Abstract
The α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) is widely known as a neurotransmitter receptor in nervous systems. α7-nAChR is also present in a variety of non-neuronal tissues, where it has been implicated in the regulation of essential cellular functions including proliferation, survival, differentiation and communication. We have recently found in breast cancer that α7-nAChR is involved in the proliferation of cancer stem cells, which constitute a minor subpopulation responsible for tumor development and metastasis. Since growing evidence suggests that α7-nAChR is present not only in mature tissues and organs but also in undifferentiated stem cells and progenitor cells, α7-nAChR emerges as a key mediator in the regulation of self-renewal and differentiation. We provide here an overview of the recent works on the expression and function of α7-nAChR in normal and cancer stem cells, and their relevance to disease-related cellular dysfunction. Understanding the role of α7-nAChR in stem cells would be of great interest for its application potential in drug discovery and in regenerative medicine.
Keywords: α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, breast cancer, cancer stem cell, nicotine, stem cells, neurotransmitter, HSC, protein kinase C, chemotherapies, cholinergic system
Current Drug Targets
Title:Role of α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Normal and Cancer Stem Cells
Volume: 13 Issue: 5
Author(s): Waka Lin, Naoya Hirata, Yuko Sekino and Yasunari Kanda
Affiliation:
Keywords: α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, breast cancer, cancer stem cell, nicotine, stem cells, neurotransmitter, HSC, protein kinase C, chemotherapies, cholinergic system
Abstract: The α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) is widely known as a neurotransmitter receptor in nervous systems. α7-nAChR is also present in a variety of non-neuronal tissues, where it has been implicated in the regulation of essential cellular functions including proliferation, survival, differentiation and communication. We have recently found in breast cancer that α7-nAChR is involved in the proliferation of cancer stem cells, which constitute a minor subpopulation responsible for tumor development and metastasis. Since growing evidence suggests that α7-nAChR is present not only in mature tissues and organs but also in undifferentiated stem cells and progenitor cells, α7-nAChR emerges as a key mediator in the regulation of self-renewal and differentiation. We provide here an overview of the recent works on the expression and function of α7-nAChR in normal and cancer stem cells, and their relevance to disease-related cellular dysfunction. Understanding the role of α7-nAChR in stem cells would be of great interest for its application potential in drug discovery and in regenerative medicine.
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Cite this article as:
Waka Lin, Naoya Hirata, Yuko Sekino and Yasunari Kanda , Role of α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Normal and Cancer Stem Cells , Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389450111209050656
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389450111209050656 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
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