Sandbox Reserved 688

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This Sandbox is Reserved from 30/01/2013, through 30/12/2013 for use in the course "Biochemistry II" taught by Hannah Tims at the Messiah College. This reservation includes Sandbox Reserved 686 through Sandbox Reserved 700.

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Nicotine's Interaction with Nicotinic Recptors

spinqualitylabelsall models Nicotine Bound to Chick Alpha 7 Nicotinic Receptor Show:Asymmetric Unit Biological Assembly Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate   Export Animated Image

NICOTINE is a small molecule that is found in tobacco leaves. Nicotine can many different effects on the body depending on frequency, length of time in the blood system and prolonged exposure. The desired effects nicotine brings about is muscle relaxation and a feeling of well-being. Nicotine binds to specific receptors known as Nicotinic AChRs. The body normally binds to nicotinic receptors in the absence of nicotine. However, when nicotine is present, it is metabolized by enzymes, one of which being which is found in the liver. This breaks nicotine into four metabolites. Two of which are extremely dangerous for consumers as they act as tumor promoters or tumor enhancers.

Nicotine Metabolites

When nicotine is broken down in the body, it becomes four main metabolites that interact with various bodily systems: Cotinine, NNN, NNK, and NNAL. The two most important molecules because of their abundance and harmful affects are COTININE and NNK. Cotinine is the most abundant nicotine metabolite, accounting for 75% of the nicotine metabolites. Cotinine is a TUMOR PROMOTER that can suppress chemo and radio therapies in cancer patients. This increases tumor activity by stimulating proliferation, angiogenesis, migration, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and stimulation of autocrine loops associated with tumor growth. NNK is not only a tumor promoter but also a tumor initiator. It causes tumors by the same way Cotinine enhances them.