Articolo in rivista, 2022, ENG, 10.3389/fncel.2021.805123

alpha 9-containing nicotinic receptors in cancer

Pucci, Susanna; Zoli, Michele; Clementi, Francesco; Gotti, Cecilia

Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy; NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (CfNN), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing the alpha 9 or the alpha 9 and alpha 10 subunits are expressed in various extra-neuronal tissues. Moreover, most cancer cells and tissues highly express alpha 9-containing receptors, and a number of studies have shown that they are powerful regulators of responses that stimulate cancer processes such as proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, and metastasis. It has also emerged that their modulation is a promising target for drug development. The aim of this review is to summarize recent data showing the involvement of these receptors in controlling the downstream signaling cascades involved in the promotion of cancer.

Frontiers in cellular neuroscience 15

Keywords

nicotinic acethylcholine receptor (nAChR), cancer, lung, breast, glioblastoma, melanoma

CNR authors

Pucci Susanna, Gotti Cecilia

CNR institutes

IN – Istituto di neuroscienze