The interaction between alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- α represents a new antinociceptive signaling pathway in mice.

The interaction between alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α represents a new antinociceptive signaling pathway in mice.
Exp Neurol. 2017 Jun 09;:
Authors: Donvito G, Bagdas D, Toma W, Rahimpour E, Jackson A, Meade JA, AlSharari S, Kulkarni AR, Ivy Carroll F, Lichtman AH, Papke RL, Thakur GA, Imad Damaj M
Abstract
Recently, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), primarily activated by binding of orthosteric agonists, represent a target for anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug development. These receptors may also be modulated by positive allosteric modulators (PAMs), ago-allosteric ligands (ago-PAMs), and α7-silent agonists. Activation of α7 nAChRs has been reported to increase the brain levels of endogenous ligands for nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors type-α (PPAR-α), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA), in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Here, we investigated potential crosstalk between α7 nAChR and PPAR-α, using the formalin test, a mouse model of tonic pain. Using pharmacological and genetic approaches, we found that PNU282987, a full α7 agonist, attenuated formalin-induced nociceptive behavior in α7-dependent manner. Interestingly, the selective PPAR-α antagonist GW6471 blocked the antinociceptive effects of PNU282987, but did not alter the antinociceptive responses evoked by the α7 nAChR PAM PNU120596, ago-PAM GAT...

Source: Experimental Neurology - June 9, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Donvito G, Bagdas D, Toma W, Rahimpour E, Jackson A, Meade JA, AlSharari S, Kulkarni AR, Ivy Carroll F, Lichtman AH, Papke RL, Thakur GA, Imad Damaj M Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research