Alijevic, Omar; McHugh, Damian; Rufener, Lucien; Mazurov, Anatoly; Hoeng, Julia; Peitsch, Manuel published the artcile< An electrophysiological characterization of naturally occurring tobacco alkaloids and their action on human α4β2 and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors>, Category: pyridine-derivatives, the main research area is Nicotiana solanaceae tobacco alkaloids nAChR nicotine anabasine anatabine; Anabasine; Anatabine; Nicotiana tabacum; Nicotine; Nornicotine; Solanaceae; Tobacco alkaloids; nAChR; α4β2; α7.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype-selective pharmacol. profiles of tobacco alkaloids are essential for understanding the physiol. effects of tobacco products. In this study, automated electrophysiol. was used to functionally characterize the effects of distinct groups of tobacco alkaloids on human α4β2 and α7 nAChRs. We found that, in tobacco alkaloids, pyridine as a hydrogen bond acceptor and a basic nitrogen atom at a distance of 4-7 Å are pharmacophoric elements necessary for mol. recognition by α4β2 and α7 nAChRs with various degrees of selectivity, potency, and efficacy. While four alkaloids-nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine and R-anatabine-potently activated α4β2, they were also weak agonists of α7 nAChRs. Nicotine was the most potent agonist of α4β2, while anabasine elicited the highest activation of α7. None of the tobacco alkaloids enhanced nAChR activity elicited by the endogenous ligand acetylcholine; therefore, none was considered to be a pos. allosteric modulator (PAM) of either α4β2 or α7 nAChRs. In contrast, we identified tobacco alkaloids, such as the tryptophan metabolite 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, that decreased the activity of both α4β2 and α7 nAChRs. Our study identified a class of alkaloids with pos. and neg. effects against human α4β2 and α7 nAChRs. It also revealed human α4β2 to be the principal receptor for sensing the most abundant alkaloids in tobacco leaves.
Phytochemistry (Elsevier) published new progress about Alkaloids Role: BSU (Biological Study, Unclassified), BIOL (Biological Study) (tobacco alkaloids). 581-47-5 belongs to class pyridine-derivatives, and the molecular formula is C10H8N2, Category: pyridine-derivatives.