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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2006; 12(46): 7451-7459
Published online Dec 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i46.7451
Exploitation of the nicotinic anti-inflammatory pathway for the treatment of epithelial inflammatory diseases
David A Scott, Michael Martin
David A Scott, Oral Health and Systemic Disease Research Group, and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Michael Martin, Oral Health and Systemic Disease Research Group, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: David A Scott, Oral Health and Systemic Disease Research Group, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, 501 South Preston Street, Louisville, KY, 40292, United States. dascot07@louisville.edu
Telephone: +1-502-8528905 Fax: +1-502-8524052
Received: August 3, 2006
Revised: October 12, 2006
Accepted: October 18, 2006
Published online: December 14, 2006
Abstract

Discoveries in the first few years of the 21st century have led to an understanding of important interactions between the nervous system and the inflammatory response at the molecular level, most notably the acetylcholine (ACh)-triggered, α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR)-dependent nicotinic anti-inflammatory pathway. Studies using the α7nAChR agonist, nicotine, for the treatment of mucosal inflammation have been undertaken but the efficacy of nicotine as a treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases remains debatable. Further understanding of the nicotinic anti-inflammatory pathway and other endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanisms is required in order to develop refined and specific therapeutic strategies for the treatment of a number of inflammatory diseases and conditions, including periodontitis, psoriasis, sarcoidosis, and ulcerative colitis.

Keywords: α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Inflamm-ation; Mucosa; Nicotine; Nicotinic anti-inflammatory pathway; Tobacco smoking