AI Summary
The research discusses a newly discovered feedback loop involving estrogen that may explain why women are more susceptible to nicotine addiction than men. The study found that estrogen induces the expression of olfactomedins, proteins that are suppressed by nicotine in areas of the brain related to reward and addiction. Targeting estrogen-nicotine-olfactomedin interactions with therapies could potentially help control nicotine consumption and reduce gender disparities in treating nicotine addiction. The findings will be presented at an upcoming conference with hopes of developing drugs to block the effects of estrogen on nicotine seeking and consumption.
A newly discovered feedback loop involving estrogen may explain why women might become dependent on nicotine more quickly and with less nicotine exposure than men. The research could lead to new treatments for women who are having trouble quitting nicotine-containing products such as cigarettes.
Sally Pauss is a doctoral student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. She led the project.
“Studies show that women have a higher propensity to develop addiction to nicotine than men and are less successful at quitting,” said Pauss, who is working under the supervision of Terry D. Hinds Jr., an associate professor. “Our work aims to understand what makes women more susceptible to nicotine use disorder to reduce the gender disparity in treating nicotine addiction.”
The researchers found that the sex hormone estrogen induces the expression of olfactomedins, proteins that are suppressed by nicotine in key areas of the brain involved in reward and addiction. The findings suggest that estrogen–nicotine–olfactomedin interactions could be targeted with therapies to help control nicotine consumption.
Pauss will present the research at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which will be held March 23–26 in San Antonio.
Our research has the potential to better the lives and health of women struggling with substance use. If we can confirm that estrogen drives nicotine seeking and consumption through olfactomedins, we can design drugs that might block that effect by targeting the altered pathways. These drugs would hopefully make