Lovastatin Potentiates the Function of α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Authors

• Dmytro Isaev, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology
• Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Murat Oz, Kuwait UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-28-2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Statins are currently one of the most commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs. In recent years, in addition to their well-known effects on the cardiovascular system, statins have been shown to exert beneficial effects in the progression of various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: In this study, the effects of lovastatin on the function of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors expressed in rat hippocampus and Xenopus oocytes were investigated. Results: In whole-cell patch clamp studies in hippocampal neurons, 21-day chronic (20 mg/kg), but not acute (20 min), lovastatin treatment caused significant potentiation of choline (a selective agonist for α7 nACh receptors)-induced currents and choline-induced increases in GABA_A receptor-mediated currents. Further studies in Xenopus oocytes expressing human α7-nACh receptors indicated that 72 h pretreatment with lovastatin caused a significant increase in α7-nACh receptor function with an EC₅₀ value of 296 nM. Other statins, such as simvastatin and pravastatin, also potentiated α7-nACh receptors. Potentiation by lovastatin treatment was associated with a significant decrease in oocyte cholesterol content and was diminished by Go6983, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), suggesting that both decreased cholesterol levels and activation of PKC are involved in statin potentiation of α7-nACh receptors. Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings indicate that chronic lovastatin treatment potentiates the function of α7-nACh receptors in hippocampal neurons and in Xenopus oocytes expressing human α7-nACh receptors and provides important insights that could guide future efforts to design novel drugs targeting α7-nACh receptors.

Comments

This article was originally published in Pharmaceuticals, volume 19, issue 6, in 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19060849

Recommended Citation

Isaev, D.; Yang, K.-H.S.; Oz, M. Lovastatin Potentiates the Function of α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Pharmaceuticals 2026, 19, 849. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19060849

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