Abstract

The current study evaluated a new series of N,N′-alkane-diyl-bis-3-picolinium (bAPi) analogs with C₆–C₁₂ methylene linkers as nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonists, for nicotine-evoked [³H]dopamine (DA) overflow, for blood-brain barrier choline transporter affinity, and for attenuation of discriminative stimulus and locomotor stimulant effects of nicotine. bAPi analogs exhibited little affinity for α4β2* (* indicates putative nAChR subtype assignment) and α7* high-affinity ligand binding sites and exhibited no inhibition of DA transporter function. With the exception of C₆, all analogs inhibited nicotine-evoked [³H]DA overflow (IC₅₀ = 2 nM–6 μM; I_max = 54–64%), with N,N′-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB; C₁₂) being most potent. bPiDDB did not inhibit electrically evoked [³H]DA overflow, suggesting specific nAChR inhibitory effects and a lack of toxicity to DA neurons. Schild analysis suggested that bPiDDB interacts in an orthosteric manner at nAChRs mediating nicotine-evoked [³H]DA overflow. To determine whether bPiDDB interacts with α-conotoxin MII-sensitive α6β2-containing nAChRs, slices were exposed concomitantly to maximally effective concentrations of bPiDDB (10 nM) and α-conotoxin MII (1 nM). Inhibition of nicotine-evoked [³H]DA overflow was not different with the combination compared with either antagonist alone, suggesting that bPiDDB interacts with α6β2-containing nAChRs. C₇, C₈, C₁₀, and C₁₂ analogs exhibited high affinity for the blood-brain barrier choline transporter in vivo, suggesting brain bioavailability. Although none of the analogs altered the discriminative stimulus effect of nicotine, C₈, C₉, C₁₀, and C₁₂ analogs decreased nicotine-induced hyperactivity in nicotine-sensitized rats, without reducing spontaneous activity. Further development of nAChR antagonists that inhibit nicotine-evoked DA release and penetrate brain to antagonize DA-mediated locomotor stimulant effects of nicotine as novel treatments for nicotine addiction is warranted.