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Published on: December 16, 2013
The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in lymphocyte development
Marina Skok1, Regis Grailhe, Fabien Agenes
1Department of Molecular Immunology, Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, 01601 Kiev, Ukraine. skok@biochem.kiev.ua
Abstract:
The sizes of lymphocyte populations in lymphoid organs of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor knockout and chimera (knockout/wild-type) mice were studied by flow cytometry. The absence of beta2 subunit decreased, while nicotine treatment increased B lymphocyte numbers in the bone marrow. In chimera mice, either beta2 or alpha7 subunits influenced lymphocyte populations in primary lymphoid organs, while in the spleen, only alpha7 receptors were critical. More annexin V-positive B cells were found in the bone marrow of knockout than wild-type animals. We conclude that nicotinic receptors are involved in regulating lymphocyte development and control the B lymphocyte survival.
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