title: Modulation of DNA synthesis by muscarinic cholinergic receptors.
abstract: Acetylcholine muscarinic receptors are a family of five G-protein-coupled receptors widely distributed in the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. Activation of certain subtypes of muscarinic receptors (M1, M3, M5) has been found to modulate DNA synthesis in a number of cell types. In several cell types acetylcholine, by activating endogenous or transfected muscarinic receptors, can indeed elicit cell proliferation. In other cell types, however, or under different experimental conditions, activation of muscarinic receptors has no effect, or inhibits DNA synthesis. A large number of intracellular pathways are being investigated to define the mechanisms involved in these effects of muscarinic receptors; these include among others, phospholipase D, protein kinases C and mitogen-activated-protein kinases. The ability of acetylcholine to modulate DNA synthesis through muscarinic receptors may be relevant in the context of brain development and neoplastic growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. lgcosta@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guizzetti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oberdoerster
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yagle
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costa-Mallen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tita
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitalone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmery
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valeri
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D004247:DNA; D000109:Acetylcholine