extracellular domain of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit beta 3 (CHRNB3)
This subfamily contains the extracellular domain of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit beta 3 (beta3), encoded by the CHRNB3 gene. CHRNB3 polymorphisms have been reported to potentially affect nicotine-induced upregulation of nicotinic and to be associated with disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and cancer. Beta3 subunit is depleted in the striatum of Parkinson's disease patients. Rare variants in CHRNB3 are also implicated in risk for alcohol and cocaine dependence and independently associated with bipolar disorder. Human alpha6beta2beta3* (* indicating possible additional assembly partners) nAChRs on dopaminergic neurons are important targets for drugs to treat nicotine addiction and Parkinson's disease; (alpha6beta2)(alpha4beta2)beta3 nAChR is essential for addiction to nicotine and a target for drug development for smoking cessation.