烟碱暴露对成瘾相关烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体的影响及调控机理

Effects of Nicotine Exposure on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Associated with Addiction and Regulatory Mechanisms

烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nAChRs)是由5个亚基组合形成的配体门控离子通道。根据亚基组成和排列的不同, nAChRs存在多种亚型。由于结构与乙酰胆碱相似,烟碱也是nAChRs的激动剂。大量研究表明,烟碱能影响nAChRs的表达和活性。同时, nAChRs又介导了烟碱成瘾的机制。文中基于最新的研究成果,简要综述了nAChRs的类型、分布和测定方法,并重点阐述了烟碱调控nAChRs表达的机制以及nAChRs在烟碱成瘾过程中的介导作用。

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channel proteins consisting of five subunits. Different subtypes of nAChRs are formed by different combinations of subunits. Nicotine is an agonist of nAChRs due to its similar structure as acetylcholine. Numerous studies have shown that nicotine exposure can influence the expression and activity of nAChRs, and that nAChRs are involved in the mechanisms of nicotine addiction. Herein, the subtypes, distribution and determination of nAChRs were reviewed, with special emphasis on mechanisms regulating nAChRs and the nAChRs-mediated effects on nicotine addiction.