization reaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfluence of age on nicotinic cholinergic regulation of blood flow in rat's olfactory bulb and neocortex.
J Physiol Sci
January 2025
Department of Autonomic Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, 173-0015, Tokyo, Japan.
The olfactory bulb receives cholinergic basal forebrain inputs as does the neocortex. With a focus on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), this review article provides an overview and discussion of the following findings: (1) the nAChRs-mediated regulation of regional blood flow in the neocortex and olfactory bulb, (2) the nAChR subtypes that mediate their responses, and (3) their activity in old rats. The activation of the α4β2-like subtype of nAChRs produces vasodilation in the neocortex, and potentiates olfactory bulb vasodilation induced by olfactory stimulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!