Acetylcholine receptors from human muscle as pharmacological targets for ALS therapy
Observational studyHumans
- Design
- Observational study
- Subjects
- Muscle membranes from ALS and denervated patients tested in frog oocytes; a clinical cohort of 76 ALS patients, some treated with palmitoylethanolamide and some not
- Dose used in the study
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- Not stated in the abstract
- What was measured
- Rundown of acetylcholine-evoked currents in transplanted muscle membranes; AChR subunit expression by quantitative PCR; forced vital capacity over time in treated versus untreated ALS patients
What the authors reported
Palmitoylethanolamide reduced the rundown of acetylcholine currents in muscle membranes from ALS and denervated patients, acting on the adult epsilon-type receptor, and treated ALS patients had a slower decline in forced vital capacity than untreated patients. Data came from 76 ALS patients and 17 denervated patients, and muscle from ALS patients showed increased expression of the receptor's alpha1 subunit compared with non-ALS patients, with no difference in the other subunits.
Limits of this study
The clinical part compares treated and untreated ALS patients, and the abstract gives no detail on dose, duration or how treatment was chosen. Authors declare no conflicts. A related myasthenia gravis pilot is Onesti 2019.
Source
PubMed 26929355 · doi:10.1073/pnas.1600251113
Entry checked against the abstract on PubMed on 2026-10-19. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.