Identification of candidate genes for nicotine withdrawal in C57BL/6J × DBA/2J recombinant inbred mice

Nicotine is the reinforcing ingredient in tobacco. Following chronic exposure, sudden cessation of nicotine use produces negative symptoms of withdrawal that contribute to dependence. The molecular mechanisms underlying nicotine withdrawal behaviors, however, are poorly understood. Using recombinant inbred mice, chronic nicotine was delivered by minipump and withdrawal induced using mecamylamine. Somatic signs of withdrawal, and anxiety‐like behavior using elevated plus maze, were then assessed. Interval mapping was used to identify associations between genetic variation and withdrawal behaviors, and with basal gene expression. Differential gene expression following nicotine exposure and withdrawal was also assessed in progenitor mice using microarrays. Quantitative trait loci mapping identified chromosome intervals with significant genetic associations to somatic signs of withdrawal or withdrawal‐induced anxiety‐like behavior. Using bioinformatics, and association with basal gene expression in nucleus accumbens, we implicated Rb1, Bnip3l, Pnma2, Itm2b, and Kif13b as candidate genes for somatic signs of withdrawal, and Galr1, which showed trans‐regulation from a region of chromosome 14 that was associated with somatic signs of withdrawal. Candidate genes within the chromosome 9 region associated with anxiety‐like withdrawal behavior included Dixdc1, Ncam1, and Sorl1. Bioinformatics identified six genes that were also significantly associated with nicotine or alcohol traits in recent human genome‐wide association studies. Withdrawal‐associated somatic signs and anxiety‐like behavior had strong non‐overlapping genetic associations, respectively, with regions of chromosome 14 and chromosome 9. Genetic, behavioral and gene expression correlations, and bioinformatics analysis identified several candidate genes that may represent novel molecular targets for modulating nicotine withdrawal symptoms.