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Effect of maternal nicotine on the development of sites for [ 3 H]nicotine binding in the fetal brain
Author(s) -
Hagino N.,
Lee J.W.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(85)90046-2
Subject(s) - nicotine , fetus , brain development , neuroscience , chemistry , pharmacology , psychology , pregnancy , medicine , biology , genetics
The sites for [ 3 H]nicotine binding in fetal brains were examined after administration of nicotine into pregnant rats. Administration of unlabelled nicotine into the pregnant rats increased B max values for the sites for [ 3 H]nicotine binding without affecting K d values in the fetal brains. Treatment with this regimen, however, did not show any significant change in the sites for [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzylate (QNB) binding. In addition, treatment with this regimen increased B max values of the sites for [ 3 H]nicotine binding in the brains of pregnant rats. α‐Bungarotoxin had no effect on the sites for [ 3 H]nicotine binding. It is inferred, therefore, that a similar response is elicited by nicotine binding sites to administered nicotine in both the fetal and maternal brains. Furthermore, a possible effect of nicotine in pregnant rats may be the facilitation of the development of nicotine acetylcholine receptors in the fetal brain.