Toxicologie Pharmacologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, INSERM UMR-S 1124, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France.
UFR des Sciences Fondamentales et Biomédicales, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France.
Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Aug 24;19(9):2504. doi: 10.3390/ijms19092504.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (or AhR) is a cytoplasmic receptor of pollutants. It translocates into the nucleus upon binding to its ligands, and forms a heterodimer with ARNT (AhR nuclear translocator). The heterodimer is a transcription factor, which regulates the transcription of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. Expressed in many cells in vertebrates, it is mostly present in neuronal cell types in invertebrates, where it regulates dendritic morphology or feeding behavior. Surprisingly, few investigations have been conducted to unravel the function of the AhR in the central or peripheral nervous systems of vertebrates. In this review, we will present how the AhR regulates neural functions in both invertebrates and vertebrates as deduced mainly from the effects of xenobiotics. We will introduce some of the molecular mechanisms triggered by the well-known AhR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which impact on neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Finally, we will point out the common features found in mice that are exposed to pollutants, and in AhR knockout mice.
芳香烃受体（Aryl hydrocarbon receptor，AhR）是一种细胞质污染物受体。它与配体结合后会转移到细胞核内，并与 ARNT（AhR 核转位蛋白）形成异二聚体。该异二聚体是一种转录因子，可调节外源物质代谢酶的转录。在脊椎动物的许多细胞中表达，它主要存在于无脊椎动物的神经元细胞类型中，在那里它调节树突形态或摄食行为。令人惊讶的是，很少有研究致力于阐明 AhR 在脊椎动物中枢或外周神经系统中的功能。在这篇综述中，我们将主要从外源物质的影响出发，介绍 AhR 如何调节无脊椎动物和脊椎动物的神经功能。我们将介绍一些由著名的 AhR 配体 2,3,7,8-四氯二苯并对二恶英（2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin，TCDD）触发的分子机制，这些机制会影响神经元的增殖、分化和存活。最后，我们将指出在接触污染物的小鼠和 AhR 基因敲除小鼠中发现的共同特征。
