Neuromuscular acetylcholine receptor of nematode parasite (nAChR (for nematode neuromuscular acetylcholine receptor))

The neuromuscular acetylcholine receptor of nematode parasites is a **pentameric ligand-gated ion channel** primarily found on muscle cells of parasitic worms, where it mediates excitatory neurotransmission and muscle contraction. These receptors, formed by different combinations of α and non-α subunits, are essential for nematode mobility and survival. They are the primary targets of widely used anthelmintic agents such as levamisole, pyrantel, morantel, oxantel, tribendimidine, and derquantel. Drug binding can cause hyperactivation (spastic paralysis) or inhibition (flaccid paralysis), leading to the expulsion or death of the parasite. Diversity in subunit genes and stoichiometry among species and developmental stages underlies both therapeutic efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance, making them critical both as therapeutic targets and as biomarkers for monitoring resistance.

Other names

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of nematode parasiteNematode muscle nAChRParasitic nematode acetylcholine receptorCholinergic receptor (nematode neuromuscular)

Agonists (e.g., levamisole, pyrantel, morantel, oxantel, tribendimidine) bind and open nAChR channels, causing muscle contraction and spastic paralysis in parasites\n- Antagonists (e.g., derquantel) inhibit channel activation, reducing response to cholinergic agonists