Acetylcholine, the first chemical to be identified as a neurotransmitter, is packed in synaptic vesicles by the activity of VAChT (vesicular acetylcholine transporter). A decrease in VAChT expression has been reported in a number of diseases, and this has consequences for the amount of acetylcholine loaded in synaptic vesicles as well as for neurotransmitter release. Several genetically modified mice targeting the VAChT gene have been generated, providing novel models to understand how changes in VAChT affect transmitter release. A surprising finding is that most cholinergic neurons in the brain also can express a second type of vesicular neurotransmitter transporter that allows these neurons to secrete two distinct neurotransmitters. Thus a given neuron can use two neurotransmitters to regulate different physiological functions. In addition, recent data indicate that non-neuronal cells can also express the machinery used to synthesize and release acetylcholine. Some of these cells rely on VAChT to secrete acetylcholine with potential physiological consequences in the periphery. Hence novel functions for the oldest neurotransmitter known are emerging with the potential to provide new targets for the treatment of several pathological conditions.
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March 2013
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Review Article|
February 15 2013
Regulation of cholinergic activity by the vesicular acetylcholine transporter
Vania F. Prado;
Vania F. Prado
1
*Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
†Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
‡Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
1Correspondence may be addressed to either of these authors (email vprado@robarts.ca or mprado@robarts.ca).
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Ashbeel Roy;
Ashbeel Roy
*Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
‡Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
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Benjamin Kolisnyk;
Benjamin Kolisnyk
*Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
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Robert Gros;
Robert Gros
*Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
‡Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
§Department of Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
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Marco A. M. Prado
Marco A. M. Prado
1
*Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
†Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
‡Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, 100 Perth Drive, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5K8
1Correspondence may be addressed to either of these authors (email vprado@robarts.ca or mprado@robarts.ca).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 01 2012
Revision Received:
November 15 2012
Accepted:
November 22 2012
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 Biochemical Society
2013
Biochem J (2013) 450 (2): 265–274.
Article history
Received:
November 01 2012
Revision Received:
November 15 2012
Accepted:
November 22 2012
Citation
Vania F. Prado, Ashbeel Roy, Benjamin Kolisnyk, Robert Gros, Marco A. M. Prado; Regulation of cholinergic activity by the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Biochem J 1 March 2013; 450 (2): 265–274. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20121662
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