Affinage

CHRNA7

Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-7 · UniProt P36544

Length
502 aa
Mass
56.4 kDa
Annotated
2026-04-28
95 papers in source corpus 22 papers cited in narrative 22 extracted findings

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

CHRNA7 encodes the α7 subunit of a homomeric, calcium-permeable, ligand-gated nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) that functions in neuronal signaling, cholinergic anti-inflammatory responses, cortical progenitor fate determination, and sperm motility. The receptor signals through ERK1/2 to promote neuronal survival, through JAK2/STAT3 in neuroprotection and cancer contexts, and through YAP1 to regulate radial glia proliferation versus neuronal differentiation (PMID:28890319, PMID:29274273, PMID:33603170). CHRNA7 transcription is negatively regulated by AP-2α binding to its proximal promoter and by CpG methylation that can be pharmacologically reversed by DNMT inhibitors or valproate, while post-transcriptional mechanisms independently control surface receptor levels (PMID:21979958, PMID:22052086, PMID:19368846). The human-specific partial duplicate CHRFAM7A produces a dominant-negative dupα7 subunit that co-assembles with α7, reduces functional surface receptors by impairing RIC3/NACHO-dependent chaperoning, and attenuates α7-mediated calcium flux (PMID:21718690, PMID:29129316).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 13 steps
  1. 2005 Medium

    Establishing that CHRNA7 has functional roles outside the central nervous system: knockout mice revealed that α7 nAChRs provide the majority of α-bungarotoxin binding sites on sperm and are required for normal sperm motility, extending the receptor's physiological relevance beyond neurons.

    Evidence Chrna7 double-null knockout mice with fluorescent α-bungarotoxin localization and computer-assisted sperm analysis

    PMID:15944242

    Open questions at the time
    • Downstream ion-signaling mechanism linking α7 channel activity to flagellar motility is undefined
    • Whether the sperm phenotype affects fertility in vivo was not tested
  2. 2005 Medium

    A neuronal enhancer within intron 4 of Chrna7 was shown to account for ~80% of allelic promoter activity in neurons, revealing that CHRNA7 transcription depends on long-range cis-regulatory elements beyond the proximal promoter.

    Evidence Mouse transgenic insertion-deletion model with gene expression analysis of Chrna7-Tg fusion transcripts

    PMID:16280085

    Open questions at the time
    • The enhancer has not been validated by targeted deletion in wild-type mice
    • Trans-acting factors binding this intronic enhancer remain unidentified
  3. 2009 Medium

    Chrna7 genotype was found to regulate α7 receptor protein levels in brain without affecting mRNA, establishing a post-transcriptional layer of expression control and explaining why mRNA measurements alone underestimate genetic effects on receptor density.

    Evidence F2 mouse intercross with quantitative autoradiography of α-bungarotoxin binding versus in situ hybridization for α7 mRNA

    PMID:19368846

    Open questions at the time
    • The specific post-transcriptional mechanism (folding, trafficking, degradation) was not identified
    • Whether these QTL effects are cell-type-specific is unknown
  4. 2011 High

    Three parallel studies resolved key transcriptional regulatory mechanisms: AP-2α was identified as a direct repressor binding the proximal promoter, DNA methylation of the same promoter was shown to inversely control transcription, and long-range chromatin interactions with the PWS-IC/MeCP2 locus were demonstrated to influence CHRNA7 expression in neurons.

    Evidence Promoter mutagenesis, ChIP, EMSA for AP-2α; bisulfite sequencing and DNMT inhibitor treatment for methylation; 4C and FISH for chromatin conformation in SH-SY5Y cells and postmortem cortex

    PMID:21840925 PMID:21979958 PMID:22052086

    Open questions at the time
    • How AP-2α repression and DNA methylation interact at the same promoter region is unexplored
    • Whether MeCP2-dependent chromatin looping directly alters CHRNA7 transcription rate was not tested
  5. 2011 High

    The human-specific partial duplicate CHRFAM7A was shown to encode a dominant-negative subunit (dupα7) that co-assembles with α7 and produces ACh-silent surface receptors, providing a molecular explanation for how copy-number variation at 15q13.3 reduces α7 function without eliminating surface expression.

    Evidence Co-expression in cell lines and Xenopus oocytes; electrophysiology; [125I]-α-bungarotoxin binding; PNU-120596 allosteric modulator assay

    PMID:21718690

    Open questions at the time
    • Stoichiometry of dupα7:α7 in mixed pentamers is unknown
    • Whether dupα7 incorporation affects receptor trafficking versus gating was not resolved
  6. 2012 Medium

    Chrna7 gene dosage was shown to regulate hippocampal GABAergic circuit components (GAD-65, GABA-A receptors), and subsequent work revealed complex dose-dependent remodeling of inhibitory circuits including parvalbumin interneuron markers and GABA-A subunit composition, establishing CHRNA7 as a regulator of excitatory-inhibitory balance.

    Evidence Chrna7 heterozygous and knockout C3H mice; quantitative Western immunoblotting for GABAergic markers

    PMID:22314319 PMID:24836856

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether GABAergic remodeling is a direct consequence of reduced α7 calcium signaling or a homeostatic compensation is unclear
    • Circuit-level functional consequences (e.g., oscillatory activity) were not measured
  7. 2013 Medium

    CHRNA7 was placed in the nicotine reward pathway: α7 gain-of-function mice lost nicotine preference while knockouts showed sensitized preference, and selective α7 pharmacology confirmed the pathway, revealing CHRNA7 as a negative modulator of nicotine reward.

    Evidence α7 knockout and gain-of-function mice; conditioned place preference; selective agonist (PHA-543613) and antagonist (MLA); nucleus accumbens transcriptomics

    PMID:24289814

    Open questions at the time
    • The specific circuit (VTA, NAc, or prefrontal) mediating the α7-dependent effect was not identified
    • Insulin signaling link in nucleus accumbens requires independent validation
  8. 2014 Medium

    Gestational choline supplementation was shown to improve sensory inhibition strictly through Chrna7 gene dosage, as the effect was abolished in heterozygous and null mice, linking prenatal nutrient availability to α7-dependent auditory gating.

    Evidence DBA/2 Chrna7-null mice; dietary choline supplementation; auditory sensory inhibition assay; hippocampal α7 radioligand binding

    PMID:24462939

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether choline acts by increasing ACh availability, α7 expression, or both is unresolved
    • Translation to human pregnancies not directly tested in this study
  9. 2017 High

    Patient-derived iPSC models revealed that both deletions and duplications of 15q13.3 CHRNA7 reduce α7-associated calcium flux — deletions through haploinsufficiency and duplications through ER stress and inefficient chaperoning — establishing a bidirectional dosage sensitivity for functional receptor assembly.

    Evidence iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells from 15q13.3 deletion and duplication patients; calcium flux assays; ER stress marker analysis

    PMID:29129316

    Open questions at the time
    • Identity of the limiting ER chaperone(s) was not determined
    • Whether ER stress is a primary cause or secondary consequence of reduced surface expression is unclear
  10. 2017 Medium

    CHRNA7 was shown to mediate neuronal survival through the ERK1/2 pathway: siRNA knockdown abolished nicotine-mediated neuroprotection, and Arctic Aβ40 blocked this protective signaling specifically at the ERK1/2 step, connecting α7 to Alzheimer's disease-relevant neuroprotective signaling.

    Evidence SH-SY5Y cells; CHRNA7 siRNA knockdown; Western blot for p-ERK1/2; oxidative stress and cell survival assays

    PMID:28890319

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether ERK1/2 activation is direct or via calcium-dependent intermediates is not shown
    • In vivo validation in a neurodegeneration model is lacking
  11. 2020 Medium

    The Ras-JNK-c-Jun-DNMT1 axis was identified as a pathway regulating CHRNA7 promoter methylation, and a separate CaMKII-dependent mechanism was shown to control α7 membrane trafficking independently of transcription, dissecting transcriptional from post-translational regulation of receptor surface expression.

    Evidence Mouse hippocampal CA1 whole-cell recordings; lonafarnib treatment; JNK activator and CaMKII inhibitor pharmacology; bisulfite sequencing; Western blot

    PMID:33447242

    Open questions at the time
    • The CaMKII-dependent trafficking mechanism is not molecularly characterized
    • Single pharmacological agent (lonafarnib) used — off-target effects not excluded
  12. 2021 High

    iPSC-derived cortical neurons from a 15q13.3 duplication proband showed increased firing and cholinergic activity, enhanced progenitor proliferation, and impaired differentiation/migration, with pharmacological rescue possible, demonstrating that CHRNA7 dosage governs cortical progenitor fate decisions.

    Evidence iPSC-derived cortical neurons; electrophysiology; scRNA-seq; pharmacological rescue; migration assays

    PMID:34320968

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether the proliferation defect is α7-channel-dependent or mediated by non-ionotropic signaling is unresolved
    • Single pedigree limits generalizability
  13. 2021 Medium

    In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, nicotine-CHRNA7 interaction activates the JAK2/STAT3/SOX2 axis to promote cancer stemness, while metformin counteracts this by restoring CHRNA7 promoter methylation, linking the receptor's epigenetic regulation to its oncogenic downstream signaling.

    Evidence ESCC cell lines and xenograft mouse models; siRNA knockdown; Western blot for JAK2/STAT3/SOX2; bisulfite sequencing

    PMID:33603170

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether JAK2/STAT3 activation is direct (α7-bound) or calcium-mediated is not defined
    • Relevance to non-nicotine-exposed cancers unknown

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • Key unresolved questions include: the structural basis and stoichiometry of α7/dupα7 mixed pentamers, the identity of the chaperone bottleneck limiting surface expression from duplicated alleles, and whether α7 non-ionotropic (metabotropic) signaling contributes to its effects on progenitor fate and anti-inflammatory pathways.
  • No cryo-EM or structural data for human α7 homomers or α7/dupα7 heteromers
  • Metabotropic vs. ionotropic signaling contributions not genetically separated
  • In vivo relevance of CHRFAM7A dominant-negative activity not tested in animal models (human-specific gene)

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0005215 transporter activity 3 GO:0098772 molecular function regulator activity 2
Localization
GO:0005886 plasma membrane 4 GO:0005783 endoplasmic reticulum 2
Pathway
R-HSA-112316 Neuronal System 4 R-HSA-162582 Signal Transduction 3 R-HSA-382551 Transport of small molecules 3 R-HSA-1266738 Developmental Biology 2
Partners
AP2A1CHRFAM7AJAK2NACHORIC3STAT3YAP1
Complex memberships
α7 homomeric nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Evidence

Reading pass · 22 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2011 CHRFAM7A (dupα7), the partial duplication of CHRNA7, acts as a dominant negative regulator of α7*nAChR function. Co-expression of α7 and dupα7 in cell lines and Xenopus oocytes significantly reduced ACh-evoked current amplitude without reducing α-bungarotoxin binding, indicating formation of non-functional (ACh-silent) receptors at the cell surface. Co-expression in cell lines and Xenopus oocytes; electrophysiology (ACh-evoked current measurement); radioligand binding ([(125)I]-α-bungarotoxin); allosteric modulator (PNU-120596) assay Biochemical pharmacology High 21718690
2017 Both deletions and duplications of CHRNA7 decrease α7 nAChR-associated calcium flux in iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells. For duplications, increased CHRNA7 mRNA is associated with elevated ER chaperone expression and ER stress, indicating inefficient chaperoning and ER retention of α7 subunits rather than functional surface receptor assembly. iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells from patients with 15q13.3 deletions or duplications; calcium flux assay; mRNA expression profiling; ER stress marker analysis American journal of human genetics High 29129316
2021 In iPSC-derived cortical neurons from an affected proband carrying a 15q13.3 CHRNA7 duplication, both affected and unaffected carrier neurons showed increased action potential firing and elevated cholinergic activity consistent with increased homomeric CHRNA7 channel activity. The affected proband additionally showed enhanced neural progenitor proliferation, impaired neuronal differentiation and migration, and increased ER stress, which could be rescued pharmacologically. iPSC-derived cortical excitatory and inhibitory neurons; electrophysiology; gene expression (single-cell RNA-seq); pharmacological rescue; migration and differentiation assays BMC biology High 34320968
2011 AP-2α negatively regulates CHRNA7 transcription by binding to a site in the 230-bp proximal promoter. Mutation of the AP-2α binding site, knockdown, and overexpression of AP-2α all confirmed its repressive role, and chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed the interaction in cells. Promoter mutagenesis; AP-2α knockdown and overexpression; EMSA; supershift assay; ChIP The Journal of biological chemistry High 21979958
2011 DNA methylation of the CHRNA7 proximal promoter inversely correlates with its transcriptional activity across human tissue types. Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (5-aza-2-deoxycytidine, zebularine) re-activated silenced CHRNA7 expression, and the methyl donor methionine suppressed transcription, demonstrating a direct epigenetic regulatory mechanism. Bisulfite sequencing PCR; methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme analysis; DNMT1 inhibitor treatment; methyl donor manipulation; qRT-PCR across tissue types Journal of molecular neuroscience High 22052086
2005 A putative neuronal transcriptional enhancer located within intron 4 of Chrna7 is required for ~80% of allelic Chrna7 promoter activity in neurons. Loss of this enhancer in a mouse transgene-insertion/deletion model (TgPWS/TgAS) caused 1.7-fold decreased Chrna7 expression in brain, while the promoter was paradoxically upregulated in B lymphocytes by the transgene immunoglobulin enhancer. Mouse transgenic insertion-deletion model; gene expression analysis; Chrna7-Tg fusion transcript isolation; cytological mapping BMC genomics Medium 16280085
2012 Reduced Chrna7 expression (heterozygous knockout) in C3H mice decreases hippocampal GAD-65 and GABA-A receptor levels, demonstrating that CHRNA7 regulates hippocampal inhibitory circuit components. Chrna7 heterozygous and homozygous knockout mice; quantitative Western immunoblotting for GABA, GAD-65, GABA-A receptor, GAT-1 Neuroscience Medium 22314319
2014 Reduced Chrna7 expression in C3H mice is associated with increased hippocampal parvalbumin and GAD67 and complex alterations in GABA-A receptor subunit composition (decreased α3, α4, altered δ and γ2), demonstrating gene-dose-dependent remodeling of hippocampal inhibitory circuits. Chrna7 wild-type, heterozygous, and knockout C3H mice; quantitative Western immunoblotting for parvalbumin, GAD67, GABA-A receptor subunits Neuroscience Medium 24836856
2014 Gestational choline supplementation improves sensory inhibition through the α7 nicotinic receptor encoded by Chrna7: the effect was absent in Chrna7 heterozygous and null-mutant mice, demonstrating that the benefit requires Chrna7 gene dosage. DBA/2 mice with Chrna7 null mutation; dietary choline supplementation; auditory sensory inhibition assay; hippocampal α7 receptor radioligand binding Brain research Medium 24462939
2013 Chrna7 modulates nicotine conditioned place preference. Gain-of-function α7 mice did not display nicotine preference, whereas α7 KO mice showed preference at sub-threshold doses. Selective α7 agonist PHA-543613 dose-dependently blocked nicotine CPP, reversed by the selective antagonist methyllycaconitine, placing Chrna7 in the nicotine reward pathway. Chrna7 KO mice also showed increased insulin signaling in nucleus accumbens. α7 knock-out and gain-of-function mice; conditioned place preference assay; pharmacological agonist/antagonist in vivo; microarray, qPCR, and immunoblotting of nucleus accumbens tissue Genes, brain, and behavior Medium 24289814
2005 CHRNA7 contributes the majority of α-bungarotoxin binding sites on the sperm midpiece. Chrna7 knockout mice produce sperm with significantly impaired motility (reduced swimming velocity, failure to maintain vigorous swimming, lower hyperactivation), establishing an ionotropic role for CHRNA7 in sperm motility. Chrna7 double-null knockout mice; fluorescent α-bungarotoxin localization; computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA); immunoblot Biology of reproduction Medium 15944242
2021 Nicotine enhances ESCC cancer malignancy by interacting with CHRNA7 and activating the JAK2/STAT3/SOX2 signaling pathway. Dextromethorphan non-competitively inhibited nicotine binding to CHRNA7, while metformin downregulated CHRNA7 expression by antagonizing nicotine-induced promoter DNA hypomethylation of CHRNA7. ESCC cell lines and mouse models; siRNA knockdown; pharmacological inhibition; Western blot for JAK2/STAT3/SOX2; bisulfite sequencing for promoter methylation Oncogene Medium 33603170
2017 Arctic Aβ40 blocks the neuroprotective effect of nicotine-activated CHRNA7 by inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway downstream of the receptor. CHRNA7 knockdown abolished nicotine-mediated neuroprotection, and ERK1/2 activation was shown to mediate protection against oxidative stress. SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells; siRNA knockdown of CHRNA7; Western blot for ERK1/2 phosphorylation; cell survival assay; oxidative stress assay Neurochemistry international Medium 28890319
2019 DNA methylation regulates CHRNA7 transcription, and this can be pharmacologically modulated: valproate caused demethylation of the CHRNA7 promoter and increased its expression in HeLa and SH-SY5Y cells; genotypic variations at CHRNA7 loci influence promoter methylation levels. Bisulfite sequencing; qPCR; valproate treatment; nicotine co-stimulation; human temporal cortex samples Neuroscience letters Medium 30974230
2015 CHRNA7 overexpression in LoVo colorectal cancer cells reduces cell migration and invasion via activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and reduction of MMP-1 and MMP-9 expression. Blocking PI3K/Akt with LY294002 restored migration/invasion in CHRNA7-overexpressing cells. Plasmid overexpression of CHRNA7; Transwell migration/invasion assay; Western blot; gelatin zymography; PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) Oncology reports Medium 26719016
2016 A7-nAChR (CHRNA7) knockdown in AGS gastric cancer cells enhances sensitivity to ixabepilone by preventing upregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 after ixabepilone treatment, thereby increasing cleaved PARP levels and apoptosis. siRNA knockdown of A7-nAChR; MTT cytotoxicity assay; flow cytometry/annexin V apoptosis assay; Western blot for AKT, pAKT, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Bad, Bax, cleaved PARP Tumour biology Medium 26790437
2011 MeCP2-bound and PWS-IC-interacting chromatin sites flank CHRNA7, and PWS-IC interacts with the CHRNA7 locus in neurons as confirmed by 4C and FISH. CHRNA7 expression is significantly reduced in frontal cortex of Rett syndrome and autism patients, suggesting transcriptional regulation of CHRNA7 by long-range chromatin interactions within 15q11.2-13.3. 4C (chromosome conformation capture on chip) in SH-SY5Y neurons; MeCP2 ChIP-chip; fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH); quantitative transcriptional analysis of postmortem frontal cortex Human molecular genetics Medium 21840925
2020 Farnesyl transferase inhibitor lonafarnib increases α7nAChR (CHRNA7) expression via inhibition of the Ras-c-Jun-JNK pathway, which reduces DNMT1 expression and lowers DNA methylation of the CHRNA7 promoter. Lonafarnib also increases membrane trafficking of α7nAChR through a CaMKII-dependent mechanism independent of its effect on gene expression. In vivo mouse hippocampal CA1 recordings; whole-cell patch clamp (ACh-evoked currents); Western blot for DNMT1, p-JNK, p-c-Jun, α7nAChR; JNK activator/CaMKII inhibitor pharmacology; bisulfite sequencing Frontiers in pharmacology Medium 33447242
2017 α7nAChR (CHRNA7) mediates vagus nerve stimulation-induced neuroprotection in permanent cerebral ischemia via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Pharmacological blockade of α7nAChR attenuated neuroprotective effects and decreased p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, while pharmacological activation of α7nAChR partially substituted for vagus nerve stimulation. Rat PMCAO model; α7nAChR antagonist and agonist pharmacology; neurological scoring; infarct volume measurement; Western blot for α7nAChR, p-JAK2, p-STAT3 Medical science monitor Low 29274273
2009 CHRNA7 genotype (polymorphisms in the gene) is linked to α7 nicotinic receptor protein levels (α-bungarotoxin binding) in specific brain regions (hippocampus, striatum) but not to α7 mRNA levels, indicating post-transcriptional regulation of α7 receptor expression by Chrna7 genetic variation. F2 mice from C3H/Ibg × DBA/2 cross; quantitative autoradiography of α-bungarotoxin binding; in situ hybridization for α7 mRNA; Chrna7 genotyping Brain research Medium 19368846
2025 In human cortical organotypic slices and dissociated cultures, nAChR activation (including via CHRNA7) increases radial glia proliferation and decreases neuronal differentiation, while nAChR knockdown reduces radial glia and increases neurons. YAP1 is identified as a critical downstream effector of CHRNA7 nAChR signaling, and YAP1 inhibition reverses nicotine-induced phenotypic alterations in outer radial glia cells. Human cortical organotypic slices; dissociated cultures; nAChR activation/knockdown; single-cell RNA sequencing; YAP1 inhibitor pharmacological rescue; immunostaining for SOX2+ progenitors bioRxivpreprint Medium bio_10.1101_2025.04.10.647795
2024 CHRFAM7A overexpression in iPSC-derived interneurons reduces surface α7-nAChR ligand binding sites and lowers expression of chaperones RIC3 and NACHO. Upon nicotine stimulation, α7-dupα7-INs showed upregulation of surface α7-nAChR binding sites (unlike control INs). CHRFAM7A overexpression also abolishes the Aβ1-42-induced reduction of reactive oxygen species seen in control interneurons. Human iPSC-derived interneurons; lentiviral CHRFAM7A overexpression; radioligand binding for surface α7-nAChR; Western blot for RIC3, NACHO; ROS assay; Aβ1-42 treatment bioRxivpreprint Medium bio_10.1101_2024.06.04.597325

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 95 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
1998 Genomic organization and partial duplication of the human alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA7). Genomics 217 9782083
2001 Linkage disequilibrium for schizophrenia at the chromosome 15q13-14 locus of the alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7). American journal of medical genetics 161 11424985
2021 A role of the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve in depression-like phenotypes in mice after fecal microbiota transplantation from Chrna7 knock-out mice with depression-like phenotypes. Brain, behavior, and immunity 147 33422641
2015 The human CHRNA7 and CHRFAM7A genes: A review of the genetics, regulation, and function. Neuropharmacology 146 25701707
2007 Genotype effects of CHRNA7, CNR1 and COMT in schizophrenia: interactions with tobacco and cannabis use. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science 124 17978319
2011 The chimeric gene CHRFAM7A, a partial duplication of the CHRNA7 gene, is a dominant negative regulator of α7*nAChR function. Biochemical pharmacology 111 21718690
2010 Structures and molecular mechanisms for common 15q13.3 microduplications involving CHRNA7: benign or pathological? Human mutation 110 20506139
2002 A 3-Mb map of a large Segmental duplication overlapping the alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA7) at human 15q13-q14. Genomics 99 11829490
2000 Haplotype transmission disequilibrium and evidence for linkage of the CHRNA7 gene region to schizophrenia in Southern African Bantu families. American journal of medical genetics 95 10893497
2015 The human clinical phenotypes of altered CHRNA7 copy number. Biochemical pharmacology 94 26095975
2012 Identification of single gene deletions at 15q13.3: further evidence that CHRNA7 causes the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome phenotype. Clinical genetics 88 22775350
2009 Association of the 5'-upstream regulatory region of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia research 86 19181484
1994 Molecular cloning and chromosomal localization of the human alpha 7-nicotinic receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7). Genomics 82 8188270
2011 15q11.2-13.3 chromatin analysis reveals epigenetic regulation of CHRNA7 with deficiencies in Rett and autism brain. Human molecular genetics 80 21840925
2009 Differential regulation of alpha7 nicotinic receptor gene (CHRNA7) expression in schizophrenic smokers. Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN 79 19680823
2015 Perinatal Phosphatidylcholine Supplementation and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Evidence for CHRNA7 Moderation. The American journal of psychiatry 73 26651393
2001 Evidence for linkage disequilibrium between the alpha 7-nicotinic receptor gene (CHRNA7) locus and schizophrenia in Azorean families. American journal of medical genetics 65 11803513
2005 Mice deficient in CHRNA7, a subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, produce sperm with impaired motility. Biology of reproduction 61 15944242
2017 The Cognitive and Behavioral Phenotypes of Individuals with CHRNA7 Duplications. Journal of autism and developmental disorders 57 27853923
2013 Dysfunction of SHANK2 and CHRNA7 in a patient with intellectual disability and language impairment supports genetic epistasis of the two loci. Clinical genetics 56 23350639
2007 APOE, ACT and CHRNA7 genes in the conversion from amnestic mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of aging 53 18078695
2017 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Alpha7 Subunit Mediates Vagus Nerve Stimulation-Induced Neuroprotection in Acute Permanent Cerebral Ischemia by a7nAchR/JAK2 Pathway. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research 51 29274273
1998 No evidence for linkage of the CHRNA7 gene region in Canadian schizophrenia families. American journal of medical genetics 51 9754620
2010 A 15q13.3 homozygous microdeletion associated with a severe neurodevelopmental disorder suggests putative functions of the TRPM1, CHRNA7, and other homozygously deleted genes. American journal of medical genetics. Part A 47 20425840
2022 A role of gut-microbiota-brain axis via subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve in depression-like phenotypes in Chrna7 knock-out mice. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry 45 36191806
2017 Functional Consequences of CHRNA7 Copy-Number Alterations in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Neural Progenitor Cells. American journal of human genetics 44 29129316
2015 Analysis of CHRNA7 rare variants in autism spectrum disorder susceptibility. American journal of medical genetics. Part A 43 25655306
2011 Homozygous deletion of chromosome 15q13.3 including CHRNA7 causes severe mental retardation, seizures, muscular hypotonia, and the loss of KLF13 and TRPM1 potentially cause macrocytosis and congenital retinal dysfunction in siblings. European journal of medical genetics 43 21596161
2002 Evaluation of the positional candidate gene CHRNA7 at the juvenile myoclonic epilepsy locus (EJM2) on chromosome 15q13-14. Epilepsy research 42 12049804
2011 A small homozygous microdeletion of 15q13.3 including the CHRNA7 gene in a girl with a spectrum of severe neurodevelopmental features. American journal of medical genetics. Part A 37 21990074
2019 Effect of donepezil on the expression and responsiveness to LPS of CHRNA7 and CHRFAM7A in macrophages: A possible link to the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Journal of neuroimmunology 35 31048268
2014 CHRNA7 triplication associated with cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric phenotypes in a three-generation pedigree. European journal of human genetics : EJHG 35 24424125
2012 Reduced Chrna7 expression in mice is associated with decreases in hippocampal markers of inhibitory function: implications for neuropsychiatric diseases. Neuroscience 35 22314319
2017 Chrna7 deficient mice manifest no consistent neuropsychiatric and behavioral phenotypes. Scientific reports 34 28045139
2013 Association of the Nicotinic Receptor α7 Subunit Gene (CHRNA7) with Schizophrenia and Visual Backward Masking. Frontiers in psychiatry 34 24155726
2021 Repurposing dextromethorphan and metformin for treating nicotine-induced cancer by directly targeting CHRNA7 to inhibit JAK2/STAT3/SOX2 signaling. Oncogene 33 33603170
2013 CHRNA7 polymorphisms and response to cholinesterase inhibitors in Alzheimer's disease. PloS one 29 24391883
2014 Effect of APOE and CHRNA7 genotypes on the cognitive response to cholinesterase inhibitor treatment at different stages of Alzheimer's disease. American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 28 24951635
1999 Localization of mRNA for CHRNA7 in human fetal brain. Neuroreport 28 10439438
2016 An acetylcholine alpha7 positive allosteric modulator rescues a schizophrenia-associated brain endophenotype in the 15q13.3 microdeletion, encompassing CHRNA7. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 27 27061851
2013 Genetic variation within the Chrna7 gene modulates nicotine reward-like phenotypes in mice. Genes, brain, and behavior 26 24289814
2018 Endogenous CHRNA7-ligand SLURP1 as a potential tumor suppressor and anti-nicotinic factor in pancreatic cancer. Oncotarget 25 29545933
2017 Effect of Genetic Polymorphisms (SNPs) in CHRNA7 Gene on Response to Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEI) in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease. Current drug targets 24 26424395
2014 Long-term improvements in sensory inhibition with gestational choline supplementation linked to α7 nicotinic receptors through studies in Chrna7 null mutation mice. Brain research 23 24462939
2001 No association between CHRNA7 microsatellite markers and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. American journal of medical genetics 22 11803515
2011 In search of allosteric modulators of a7-nAChR by solvent density guided virtual screening. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics 21 21294583
2015 Expression of CHRFAM7A and CHRNA7 in neuronal cells and postmortem brain of HIV-infected patients: considerations for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. Journal of neurovirology 19 26567012
2010 Evidence for association of the non-duplicated region of CHRNA7 gene with bipolar disorder but not with Schizophrenia. Psychiatric genetics 19 20463630
2018 Association and cis-mQTL analysis of variants in CHRNA3-A5, CHRNA7, CHRNB2, and CHRNB4 in relation to nicotine dependence in a Chinese Han population. Translational psychiatry 18 29666375
2016 CHRNA7 Gene and Response to Cholinesterase Inhibitors in an Italian Cohort of Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD 18 27104904
2015 Association Study of CHRNA7 Promoter Variants with Sensory and Sensorimotor Gating in Schizophrenia Patients and Healthy Controls: A Danish Case-Control Study. Neuromolecular medicine 18 26376812
2006 Linkage disequilibrium analysis of the CHRNA7 gene and its partially duplicated region in schizophrenia. Neuroscience research 18 17113175
2016 CHRNA7 Polymorphisms and Dementia Risk: Interactions with Apolipoprotein ε4 and Cigarette Smoking. Scientific reports 17 27249957
2011 CHRNA7 haplotypes are associated with impaired attention in euthymic bipolar disorder. Journal of affective disorders 17 21550667
2021 Altered neuronal physiology, development, and function associated with a common chromosome 15 duplication involving CHRNA7. BMC biology 15 34320968
2016 Silencing A7-nAChR levels increases the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to ixabepilone treatment. Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine 15 26790437
2019 Genes Involved in Neurodevelopment, Neuroplasticity and Major Depression: No Association for CACNA1C, CHRNA7 and MAPK1. Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology 14 31352702
2015 CHRNA7 inhibits cell invasion and metastasis of LoVo human colorectal cancer cells through PI3K/Akt signaling. Oncology reports 14 26719016
2012 Genetic variations in CHRNA7 or CHRFAM7 and susceptibility to dementia. Current drug targets 14 22300029
2010 Genetic Association Study of the Alpha 7 Nicotinic Receptor (CHRNA7) with the Development of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder in Korean Population. Psychiatry investigation 14 20927308
2018 CHRNA7 copy number gains are enriched in adolescents with major depressive and anxiety disorders. Journal of affective disorders 13 30029151
2012 No effect of polymorphisms in the non-duplicated region of the CHRNA7 gene on sensory gating P50 ratios in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Psychiatry research 13 22981153
2011 Transcriptional repression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) by activating protein-2α (AP-2α). The Journal of biological chemistry 13 21979958
2011 Promoter methylation and tissue-specific transcription of the α7 nicotinic receptor gene, CHRNA7. Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN 13 22052086
2005 Genetic mapping of putative Chrna7 and Luzp2 neuronal transcriptional enhancers due to impact of a transgene-insertion and 6.8 Mb deletion in a mouse model of Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes. BMC genomics 13 16280085
2014 Reduced CHRNA7 expression in C3H mice is associated with increases in hippocampal parvalbumin and glutamate decarboxylase-67 (GAD67) as well as altered levels of GABA(A) receptor subunits. Neuroscience 12 24836856
2018 Genetic variation in CHRNA7 and CHRFAM7A is associated with nicotine dependence and response to varenicline treatment. European journal of human genetics : EJHG 11 30089821
2017 CHRNA7 Deletions are Enriched in Risperidone-Treated Children and Adolescents. Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology 10 28817303
2024 Splenic nerve denervation attenuates depression-like behaviors in Chrna7 knock-out mice via the spleen-gut-brain axis. Journal of affective disorders 9 38944290
2022 Polymorphisms in alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene, CHRNA7, and its partially duplicated gene, CHRFAM7A, associate with increased inflammatory response in human peripheral mononuclear cells. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 9 35344211
2013 Mosaic 15q13.3 deletion including CHRNA7 gene in monozygotic twins. European journal of medical genetics 9 23454271
2017 Homology Modeling and Protein Interaction Map of CHRNA7 Neurogenesis Protein. Annals of neurosciences 8 28867899
2022 The Natural Compound Dehydrocrenatidine Attenuates Nicotine-Induced Stemness and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating a7nAChR-Jak2 Signaling Pathways. Disease markers 7 35111269
2019 DNA methylation regulates CHRNA7 transcription and can be modulated by valproate. Neuroscience letters 7 30974230
2016 Cholinergic modulation of auditory P3 event-related potentials as indexed by CHRNA4 and CHRNA7 genotype variation in healthy volunteers. Neuroscience letters 7 27109789
2009 Chrna7 genotype is linked with alpha7 nicotinic receptor expression but not alpha7 RNA levels. Brain research 7 19368846
2023 The holistic approach to the CHRNA7 gene, hsa-miR-3158-5p, and 15q13.3 hotspot CNVs in migraineurs. Molecular pain 6 36604774
2017 Arctic Aβ40 blocks the nicotine-induced neuroprotective effect of CHRNA7 by inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway in human neuroblastoma cells. Neurochemistry international 6 28890319
2015 Is Chromosome 15q13.3 Duplication Involving CHRNA7 Associated With Oral Clefts? Child neurology open 5 28503599
2023 GTS-21 Enhances Regulatory T Cell Development from T Cell Receptor-Activated Human CD4+ T Cells Exhibiting Varied Levels of CHRNA7 and CHRFAM7A Expression. International journal of molecular sciences 4 37569633
2024 The Prenatal Hypoxic Pathology Associated with Maternal Stress Predisposes to Dysregulated Expression of the chrna7 Gene and the Subsequent Development of Nicotine Addiction in Adult Offspring. Neuroendocrinology 3 38198758
2021 Screening for Copy Number Variations of the 15q13.3 Hotspot in CHRNA7 Gene and Expression in Patients with Migraines. Current issues in molecular biology 3 34563047
2020 Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitor Lonafarnib Enhances α7nAChR Expression Through Inhibiting DNA Methylation of CHRNA7 and Increases α7nAChR Membrane Trafficking. Frontiers in pharmacology 3 33447242
2015 Effects of a7nAChR agonist on the tissue estrogen receptor expression of castrated rats. International journal of clinical and experimental pathology 3 26722551
2024 Sinomenine modulates the metabolic reprogramming induced by sepsis via CHRNA7. Life sciences 2 39722318
2023 Effects of Different Exercise Types on Chrna7 and Chrfam7a Expression in Healthy Normal Weight and Overweight Type 2 Diabetic Adults. Biomedicines 2 36831101
2018 Copy number variations in healthy subjects. Case study: iPSC line CSSi005-A (3544) production from an individual with variation in 15q13.3 chromosome duplicating gene CHRNA7. Stem cell research 2 30218896
2025 Genetic counseling of prenatally detected familial 15q13.2q13.3 microdeletion encompassing CHRNA7 and OTUD7A with asymptomatic carriers in the family. Taiwanese journal of obstetrics & gynecology 1 40049827
2024 Electroacupuncture alleviates paradoxical sleep deprivation-induced postoperative hyperalgesia via a7nAChR mediated BDNF/TrkB-KCC2 signaling pathway in the spinal cord. IBRO neuroscience reports 1 39559484
2024 Prenatal Hypoxia Predisposes to Impaired Expression of the chrna4 and chrna7 Genes in Adult Rats without Affecting Acetylcholine Metabolism during Embryonic Development. Biochemistry. Biokhimiia 1 39647824
2021 Rapid-Onset Obesity Due to Impulsive Food-Seeking Behavior in a Puerto Rican Child With CHRNA7 15q13.3 Microdeletion. Cureus 1 33884253
2015 Analysis of the CHRNA7 gene mutation and polymorphism in Southern Han Chinese patients with nocturnal frontal epilepsy. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine 1 25975508
2026 Activation of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA7) limits hypoxia-induced inflammatory responses and regulates collagens in cultured human granulosa cells†. Biology of reproduction 0 40847805
2026 Signal-Level Determinants of Cognitive Decline With PPIs versus H2RAs: Transportome (CBLIF/TCN2) and CHRNA7 Nodes. Molecular nutrition & food research 0 41663888
2025 Intestinal microbiota improves inflammation and cognitive function in the brain of a7nAChR deficient rat through the gut brain axis. Scientific reports 0 40419554