Nicotinic Receptors in Airway Disease.

With continued smoking of tobacco products and expanded use of nicotine delivery devices worldwide, understanding the impact of smoking and vaping on respiratory health remains a major global unmet need. While multiple studies have shown a strong association between smoking and asthma, there is relative paucity in mechanistic understanding of how elements in cigarette smoke impact on the airway. Recognizing that nicotine is a major component in both smoking and vaping products, it is critical to understand the mechanisms by which nicotine impacts airways and promotes lung diseases such as asthma. There is now increasing evidence that alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) are critical players in nicotine effects on airways, but the mechanisms by which α7nAChR influences different airway cell types have not been widely explored. In this review, we highlight and integrate current state of knowledge regarding nicotine and α7nAChR in the context of asthma and identify potential approaches to alleviate the impact of smoking and vaping on the lungs.