What is it about?
Tobacco smoking increases the risk of lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The gene HHIP influences the risk of developing COPD. Our paper reports that HHIP is expressed by neurons in a region of the brain called the medial habenula (MHb). HHIP regulates the ability of nicotine to stimulate MHb neurons. This is important because MHb neurons control aversive behavioral responses to nicotine that protect against tobacco dependence. These findings suggest that HHIP can influence the risk of developing COPD by regulating the aversive properties of nicotine that control tobacco smoking behavior.
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Why is it important?
Our findings may help to explain why the HHIP gene is so heavily implicated in tobacco-related lung diseases. Our data also provide a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that influence the actions of nicotine on the habenula and hence vulnerability to tobacco dependence. Ultimately, such advances may identify new targets for the development of more effective smoking cessation agents.
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This page is a summary of: Hedgehog-interacting protein acts in the habenula to regulate nicotine intake, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, November 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209870119.
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