Targeting α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor to Combat Inflammation in Cardio-Cerebral-Vascular Diseases

Cardio-cerebral-vascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and stroke etc, are the major reasons for morbidity and mortality all over the world. Recent studies showed that inflammation exerts an important impact on the pathogenesis and development of cardio-cerebral-vascular diseases. "The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway", mainly modulated through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), has attracted much attention.The purpose of this review was to discuss the role of α7nAChR during the pathological processes in myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, hypertension and stroke.Most of the existing literatures involved in studying on myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, hypertension and stroke showed that activation of α7nAChR might be a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.Targeting α7nAChR to combat inflammation might be a novel therapy in cardiocerebral- vascular diseases.