title: Role of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in regulating host response and its interventional strategy for inflammatory diseases.
abstract: The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) is a neurophysiological mechanism that regulates the immune system. The CAP inhibits inflammation by suppressing cytokine synthesis via release of acetylcholine in organs of the reticuloendothelial system, including the lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Acetylcholine can interact with alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (alpha7 nAchR) expressed by macrophages and other cytokine producing cells, down-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis and prevent tissue damage. Herein is a review of the neurophysiological mechanism in which the CAP regulates inflammatory response, as well as its potential interventional strategy for inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, General Hospital of Beijing Command, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Da-wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Rong-bin
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yong-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000276:immunology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000276:immunology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000276:immunology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000294:innervation; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: C579167:Chrna7 protein, human; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000109:Acetylcholine