Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Omar Alijevic, Oihane Jaka, Ainhoa Alzualde, Diana Maradze, Wenhao Xia, Stefan Frentzel, Andrew N. Gifford, Manuel C. Peitsch, Julia Hoeng, Kyoko Koshibu
Summary: This study examined the neuropharmacological effects of natural alkaloids, including nicotine, cotinine, and anatabine. Nicotine showed anxiolytic-like behavioral effects in mice and zebrafish, while cotinine and anatabine had no detectable effects. Nicotine stimulated the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, while cotinine and anatabine mainly stimulated dopamine release. These findings suggest that natural nicotine alkaloids can induce an anxiolytic-like behavior in nonclinical animal models, which may depend on the activation of various nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and regulation of neurotransmitter systems.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Maria Rosaria Tropea, Domenica D. Li Puma, Marcello Melone, Walter Gulisano, Ottavio Arancio, Claudio Grassi, Fiorenzo Conti, Daniela Puzzo
Summary: The deletion of alpha 7nAChR leads to impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory, along with an increase in Amyloid Precursor Protein expression and A beta levels, resembling classic features of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Ayman K. Hamouda, Malia R. Bautista, Lois S. Akinola, Yasmin Alkhlaif, Asti Jackson, Moriah Carper, Wisam B. Toma, Sumanta Garai, Yen-Chu Chen, Ganesh A. Thakur, Christie D. Fowler, M. Imad Damaj
Summary: The high sensitivity (HS) nAChR isoforms play a more prevalent role in mediating various brain functions and behavioral effects associated with nicotine use, while the low sensitivity (LS) nAChR isoforms have a limited impact on modulating body temperature and nociceptive responses. These findings will aid in the development of more selective and efficacious nAChR-based therapeutics for nicotine addiction treatment.
Article
Neurosciences
Antonietta Vilella, Benedetto Romoli, Martina Bodria, Stephanie Pons, Uwe Maskos, Michele Zoli
Summary: The loss of a4* nAChRs in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease leads to a decrease in Aβ plaque load, and alleviates alterations in synaptophysin immunoreactivity as well as the increase in astroglia and microglia markers. This suggests that a4* nAChRs play a detrimental role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rong Shen, Keren Yang, Xin Cheng, Changlei Guo, Xiqing Xing, Haonan Sun, Disheng Liu, Xiangwen Liu, Degui Wang
Summary: This study provides valuable insights into the potential risk and mechanism of hepatic toxicity and fibrosis induced by microplastics. It demonstrates that even at low concentrations, microplastics can enter hepatocytes and cause liver damage. Microplastic exposure results in DNA damage and inflammation, leading to liver fibrosis. Moreover, inhibiting the relevant signaling pathway can alleviate liver fibrosis.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Dongqin Wu, Di Gao, Haitao Yu, Guilin Pi, Rui Xiong, Huiyang Lei, Xin Wang, Enjie Liu, Jinwang Ye, Huilin Yu, Yang Gao, Ting He, Tao Jiang, Fei Sun, Jingfen Su, Guoda Song, Wenju Peng, Ying Yang, Jian-Zhi Wang
Summary: The study found a causal relationship between tau accumulation and cholinergic neuron impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Overexpression of hTau protein in the medial septum of mice resulted in spatial memory impairment and reduction of cholinergic neurons over time. Treatment with donepezil showed improvement in spatial memory deficits induced by hTau accumulation, potentially suggesting a new disease-modifying effect.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Kangshuai Du, Yunxiao Dou, Kui Chen, Yanxin Zhao
Summary: This study found that TRPV4 activation can lead to excessive phosphorylation of tau protein in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and exacerbate cognitive decline. Additionally, TRPV4 activation can increase cholesterol levels, thereby promoting hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. Therefore, the activation of TRPV4 may participate in the pathological mechanism of AD in a cholesterol-dependent manner.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Liujun Wang, Xixi Wu, Xiaopeng Zhu, Dongting Zhangsun, Yong Wu, Sulan Luo
Summary: This study synthesized a novel α-4/7 conotoxin QuIA and found that it exhibited high affinity for α 3 beta 2 and α 6/alpha 3 beta 4 nAChR subtypes, while not blocking other nACChR subtypes. This holds potential importance for investigating the function of α 6 beta 4 nAChR.
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Z. Tang, X. Cheng, X. Su, L. Wu, Q. Cai, H. Wu
Summary: This study investigated the role of Treponema denticola, a major periodontal pathogen, in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The researchers found that oral infection with T. denticola led to tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampi of mice, a hallmark of AD. They also discovered that T. denticola induced alveolar bone resorption, colonized brain tissues, and activated neuroinflammation, promoting the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. These findings provide new insights into the link between periodontal diseases and AD.
JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simone Mazzaferro, Deborah J. Msekela, Edward C. Cooper, Atul Maheshwari, Steven M. Sine
Summary: In this study, genetic sequencing revealed a missense mutation in the alpha 4 subunit of nAChR in a patient with sleep-related hyperkinetic epilepsy and a family history of epilepsy. Functional analysis showed that the mutation enhances channel opening, leading to increased membrane excitability and a pathogenic seizure phenotype. This highlights the importance of the alpha 4-Ser284Trp mutation in the development of epilepsy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandre Bantz, Delphine Goven, Myriam Siegwart, Sandrine Maugin, Valerie Raymond
Summary: The study aims to demonstrate that subchronic exposure to a sublethal dose of neonicotinoid imidacloprid can induce molecular changes leading to a loss of imidacloprid sensitivity. Results from experiments on cockroaches show that exposure to sublethal dose of imidacloprid induces slight changes in detoxification enzyme activity and a significant decrease in nicotinic acetylcholine alpha 2 mRNA, resulting in decreased sensitivity to imidacloprid.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Qi Wang, Jinyu Gou, Shenrui Guo, Feng Wei, Tingting Han, Ruihe Lai, Dalong Zhang, Yao Diao, Yafu Yin
Summary: This study investigates the role of the JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway in nicotine-mediated anti-inflammatory effects. The results demonstrate that JAK2-STAT3 plays an important role in improving nicotine-induced cognitive impairment by upregulating alpha(4)beta(2) nAChRs.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Youichi Ohno, Daisuke Taura, Kentaro Okamoto, Haruka Fujita, Kyoko Honda-Kohmo, Koji Matsuo, Masakatsu Sone
Summary: The effects of smoking on fetal development and stem cell differentiation are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the significance of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and evaluate the effects of nicotine on undifferentiated hiPSCs. The results showed that nicotine reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhances cell proliferation through the alpha 4 nAChR subunit in hiPSCs.
STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Meng-Zhu Li, En-Jie Liu, Qiu-Zhi Zhou, Shi-Hong Li, Shi-Jie Liu, Hai-Tao Yu, Qi-Hang Pan, Fei Sun, Ting He, Wei-Jin Wang, Dan Ke, Yu-Qi Feng, Jun Li, Jian-Zhi Wang
Summary: This study found that AD-like tau accumulation inhibits autophagosome formation and induces autophagy deficits by activating the TIA1/amino acid/mTORC1 pathway. These findings provide new insights into tau-associated neurodegeneration and support the use of new therapeutic targets for AD treatment and related tauopathies.
MILITARY MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Naotaka Izuo, Nobuhiro Watanabe, Yoshihiro Noda, Takashi Saito, Takaomi C. Saido, Koutaro Yokote, Harumi Hotta, Takahiko Shimizu
Summary: This study suggests that insulin resistance may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease by causing cognitive impairment and deregulation of blood flow. The findings provide insights into the mechanism linking type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jun Jiang, Zhi-Hao Wang, Min Qu, Di Gao, Xiu-Ping Liu, Ling-Qiang Zhu, Jian-Zhi Wang
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2015)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yaling Yin, Di Gao, Yali Wang, Zhi-Hao Wang, Xin Wang, Jinwang Ye, Dongqin Wu, Lin Fang, Guilin Pi, Ying Yang, Xiao-Chuan Wang, Chengbiao Lu, Keqiang Ye, Jian-Zhi Wang
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2016)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying Yang, Zhi-Hao Wang, Sen Jin, Di Gao, Nan Liu, Shan-Ping Chen, Sinan Zhang, Qing Liu, Enjie Liu, Xin Wang, Xiao Liang, Pengfei Wei, Xiaoguang Li, Yin Li, Chenyu Yue, Hong-lian Li, Ya-Li Wang, Qun Wang, Dan Ke, Qingguo Xie, Fuqiang Xu, Liping Wang, Jian-Zhi Wang
Nature Communications
(2016)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhi-Peng Xu, Li Li, Jian Bao, Zhi-Hao Wang, Juan Zeng, En-Jie Liu, Xiao-Guang Li, Rong-Xi Huang, Di Gao, Meng-Zhu Li, Yao Zhang, Gong-Ping Liu, Jian-Zhi Wang
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guilin Pi, Di Gao, Dongqin Wu, Yali Wang, Huiyang Lei, Wenbo Zeng, Yang Gao, Huiling Yu, Rui Xiong, Tao Jiang, Shihong Li, Xin Wang, Jing Guo, Si Zhang, Taoyuan Yin, Ting He, Dan Ke, Ruining Li, Honglian Li, Gongping Liu, Xifei Yang, Min-Hua Luo, Xiaohui Zhang, Ying Yang, Jian-Zhi Wang
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)