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. 2021 Sep 20;15:665820. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.665820

FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2

Scheme depicting different pro-survival signaling pathways activated by the nAChRs. Nicotine-induced neuroprotection is mediated by receptors, primarily through the α7 and α4β2 receptors. Also, the nAChRs can activate intracellular pathways that enhance the expression of pro-survival proteins that inhibit apoptosis. From them, Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), Fyn, protein kinase C (PKC), and calcium-calmodulin kinase (CaMK) are crucial protein factors triggering the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), JAK2/signal transducer, and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathways. In turn, these pathways enhance the expression of antiapoptotic factors such as Bcl-2.