Genome-wide RNA-sequencing differences in nucleus accumbens of smokers vs. nonsmokers

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Cigarette smoking behaviors (e.g., initiation, nicotine dependence, cessation) are heritable, and many genetic risk loci have been identified. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the genetic risk loci along the trajectory of smoking are largely unknown. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) differences between smokers and nonsmokers can provide insight into mechanisms that predispose to smoking behaviors and consequences of the smoking exposure itself. Here, we provide RNA-seq data generated in nucleus accumbens, an addiction-relevant brain tissue, from 223 deceased individuals: 50 current cigarette smokers, 171 nonsmokers, and 2 individuals with undetermined smoking status. DNA methylation data on the Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC array are also available on most of these individuals and made available (GEO accession number GSE147040). Overall design: RNA-seq data were measured in postmortem nucleus accumbens bulk tissue. The dataset includes 223 deceased individuals, including 50 current cigarette smokers, 171 nonsmokers, and 2 individuals with undetermined smoking status.