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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-11-5
pubmed:abstractText
ACh receptors sensitive to nicotine (nAChR) are present in human skin keratinocytes and in bronchial epithelial cells. They are stimulated by ACh secreted by the same cells that express them, and they modulate cell motility and shape. A variety of non-neuronal tissues, including endothelial cells, synthesize ACh, which raises the possibility that they are sensitive to nicotine. We demonstrate here that endothelial cells that line blood vessels express functional nAChRs. Their structure and ion-gating properties are similar to those of the nAChRs expressed by ganglionic neurons and by skin keratinocytes and bronchial epithelial cells. In situ hybridization experiments using primary cultures of endothelial cells from human aorta demonstrated the presence in these cells of the subunits believed to contribute to ganglionic ACh receptors (AChRs) of the alpha3 subtype: alpha3, alpha5, beta2 and beta4. Binding of radiolabeled epibatidine-a high-affinity specific ligand of certain neuronal AChRs, including the alpha3 subtypes-revealed the presence of approximately 900 specific binding sites per cell. We assessed the presence of functional AChRs by patch-clamp experiments. Cultured human endothelial cells express ion channels that are opened by (+)-anatoxin-a and are blocked by dihydro-beta-erythroidine. These are specific agonist and antagonist, respectively, of neuronal AChRs of the alpha3 subtype. The ion-gating properties of the endothelial AChRs were similar to those of neuronal ganglionic AChRs. The presence of AChRs sensitive to nicotine in endothelial cells may be related to the toxic effects of nicotine on the vascular system.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
0022-3565
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
287
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
435-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Human vascular endothelial cells express functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.