Article
Cell Biology
Fang Zheng, Jurgen Wess, Christian Alzheimer
Summary: M1 and M3 receptors have different effects on plasticity at the mossy fiber-CA3 pyramidal cell synapse, with enhancement of plasticity in the absence of M1/M3 and attenuation of plasticity in the absence of M2.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yann S. Mineur, Alexa R. Soares, Ian M. Etherington, Zuhair I. Abdulla, Marina R. Picciotto
Summary: Human epidemiological studies have found a connection between nicotine intake and stress disorders such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This article reviews the clinical evidence for the activation and desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in relation to affective disorders. It also discusses how nAChR function may contribute to anxiety and depressive disorders, making them potential targets for medication development. The article further explores the role of nAChR in limbic system areas and its impact on stress-related behaviors that are relevant to human affective disorders.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Johan Paakkonen, Janne Janis, Juha Rouvinen
Summary: This article introduces a set of simulation applets for visualizing the behavior of association and dissociation reactions in protein studies. These applets can be used for experimental planning, result verification, and educational visualization of equilibria. Users can input the total concentrations and dissociation constants of protein species and complexes, and the applets output equilibrium concentrations graphically and numerically.
Article
Biology
Domenico Pimpinella, Valentina Mastrorilli, Corinna Giorgi, Silke Coemans, Salvatore Lecca, Arnaud L. Lalive, Hannah Ostermann, Elke C. Fuchs, Hannah Monyer, Andrea Mele, Enrico Cherubini, Marilena Griguoli
Summary: Acetylcholine (ACh) in the hippocampus plays a crucial role in social memory by controlling social novelty discrimination in mice. The activation of nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in the CA2 region enhances the excitatory drive to principal cells and affects social novelty discrimination. Optogenetic activation of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MSDB) increases the firing of CA2 principal cells, highlighting nAChRs as essential players in this process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathalia M. Pinheiro, Rosana Banzato, Iolanda Tiberio, Marco A. M. Prado, Vania F. Prado, Ayman K. Hamouda, Carla M. Prado
Summary: In acute lung injury, inflammatory markers are significantly elevated in cholinergic-deficient mice compared to wild-type, but treatment with the selective alpha 7 nicotinic receptor agonist PNU 282987 can restore the response and reduce lung inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effects of the lung cholinergic system are associated with an increase in the level of alpha 7 nicotinic receptors, suggesting potential clinical applications for treating acute lung injury.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sakura Nakauchi, Hailing Su, Ivan Trang, Katumi Sumikawa
Summary: Research has shown that early postnatal nicotine exposure has more pronounced effects on nicotinic function than muscarinic function in the hippocampal CA1 region. This suggests that impaired hippocampus-dependent memory may result from developmental disruption of nicotinic cholinergic systems.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MEMORY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giorgia Giordani, Giulia Cattabriga, Andrea Becchimanzi, Ilaria Di Lelio, Giovanna De Leva, Silvia Gigliotti, Francesco Pennacchio, Giuseppe Gargiulo, Valeria Cavaliere
Summary: Acetylcholine (ACh) is a major neurotransmitter in insects that not only mediates synaptic interactions in the central nervous system but also regulates the innate immune response. This study found that inhibiting ACh synthesis or transport in neurons reduced the activation of drosomycin, an antimicrobial peptide gene, in infected flies. Mutations in the Drosophila alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and expression of a dominant negative form of this receptor subunit also affected the transcription of drosomycin. Interestingly, the response was similar when the dominant negative form was expressed in non-neuronal tissues or hemocytes. Inhibition of ACh synthesis in non-neuronal cells also affected drosomycin expression. These findings reveal the involvement of neural and non-neural cholinergic signals in modulating insect immune defenses and highlight the role of hemocytes in regulating the humoral immune response.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Helen M. Kamens, Geneva Flarend, William J. Horton
Summary: The use of alcohol causes significant morbidity and mortality globally. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by excessive alcohol consumption despite negative consequences. Available medications for AUD have limited efficacy and side effects, highlighting the need for novel therapeutics. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have emerged as a potential target for AUD treatment, as evidence from genetic and pharmacology studies demonstrate their role in modulating alcohol intake. Pharmacological modulation of various nAChR subtypes has shown promising results in reducing alcohol consumption. Therefore, further investigation of nAChRs as novel therapeutics for AUD is warranted.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mina Afrashteh Nour, Khalil Hajiasgharzadeh, Fatemeh Kheradmand, Zahra Asadzadeh, Nadia Bolandi, Behzad Baradaran
Summary: Cancer treatment currently lacks a definitive cure, with most chemotherapy drugs facing limitations due to drug resistance and toxicity. Nicotine from cigarette smoke is a major cause of chemotherapeutic resistance, impacting apoptosis and cell proliferation, ultimately reducing the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs. Studies have shown that targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) can improve chemotherapeutic outcomes and reduce side effects when used in combination with chemotherapy drugs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yann S. Mineur, Tenna N. Mose, Kathrine Lefoli Maibom, Steven T. Pittenger, Alexa R. Soares, Hao Wu, Seth R. Taylor, Yaqing Huang, Marina R. Picciotto
Summary: The balance between excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the brain is crucial for maintaining homeostatic function. Acetylcholine (ACh) signaling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) has been found to influence stress-sensitive behaviors by altering the balance of activity among different types of neurons. These findings suggest that ACh modulates the GABAergic signaling network in the BLA, leading to changes in coping strategies during stress.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Randa Kassab
Summary: This article introduces a new method for modeling the CA3 network, focusing on the impact of long-term potentiation (LTP) on CA3 functional connectivity. The study found that only a small fraction of active synapses should be connected to activated cells to achieve optimal performance. This control of connectivity is achieved by acetylcholine modulating the trafficking and adjustment of the AMPA receptors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna R. Tatarko, Anne S. Leonard, Dennis Mathew
Summary: Neonicotinoid pesticides can impair insect olfactory processing, affecting both the activity of olfactory neurons and the relative preference for odor sources. Our study on fruit flies exposed to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid demonstrated reduced neuronal activity and delayed recovery in their antennae, as well as an increased preference for ethanol-laced pineapple juice. These findings highlight the potential of using Drosophila as a model to investigate the effects of pesticides on insect behavior and physiology.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying Zhang, Dheeraj S. Roy, Yi Zhu, Yefei Chen, Tomomi Aida, Yuanyuan Hou, Chenjie Shen, Nicholas E. Lea, Margaret E. Schroeder, Keith M. Skaggs, Heather A. Sullivan, Kyle B. Fischer, Edward M. Callaway, Ian R. Wickersham, Ji Dai, Xiao-Ming Li, Zhonghua Lu, Guoping Feng
Summary: This study suggests that targeting the neural circuits in the parafascicular thalamus may be an effective strategy for treating both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Bankala Krishnarjuna, Punnepalli Sunanda, Jeffrey Seow, Han-Shen Tae, Samuel D. D. Robinson, Alessia Belgi, Andrea J. J. Robinson, Helena Safavi-Hemami, David J. J. Adams, Raymond S. S. Norton
Summary: Elevenin-Vc1, a peptide found in the venom of Conus victoriae, was shown to induce hyperactivity in mice. However, it was found to be inactive at various human nAChR subtypes.
Article
Neurosciences
Amrita Benoy, Mohammad Zaki Bin Ibrahim, Thomas Behnisch, Sreedharan Sajikumar
Summary: Research shows that activation of cholinergic receptors in the hippocampal CA2 area regulates synaptic plasticity, with muscarinic acetylcholine receptors playing a role in early facilitation and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors involved in late maintenance. Furthermore, priming with cholinergic stimulation lowers the threshold for subsequent long-term potentiation induction and demonstrates a metaplastic regulation of CA2 synaptic learning rules.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yuwen Zhu, Yan Guo, Yujia Xue, Anqi Zhou, Ying Chen, Yifei Chen, Xiulian Miao, Fangqiao Lv
Summary: BRG1 plays an important role in HSC-myofibroblast transition and targeting it could be a reasonable strategy for liver fibrosis intervention.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Liu Ye, Beibei Liu, Jingling Huang, Xiaolin Zhao, Yuan Wang, Yungen Xu, Shuping Wang
Summary: Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is a significant prooncogenic factor that is strongly associated with the malignant progression and clinical prognosis of various cancers. DCLK1 plays important roles in stem cell marker regulation, tumor cell reprogramming, and immune evasion. However, the exact biological functions of DCLK1, especially the disparities between its alpha- and beta-form transcripts in cancer progression, remain ambiguous.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jiahui Yang, Xiaoyu Chen, Tianjing Liu, Yongyan Shi
Summary: This article reviews the role of bile acids in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and their potential therapeutic value. The dysregulation of bile acids is associated with intestinal injury, and inflammatory factors in the liver also play a crucial role in regulating bile acid transport. The bile acid metabolic pathway is important for regulating intestinal microbiota, cell proliferation, and barrier protection.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Zhenzheng Zhu, Yuemiao Xu, Yuwei Xia, Xinru Jia, Yixin Chen, Yuyue Liu, Leyin Zhang, Hui Chai, Leitao Sun
Summary: Bile acid, as the final product of cholesterol breakdown, plays a complex regulatory and signaling role in human metabolism. Research suggests that it has the potential to enhance metabolism and regulate chronic metabolic diseases through various pathways. The interaction between bile acid and gut microbiota is also of great significance.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xin He, Hong-Xu Zhou, Xian Fu, Kai-Di Ni, Ai-Zhi Lin, Ling-Tong Zhang, Hou-Hua Yin, Qing Jiang, Xue Zhou, Yi-Wen Meng, Jun-Yan Liu
Summary: DON exposure causes an increase in deoxycholic acid (DCA), which contributes to intestinal injury. DCA may be a potential therapeutic target for DON enterotoxicity.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Zhitao Wang, Heng Ma, Abdul Nasir, Sufang Liu, Zhisong Li, Feng Tao, Qian Bai
Summary: This study reveals the involvement of TET1-mediated epigenetic regulation in chronic TMJ pain through trigeminal TNF alpha signaling.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Lu Yu, Hao Ran, Yaru Lu, Qian Ma, Huan Huang, Weibin Liu
Summary: This study found that the HIF-1 alpha inhibitor BAY 87-2243 can alleviate the symptoms of the Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis (EAMG) inflammation model. BAY 87-2243 can restore the balance of CD4(+)T cell subsets, reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and act as both an immune imbalance regulator and anti-inflammatory.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Alex Peralvarez-Marin, Montse Sole, Judith Serrano, Alice Taddeucci, Belen Perez, Clara Penas, Gemma Manich, Marcel Jimenez, Pilar D'Ocon, Francesc Jimenez-Altayo
Summary: This study provides the first evidence that TRPV2 channels may modulate vascular tone by balancing opposing inputs from the endothelium and smooth muscle, leading to net vasodilation. The amplification of TRPV2 channel-induced activity by NO emphasizes the pathophysiological relevance of these findings.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Amin Ullah, Jing Zhao, Jiakun Li, Rajeev K. Singla, Bairong Shen
Summary: Gastric cancer is the fifth-most prevalent and second-most deadly cancer worldwide. Late onset of symptoms makes early detection important. CXC chemokines play an important role in the pathological process of gastric cancer, but their exact role in diagnosis and prognosis is not fully understood. Inhibiting CXC chemokines shows promise as a targeted therapy.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Menna S. Zeyada, Salma M. Eraky, Mamdouh M. El-Shishtawy
Summary: The current study demonstrates the prophylactic and antifibrotic effects of Trig against BLM-induced PF by targeting multiple signaling pathways. The combination of Trig and Pirf may be a promising approach to enhance Pirf's anti-fibrotic effect.