title: Stimulation of alpha 7 cholinergic receptors inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophil recruitment by a tumor necrosis factor alpha-independent mechanism.
abstract: The cholinergic nervous system controls inflammation by inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. The key endogenous mediator of this so-called cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is acetylcholine, the principal neurotransmitter of the vagus nerve, which specifically interacts with alpha7 cholinergic receptors expressed by macrophages and other cell types to inhibit TNF-alpha production. We here investigated the capacity of the selective alpha7 cholinergic receptor agonist 3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene) anabaseine (GTS-21) to inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory responses in mice in vivo. To this end, mice received an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (from Escherichia coli, 200 microg) preceded by GTS-21 (4 mg/kg) or vehicle. GTS-21 strongly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-alpha release into the peritoneal cavity and the circulation. In addition, GTS-21 attenuated the influx of neutrophils into peritoneal fluid upon administration of LPS. This inhibitory effect on neutrophil recruitment by GTS-21 was independent of its effect on TNF-alpha release, considering that etanercept, a potent TNF-alpha-blocking protein containing the extracellular domain of the p75 TNF-alpha receptor, did not influence LPS-induced neutrophil influx either in the presence or in the absence of GTS-21 treatment. GTS-21 did not reduce the local secretion of macrophage inflammatory protein 2 and keratinocyte-derived cytokine, suggesting that altered concentrations of these neutrophil-attracting chemokines did not contribute to GTS-21-induced inhibition of neutrophil migration. These data identify a novel anti-inflammatory effect of chemical alpha7 cholinergic receptor stimulation that is independent from its capacity to inhibit TNF-alpha production.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ida A J
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Giebelen
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Westerloo
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: LaRosa
authors.forename: Alex F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van der Poll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001597:Benzylidene Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000276:immunology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D001597:Benzylidene Compounds; C579166:Chrna7 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; C088936:3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)anabaseine