1,721,008 research outputs found
In vitro and in vivo modulation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors in rat lymphocytes and brain by cholinergic agents
No full textA binding site for 3H-quinuclidinyl benzylate (QNB) has been identified in rat lymphocytes which has the characteristics of a cholinergic muscarinic receptor (Costa, L. G., Kaylor, G. & Murphy, S. D. (1988). Muscarinic cholinergic binding sites on rat lymphocytes. Immunopharmacology, 16, 139-149.) Here we show that prolonged exposures to cholinergic compounds in vitro and in vivo modulate muscarinic receptor binding in lymphocytes as well as in brain tissue. Exposure of rat splenic lymphocytes in vitro to oxotremorine caused a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in the density of 3H-QNB binding sites. This decrease occurred only when incubation with oxotremorine was carried out at 37 degrees C and not at 0-4 degrees C, suggesting that it was not an artifact due to residual, unwashed, oxotremorine. The effect of oxotremorine was mimicked by two other cholinergic agonists, acetylcholine and carbachol, and was antagonized by atropine, which, when present alone, caused an increase in 3H-QNB binding. In vivo exposures to oxotremorine or atropine (both at 20 mg/kg/day for 14 days via an ALZA minipump) caused a significant decrease (20-30%) and increase (13-30%), respectively, of 3H-QNB binding in various brain areas as well as circulating lymphocytes. Repeated administrations of the organophosphorus insecticide disulfoton (2 mg/kg/day for 14 days, i.p.) caused significant reductions (59-88%) of acetylcholinesterase activity in brain, lymphocytes, plasma and red blood cells, as well as a 23-39% decrease of 3H-QNB binding in brain areas and circulating lymphocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
CHARACTERIZATION OF CHOLINERGIC MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS-STIMULATED PHOSPHOINOSITIDE METABOLISM IN BRAIN FROM IMMATURE RATS
No full textHydrolysis of phosphoinositides elicited by stimulation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors has been studied in brain from neonatal (7-day-old) rats in order to determine: 1) whether the neonatal rat could provide a good model system to study this signal-transduction pathway; and 2) whether potential differences with adult nerve tissue would explain the differential, age-related effects of cholinergic agonists. Accumulation of [3H] inositol phosphates in [3H]inositol prelabeled slices from neonatal and adult rats was measured as an index of phosphoinositide metabolism. Full (acetylcholine, methacholine, carbachol) and partial (oxotremorine, bethanechol) agonists had qualitatively similar, albeit quantitatively different, effects in neonatal and adult rats. Atropine and pirenzepine effectively blocked the carbachol-induced response with inhibition constants of 1.2 and 20.7 nM, respectively. In all brain areas, response to all agonists was higher in neonatal than adult rats, and in hippocampus and cerebral cortex the response was higher than in cerebellum or brainstem. The relative intrinsic activity of partial agonists was higher in the latter two areas (0.6-0.7) than in the former two (0.3-0.4). Carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in brain areas correlated well with the binding of [3H]QNB (r2 = 0.627) and, particularly, with [3H]pirenzepine (r2 = 0.911). In cerebral cortex the effect of carbachol was additive to that of norepinephrine and glutamate. The presence of calcium (250-500 microM) was necessary for maximal response to carbachol to be elicited; the EC50 value for Ca2+ was 65.4 microM. Addition of EDTA completely abolished the response. Removal of sodium ions from the incubation medium reduced the response to carbachol by 50%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
Interaction of choline with nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the rat brain in vitro
No full textThe ability of choline to interact with nicotinic receptors was investigated by measuring its ability to inhibit the specific binding of [3H]-nicotine in rat brain. Choline, with an IC50 of 241 mumol/l, was three times more potent than its analogue deanol and almost 1000-fold less potent than acetylcholine. Choline also inhibited the binding of the antagonist [3H]-quinuclidinyl benzilate (IC50 = 2.5 mmol/l) and of the agonist [3H]-oxotremorine-M (IC50 = 165 mumol/l) to muscarinic cholinergic receptors. These results indicate that choline is able to interact directly, in vitro with brain cholinergic receptors of both the nicotinic and muscarinic type
Interaction of the pesticide chlordimeform with adrenergic receptors in mouse brain: an in vitro study
No full textChlordimeform (N'(4-chloro-o-tolyl)-N, N-dimethylformamidine; CDM) is a formamidine insecticide acaricide whose major active metabolite is its N-monomethyl analog, desmethylchlordimeform, (DCDM). While their pesticidal action in invertebrates appears to be related to activation of octopamine receptors, their mechanism of action in mammals has not been established. Because of similarities between octopamine and adrenergic receptors and suggestions of CDM and DCDM action on adrenoceptors, the in vitro interactions of CDM and DCDM with adrenoceptors were studied. In mouse brain membrane preparations CDM inhibited the binding of [3H]-clonidine to alpha 2- adrenoceptors and of [3H]-WB4101 to alpha 1-adrenoceptors with IC50 values of 18.2 and 87 microM, respectively. DCDM was a much more potent inhibitor, with IC50 values toward alpha 2-, and alpha 1-adrenoceptors of 44 nM and 1 microM, respectively. Both compounds were only weak inhibitors of the binding of [3H]-dihydroalprenolol to beta-adrenoceptors and of [3H]-quinuclidinyl benzilate to muscarinic receptors and were inactive toward benzodiazepines and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptors. Inhibition of [3H]-clonidine binding by both compounds was competitive, as indicated by a decreased receptor affinity without changes in receptor density. Interaction of CDM and DCDM with [3H]-WB4101 binding, on the other hand, was more complex, and not of the competitive type. These results show that CDM and its metabolite DCDM can interact directly in vitro with alpha-adrenergic receptors, suggesting that these receptors could mediate some of the effects of CDM and DCDM in vivo
Passive avoidance retention in mice tolerant to the organophosphorus insecticide disulfoton
No full textAre there muscarinic receptors on erythrocyte membranes?
No full textSome investigators, utilizing electron spin resonance techniques or radiologic and binding assays, reported on the presence of muscarinic cholinergic receptors on the membranes of human erythrocytes. Recently, however, another report has questioned these findings. We investigated muscarinic receptors in hemoglobin-free erythrocyte membranes from rats by looking at the binding of the specific muscarinic antagonist 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate (3H-QNB). We did not find any indication of saturable binding in the range of concentrations used (0.08-8.0 nM). Furthermore, no specific binding was observed in the presence of different concentrations of atropine. Thus, our results suggest that the binding of 3H-QNB to erythrocyte membranes is totally nonspecific in nature. The reasons for these discrepancies are not known, unless one assumes a difference between human erythrocytes and red blood cells from other species. Since cholinergic receptors in blood cells might represent a potential peripheral marker of central cholinergic function, a better understanding of these cholinergic binding sites is certainly warranted
Unidirectional cross-tolerance between the carbamate insecticide propoxur and the organophosphate disulfoton in mice
No full textPrevious studies have shown that subchronic treatment of mice with the organophosphate insecticide, disulfoton, or the carbamate insecticide, propoxur, leads to the development of tolerance to their toxicity. Tolerance to disulfoton was due to a decrease in the number of muscarinic cholinergic receptors, while tolerance to propoxur appeared to be due to an induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes. In the present study we investigated if cross-tolerance between disulfoton and propoxur would occur. Cross-tolerance was evaluated by measuring acute toxicities, cholinesterase and carboxylesterase inhibition and hypothermic and antinociceptive effects. Mice tolerant to propoxur were cross-tolerant to the hypothermic and anticholinesterase effects of disulfoton. Similarly, when mice were pretreated with the microsomal enzyme inducer, phenobarbital, the toxicity of disulfoton was decreased. Mice made tolerant to disulfoton were cross-tolerant to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos, but were more sensitive than controls to the toxicity of propoxur. The acute toxicity of the organophosphate malathion was also increased in disulfoton-tolerant mice. Propoxur is metabolized by mixed function oxidases and possibly by a carboxylesterase. While hepatic microsomal enzymes appeared to be unchanged in disulfoton-tolerant mice, brain and liver carboxylesterase activities were significantly inhibited. Pretreatment of mice with the specific carboxylesterase inhibitor triorthotolylphosphate is known to greatly potentiate the toxicity of malathion and also potentiated, to a lesser extent, the toxicity of propoxur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
[3H]Nicotine binding in rat brain: alteration after chronic acetylcholinesterase inhibition
No full text(+/-)-[3H]Nicotine binds specifically to rat brain membranes. The binding is stereospecific, (+)-nicotine being 57 times less potent than (-)-nicotine in displacing labeled (+/-)-nicotine. Saturation binding experiments revealed the presence of two binding sites with dissociation constant (Kd) values of 23.7 and 590 nM, and binding site density (Bmax) values of 76 and 646 fmol/mg of protein, respectively. The substrate specificity of the binding site suggests that it represents the nicotinic cholinergic receptor. [3H] Nicotine binding was found to be highest in the hypothalamus and hippocampus and lowest in the cerebellum. Chronic treatment with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor disulfoton (2 mg/kg/day for 10 days) decreased the number of cholinergic muscarinic and nicotinic binding sites in rat brain. Moreover, the antinociceptive effect of nicotine was found to be markedly reduced in rats chronically treated with disulfoton
Antinociceptive effect of diisopropylphosphofluoridate: development of tolerance and lack of cross-tolerance to morphine
No full textThe irreversible cholinesterase inhibitor diisopropylphosphofluoridate (DFP) causes a naloxone-sensitive antinociceptive effect in laboratory animals. Chronic treatment of male mice with DFP (2 mg/kg/day for fourteen days) rendered the animals tolerant to its antinociceptive effect. Animals tolerant to DFP were cross-tolerant to the antinociception induced by the cholinergic agonists oxotremorine and nicotine, but no cross-tolerance with morphine was observed. Similarly, mice made tolerant to morphine were not cross-tolerant to DFP, nor were they cross-tolerant to oxotremorine and nicotine. Binding of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic ligands was significantly decreased in the brain of DFP-tolerant mice, due to a reduction in receptor density. No change was observed in the binding of [3H]-dihydromorphine to opiate receptors. None of these three binding sites was altered in mice tolerant to morphine. Although there is evidence of an involvement of endogenous opioids in the antinociceptive action of DFP, the lack of cross-tolerance between DFP and morphine suggests the existence of a more complex interaction between DFP and the cholinergic and opiate systems
Effect of diethylmaleate and other glutathione depletors on protein synthesis
No full textThe alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound diethylmaleate (DEM) depletes glutathione (GSH) from liver and other tissues, and for this reason it is often used in toxicological research to study the GSH-mediated metabolism of xenobiotics. In addition to GSH depletion, however, DEM has been shown to have other nonspecific effects, such as alteration of monooxygenase activities or glycogen metabolism. In this study we found that DEM (1 ml/kg) inhibited protein synthesis in brain and liver, following in vivo administration to mice. Protein synthesis was measured as the incorporation of [3H]valine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material. Administration of DEM also decreased body temperature by 2-3 degrees. By increasing the environmental temperature from 22 degrees to 35 degrees the hypothermic effect of DEM was prevented, without affecting its ability to deplete GSH from brain and liver. Furthermore, when mice were maintained at 35 degrees, DEM still caused a significant decrease in protein synthesis, suggesting that this effect was only partially due to hypothermia. To test whether inhibition of protein synthesis was related to GSH depletion, groups of animals were dosed with the alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl phorone (diisopropylidenacetone) or the specific inhibitor of GSH synthesis, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO). Phorone decreased GSH in liver and brain; however, it had no effect on protein synthesis. BSO decreased GSH levels in liver and kidney, but not in brain, and did not have any effect on protein synthesis in any of these tissues, nor did it cause any hypothermia. Furthermore, when hepatic GSH content was decreased by in vivo administration of DEM or BSO, there was no inhibition of protein synthesis measured in vitro. These results indicate that, at the dose normally used to deplete GSH from various tissues. DEM also exerts an inhibitory effect on protein synthesis, which appears to be only partially due to its hypothermic effect, and is independent from GSH depletion. BSO, which, in our experimental conditions, lacks this and other nonspecific effects, might be a good alternative for studies aimed at characterizing the role of GSH in the metabolism and toxicity of chemicals
- …
