Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on rat thymocytes: their possible involvement in DNA fragmentation

Japanese Journal of Pharmacology
T YamadaY Nomura

Abstract

Several studies have shown that the nervous (and hormonal) system controls immune functions. In the present study, we examined the presence of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and the effect of carbachol on DNA fragmentation in adult rat thymocytes. Rat thymocytes possessed high affinity binding sites for the muscarinic antagonist [3H]3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB). The average number of binding sites per cells was 3000, and the equilibrium dissociation constant of [3H]QNB on intact cell was approximately 80 nM. The binding was inhibited by an M1- and M3-selective antagonist, 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodine (4-DAMP). Hydrocortisone (100 mg/kg, s.c.) treatment of rats for 2 days prior to sacrifice increased the average number of [3H]QNB binding sites on thymocytes by 82 +/- 33%. The gel electrophoresis of DNA extracted from carbachol-treated thymocytes revealed a ladder pattern typical of intranucleosomal fragmentation. The addition of oxotremorine-M also induced DNA fragmentation and the effects of muscarinic agonists were inhibited by the addition of atropine or 4-DAMP. The results suggest the existence of muscarinic receptors and the possible involvement in apoptosis in thymocytes.

Citations

Sep 12, 2013·PloS One·E Scott GrahamMike Dragunow
Aug 25, 2015·Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology : Official Journal of the Gesellschaft Für Toxikologische Pathologie·Cheng-Lei TianTing-Jun Fan
Oct 18, 2000·Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology·K CarlsonM Ehrich
Apr 16, 1998·Japanese Journal of Pharmacology·T Murayama, Y Nomura
Mar 29, 2014·International Journal of Molecular Medicine·Fiorenzo MigniniCarlo Cavallotti
Oct 21, 2003·Autonomic & Autacoid Pharmacology·F MigniniF Amenta
Dec 1, 1998·European Journal of Pharmacology·M MiyakoshiY Nomura

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