title: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α7 subunit: a novel therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases.
abstract: Inflammation is important in the pathogenesis and development of cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies show that vagus nerve stimulation inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production through "the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway," more specifically via the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). In the current study, the role of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway during septic shock, hypertension, and myocardial infarction is reviewed, and its possible clinical implications in cardiovascular diseases are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dingfeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; C579167:Chrna7 protein, human; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000109:Acetylcholine