Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Part II. Non-Neuronal Cholinergic System

The role of nAChRs in functioning of central and peripheral nervous systems is widely known. Recently, expression of nAChRs in immune cells and tissues of epithelial origin has been shown. These non-neuronal nAChRs are involved in regulation of inflammation, cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Non-neuronal nAChRs are also involved in occurrence and development of several types of nicotine-induced cancers. Study of these receptors in epithelial and cancer cells made it possible to discover new ways of nAChRs regulation by endogenous ligands and to propose new mechanisms of signal transduction that are not related to the ion current through the receptor channel. This review presents current information on the function of human non-neuronal nAChRs.