α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Is Expressed in Human Atherosclerosis and Inhibits Disease in Mice—Brief Report

• DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.114.303892
• Publication Date: 2014-10-17T04:13:48Z
• Authors: Maria E. Johansson; Marcus A. Ulleryd; Angelina Bernardi; Anna M. Lundberg; Annica Andersson; Lasse Folkersen; Linda Fogelstrand; Ulrika Islander; Zhong-qun Yan; Göran K. Hansson
• Keywords: Male; Mice, Knockout; 0301 basic medicine; Transplantation Chimera; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Macrophages; T-Lymphocytes; Hypercholesterolemia; Atherosclerosis; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Receptors, LDL; Animals; Humans; Carotid Stenosis; RNA, Messenger; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Signal Transduction

Cholinergic pathways of the autonomic nervous system are known to modulate inflammation. Because atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition, we tested whether cholinergic signaling operates in this disease. We have analyzed expression α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) human atherosclerotic plaques and studied its effects on development hypercholesterolemic Ldlr(-/-) mouse model.α7nAChR protein was detected T cells macrophages surgical specimens plaques. To study role α7nAChR atherosclerosis, male mice were lethally irradiated reconstituted with bone marrow from wild-type or α7nAChR-deficient animals. Ablation hematopoietic cell increased aortic by 72%. This accompanied interferon-γ mRNA, implying Th1 activity absence signaling.The present shows that through inhibits suggests it modulating immune Given observation expressed plaques, our findings support notion regulation may act inhibit disease also man.