Changzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China.
Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
FASEB J. 2022 Mar;36(3):e22165. doi: 10.1096/fj.202101529R.
Acetylcholine (ACh) is found not only in cholinergic nerve termini but also in the nonneuronal cholinergic system (NNCS). ACh is released from cholinergic nerves by vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT), but ACh release from the NNCS is mediated by organic cation transporter (OCT). Recent studies have suggested that components of the NNCS are located in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), crypt-villus organoids, immune cells, intestinal stem cells (ISCs), and vascular endothelial cells (VECs). When ACh enters the interstitial space, its self-modulation or effects on adjacent tissues are part of the range of its biological functions. This review focuses on the current understanding of the mechanisms of ACh synthesis and release in the NNCS. Furthermore, studies on ACh functions in colonic disorders suggest that ACh from the NNCS contributes to immune regulation, IEC and VEC repair, ISC differentiation, colonic movement, and colonic tumor development. As indicated by the features of some colonic disorders, ACh and the NNCS have positive and negative effects on these disorders. Furthermore, the NNCS is located in multiple colonic organs, and the specific effects and cross-talk involving ACh from the NNCS in different colonic tissues are explored.
乙酰胆碱（ACh）不仅存在于胆碱能神经末梢中，也存在于非胆碱能神经递质系统（NNCS）中。ACh 由囊泡乙酰胆碱转运体（VAChT）从胆碱能神经中释放，但 NNCS 中的 ACh 释放则由有机阳离子转运体（OCT）介导。最近的研究表明，NNCS 的组成部分位于肠上皮细胞（IECs）、隐窝绒毛类器官、免疫细胞、肠干细胞（ISCs）和血管内皮细胞（VECs）中。当 ACh 进入细胞间隙时，其自我调节或对邻近组织的影响是其生物功能的一部分。这篇综述重点介绍了 NNCS 中 ACh 合成和释放的机制的最新研究进展。此外，对 ACh 在结肠疾病中的作用的研究表明，NNCS 中的 ACh 有助于免疫调节、IEC 和 VEC 修复、ISCs 分化、结肠运动和结肠肿瘤发展。一些结肠疾病的特征表明，ACh 和 NNCS 对这些疾病既有积极作用，也有消极作用。此外，NNCS 存在于多个结肠器官中，我们正在探索不同结肠组织中 NNCS 来源的 ACh 的具体作用和相互作用。
