Neuronal calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II mediates nicotine reward in the conditioned place preference test in mice

Several recent studies have indicated the involvement of calcium-dependent mechanisms, in particular the abundant calcium-activated kinase, calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), in behaviors associated with nicotine dependence in mice. Behavioral and biochemical studies have shown that CaMKII is involved in acute and chronic nicotine behaviors and nicotine withdrawal; however, evidence of a role for CaMKII in nicotine reward is lacking. Thus, the goal of the current study was to examine the role of CaMKII in nicotine reward. Using pharmacological and genetic tools, we tested nicotine conditioned place preference (CPP) in C57Bl/6 mice after administration of CaMKII antagonists and in alpha-CaMKII wild-type (+/+) and heterozygote (+/-) mice. CaMKII antagonists blocked expression of nicotine CPP, and the preference score was significantly reduced in alpha-CaMKII +/- mice compared with their +/+ counterparts. Further, we assessed CaMKII activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus after nicotine CPP and found significant increases in CaMKII activity in the mouse VTA and NAc that were blocked by CaMKII antagonists. The findings from this study show that CaMKII mediates nicotine reward and suggest that increases in CaMKII activity in the VTA and NAc are relevant to nicotine reward behaviors.