AUTHOR=Olivero Guendalina , Grilli Massimo , Chen Jiayang , Preda Stefania , Mura Elisa , Govoni Stefano , Marchi Mario TITLE=Effects of soluble β-amyloid on the release of neurotransmitters from rat brain synaptosomes JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2014 YEAR=2014 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00166 DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2014.00166 ISSN=1663-4365 ABSTRACT=Contradictory results have been reported on the interaction of beta-amyloid (Aβ) with cholinergic receptors. The present paper investigates the modulatory effect of Aβ1-40 on the neurotransmitter release evoked by nicotinic (nAChRs) and muscarinic (mAChRs) receptors. Aβ1-40 inhibits both nicotinic and muscarinic-evoked [3H]DA overflow from rat nerve endings. Added to perfusion medium, Aβ1-40 is able to enter into synaptosomes; it exerts its inhibitory effect at extracellular sites when release is stimulated by nAChRs and intracellularly when release is evoked by mAChRs. Moreover, our data show that Aβ1-40 acts as non competitive antagonist of heteromeric α4β2* but not of α3β4* nAChRs which modulate [3H]NA overflow. Positive allosteric modulators of nAChRs counteract its inhibitory effect. It might be that compounds of this type could be useful to prevent, slow down the appearance or reverse the cognitive decline typical of the normal processes of brain aging.