Disease relevance of Chrna4

• Inclusion of EBN1 and oriP sequences of Epstein-Barr virus into the plasmid extended the period of active transcription for about one week [1].

Psychiatry related information on Chrna4

• However, neither individual differences in the expression of [3H]-cytisine or [125I]-alpha-bungarotoxin binding nicotinic receptors nor the polymorphism in Chrna4 likely contribute to the genetic overlap that influences the consumption of both of these drugs of abuse in C57BL/6xC3H/HeJ F2 mice [2].
• A polymorphism in the nicotinic receptor alpha4 subunit gene, Chrna4, showed a trend with nicotine consumption and a significant association with alcohol consumption in female but not male mice [2].

High impact information on Chrna4

• The alpha4 nAChR subunit, possibly associated with the beta2 nAChR subunit, is therefore crucial for nicotine-elicited antinociception [3].
• The potential role of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the nicotinic receptor alpha4 subunit gene (Chrna4) on nicotinic receptor binding and function in mice was also evaluated [4].
• The Chrna4 SNP did not seem to influence the number of [(3)H]cytisine binding sites across mouse strains [4].
• In a recent study, we reported that a restriction fragment length polymorphism associated with the alpha4 nicotinic receptor gene (Chrna4) may play a role in regulating differential sensitivity of LS and SS mouse lines to the seizure-inducing effects of nicotine [5].
• Furthermore, some ethanol-related behaviors are associated with a region of mouse chromosome 2 that contains the gene encoding the alpha4 subunit of the nAChR (Chrna4) [6].

Anatomical context of Chrna4

• Chrna4 A529T is associated with several measures of acute sensitivity to nicotine as well as with mouse strain differences in nicotine-stimulated (86)Rb(+) efflux from synaptosomes [7].
• The alpha4 nAChR mRNA level remained unchanged in the brain and adrenal medulla of APP(SWE)/hAChE-Tg for all age groups [8].

Associations of Chrna4 with chemical compounds

• Thus, it may be that the Chrna4 T529A substitution leads to a difference in the ratio of the two receptor forms which then promotes differences in receptor function, as well as differential behavioural sensitivity to nicotine [5].
• A polymorphism in the alpha4 nicotinic receptor gene (Chrna4) modulates enhancement of nicotinic receptor function by ethanol [9].
• We have identified a polymorphism in Chrna4 that results in an alanine (A) or threonine (T) residue at position 529 in the second intracellular loop of the protein [6].

Other interactions of Chrna4

• This tolerance was accompanied by a significant increase in brain nicotinic receptor number assessed by quantitative auto-radiography using [3H]-cytisine (alpha4 nAChr) and [125I]-alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha7 nAChr) as radioligands [10].

References