Dysregulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor–cholesterol crosstalk in autism spectrum disorder

• Autores: Vallés, Ana Sofía; Barrantes, Francisco José
• Año de publicación: 2021
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 2021, 14
• Materia: AUTISMO; TRASTORNO DEL ESPECTRO AUTISTA; NEUROCIENCIA
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina

Fil: Vallés, Ana Sofía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Vallés, Ana Sofía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; Argentina
Fil: Barrantes, Francisco José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Barrantes, Francisco José. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Argentina
Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of complex neurodevelopmental diseases that include impaired social interaction, delayed and disordered language, repetitive or stereotypic behavior, restricted range of interests, and altered sensory processing. The underlying causes of the core symptoms remain unclear, as are the factors that trigger their onset. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the clinical phenotypes, a constellation of genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and immunological factors may be involved. The lack of appropriate biomarkers for the evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders makes it difficult to assess the contribution of early alterations in neurochemical processes and neuroanatomical and neurodevelopmental factors to ASD. Abnormalities in the cholinergic system in various regions of the brain and cerebellum are observed in ASD, and recently altered cholesterol metabolism has been implicated at the initial stages of the disease. Given the multiple effects of the neutral lipid cholesterol on the paradigm rapid ligand-gated ion channel, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, we explore in this review the possibility that the dysregulation of nicotinic receptor-cholesterol crosstalk plays a role in some of the neurological alterations observed in ASD.