Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor α7 Subunit Mediates Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Toward Nicotine

• Main Authors: Sheng Li (Author), Tiejun Zhao (Author), Hong Xin (Author), Li-Hong Ye (Author), Xiaodong Zhang (Author), Hideyuki Tanaka (Author), Akio Nakamura (Author), Kazuhiro Kohama (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

GbaSM-4 cells, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) derived from brain basilar arteries, were shown to migrate toward d-nicotine by augmenting the actin cytoskeleton in their cell bodies and lamellipodia, and expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) was detected in GbaSM-4 cells. Their chemotaxis was antagonized by an α7-nAChR antagonist of methyllycaconitine. It was also antagonized by inhibiting myosin light chain (MLC) kinase and by down-regulating MLC kinase. However, the changes in MLC phosphorylation were not associated with the nicotine treatment, suggesting the involvement of non-kinase activity of MLC kinase as reviewed by Gao et al. (IUBMB Life. 2001;51:337). This plot may work to induce arteriosclerosis during cigarette smoking. Keywords:: d-nicotine, α7 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, migration of vascular smooth muscle

Item Description

1347-8613
10.1254/jphs.94.334