Acetylcholinesterase molecular forms in C57BL/6J dystrophic mice

On the specificity of the acetylcholinesterase defect in dystrophic mice

The tetrameric form of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in ReJ/129 dystrophic mice was demonstrated to be absent from endplate-poor regions of skeletal muscle but present in endplate-rich regions. Skeletal muscle secreted normal amounts of this form of AChE. Visceral organs had normal amounts and distribution of the AChE molecular forms. These results suggest that the AChE defect in dystrophic mice is limited to skeletal muscle, and the defect does not reflect an abnormality of AChE synthesis but probably reflects an inability to incorporate the enzyme into skeletal muscle membranes.

Responsiveness of normal and dystrophic avian muscle to acetylcholine, carbamylcholine and d-tubocurarine

1. The responsiveness of dystrophic avian muscle to acetylcholine may be altered due to reported elevated acetylcholinesterase activity. 2. To test this hypothesis, the responsiveness of normal and dystrophic muscle in vivo to intra-arterial injection of acetylcholine, carbamylcholine and d-tubocurarine was compared. 3. Results showed that dystrophic muscle was less responsive to acetylcholine, more responsive d-tubocurarine and equally responsive to carbamylcholine when compared to normal suggesting enhanced acetylcholine hydrolysis occurs in vivo in dystrophic avian muscle.