Functional effects of antibodies against non-neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

作者：Lykhmus Olena; Koval Lyudmyla; Pavlovych Svitlana; Zouridakis Marios; Zisimopoulou Paraskevi; Tzartos Socrates; Tsetlin Victor; Volpina Olga; Cloez Tayarani Isabelle; Komisarenko Sergiy; Skok Maryna^*

来源：Immunology Letters, 2010, 128(1): 68-73.

DOI：10.1016/j.imlet.2009.11.006

• Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
• Antibody
• B lymphocytes

Non-neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are expressed in the spleen and regulate B lymphocyte propagation and activation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cellular and physiological effects of antibodies against alpha 4(1-209) and alpha 7(1-208) nAChR extracellular domains. The antibodies, added in vitro, produced in vivo or injected, specifically bound mouse spleen B lymphocytes. Immunization with nAChR extracellular domains resulted in connective tissue overgrowth and infiltration of segmented neutrophils in the spleen, as well as in decreased body weight compared to mice immunized with BSA. In spite of certain cross-reactivity of alpha 4(1-209)- and alpha 7(1-208)-specific antibodies, all observed effects were more pronounced upon immunization with alpha 7 extracellular domain. Spleens of mice injected with alpha 7(1-208)-specific antibody contained decreased numbers of Annexin V-positive B lymphocytes compared to mice injected with non-specific IgG. It is concluded that alpha 7 nAChRs are involved in regulating the lymphocyte survival, neutrophil migration, connective tissue overgrowth and body weight accumulation. The antibody binding triggers alpha 7 nAChR signaling supporting the idea of non-channel mode of nAChR functioning in B lymphocytes.

• 出版日期2010-1-18