title: Expression of cloned α6* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
abstract: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are ACh-gated ion channels formed from five homologous subunits in subtypes defined by their subunit composition and stoichiometry. Some subtypes readily produce functional AChRs in Xenopus oocytes and transfected cell lines. α6β2β3* AChRs (subtypes formed from these subunits and perhaps others) are not easily expressed. This may be because the types of neurons in which they are expressed (typically dopaminergic neurons) have unique chaperones for assembling α6β2β3* AChRs, especially in the presence of the other AChR subtypes. Because these relatively minor brain AChR subtypes are of major importance in addiction to nicotine, it is important for drug development as well as investigation of their functional properties to be able to efficiently express human α6β2β3* AChRs. We review the issues and progress in expressing α6* AChRs. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor: From Molecular Biology to Cognition'.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jingyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuryatov
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: JSLKK@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindstrom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009865:Oocytes; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012646:Self Administration; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C104518:nicotinic receptor alpha6; D009538:Nicotine; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Assembly; Expression; Nicotine; α6 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor