Uptake and metabolism of [3H]choline by the rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation

Motor neuron-specific overexpression of the presynaptic choline transporter: impact on motor endurance and evoked muscle activity

The presynaptic, hemicholinium-3 sensitive, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) supplies choline for acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis. In mice, a homozygous deletion of CHT (CHT-/-) leads to premature cessation of spontaneous or evoked neuromuscular signaling and is associated with perinatal cyanosis and lethality within 1 h. Heterozygous (CHT+/-) mice exhibit diminished brain ACh levels and demonstrate an inability to sustain vigorous motor activity. We sought to explore the contribution of CHT gene dosage to motor function in greater detail using transgenic mice where CHT is expressed under control of the motor neuron promoter Hb9 (Hb9:CHT). On a CHT-/- background, the Hb9:CHT transgene conferred mice with the ability to move and breath for a postnatal period of ∼24 h, thus increasing survival. Conversely, Hb9:CHT expression on a wild-type background (CHT+/+;Hb9:CHT) leads to an increased capacity for treadmill running compared to wild-type littermates. Analysis of the stimulated compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in these animals under basal conditions established that CHT+/+;Hb9:CHT mice display an unexpected, bidirectional change, producing either elevated or reduced CMAP amplitude, relative to CHT+/+ animals. To examine whether these two groups arise from underlying changes in synaptic properties, we used high-frequency stimulation of motor axons to assess CMAP recovery kinetics. Although CHT+/+; Hb9:CHT mice in the two groups display an equivalent, time-dependent reduction in CMAP amplitude, animals with a higher basal CMAP amplitude demonstrate a significantly enhanced rate of recovery. To explain our findings, we propose a model whereby CHT support for neuromuscular signaling involves contributions to ACh synthesis as well as cholinergic synaptic vesicle availability.

Modulatory role of presynaptic nicotinic receptors in synaptic and non-synaptic chemical communication in the central nervous system

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) belong to a family of ligand-gated channels closely related to but distinct from the muscle nAChRs. Recent progress in neurochemical and pharmacological methods supports the hypothesis of presynaptically located nAChRs on axon terminals and indicates that the major effect of nAChR is the modulation rather than processing of fast synaptic transmission. Strong neurochemical evidence indicate that the most important function of presynaptic nAChRs in either synaptic or non-synaptic localization is to increase transmitter release initiated by axonal firing, or directly induce Na(+) and Ca(2+) influx followed by a depolarization sufficient to activate local voltage-sensitive Ca(2+) channels, as a result transmitter of vesicular origin will be released. Therefore, it is somewhat expected that nicotine-induced transmitter release of different monoamines including norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) can be tetrodotoxin (TTX)- and [Ca(2+)](o)-sensitive. However, some of the nAChR agonists at higher concentrations (1, 1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP) and lobeline), besides their effects on presynaptic nAChRs, are able to inhibit the uptake of NE and 5-HT into nerve terminals, thereby their transmitter releasing effects are extended in time and space. The effect on the uptake process is different from classical nicotinic actions, not being sensitive to nAChR antagonism, but can be prevented by selective uptake blockers or reduced temperature. Considering neurochemical, pharmacological and electrophysiological evidence it seems likely that presynaptic nAChRs on monoaminergic fibers are composed of alpha3 or alpha4 subunits in combination with the beta2 subunit. This is supported by the observation that nicotinic agonists have no presynaptic effect on transmitter release in knockout mice lacking the beta2 nAChR subunit gene. The essential brain function lies not only in impulse transmission within a hard-wired neuronal circuitry but also within synaptic and non-synaptic communication subjected to presynaptic modulation. Since the varicose noradrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, glutamatergic and cholinergic axon terminals mainly do not make synaptic contact, but their varicosities are equipped with nAChRs and these non-synaptically localized receptors are of high affinity, it is suggested that nicotine inhaled during smoking might exert its behavioral, psychological, neurological and neuroendocrinological effects via these receptors.

Muscarinic inhibition of quantal transmitter release from the magnesium-paralysed frog sartorius muscle

The existence of presynaptic muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on motor nerve terminals of the isolated frog sartorius muscle was investigated. The modulatory role of these receptors was studied by observing the effects of muscarinic ligands on the frequency of miniature endplate potentials and on the quantal content of endplate potentials. The agonist oxotremorine reduced in concentration-dependent fashion the frequency of spontaneous potentials and the amplitude of evoked potentials. Also, high concentrations of oxotremorine depolarized the postsynaptic membrane and reduced the amplitude of the miniature endplate potentials. The depolarizing action of the drug was blocked by D-tubocurarine. The muscarinic antagonist atropine attenuated agonist-induced reductions in endplate potential amplitude and miniature endplate potential frequency but did not affect the depression in amplitude of the spontaneous potentials evoked by oxotremorine. It is concluded that activation of presynaptic muscarinic receptors inhibits the release of acetylcholine from motor nerve terminals. Atropine itself had no effect on the quantal content of evoked potentials or on the frequency of spontaneous potentials suggesting that the nerve terminal is not affected by non-quantal acetylcholine.

Beta-adrenoceptor stimulation enhances transmitter output from the rat phrenic nerve

1. Neurally-evoked output of newly synthesized [3H]-acetylcholine from the rat phrenic nerve was measured in the absence of cholinesterase inhibitors. 2. Noradrenaline and isoprenaline enhanced neurally-evoked transmitter output markedly. Moreover, immediately after the application of noradrenaline the basal tritium efflux increased significantly. 3. Pretreatment with propranolol (0.1 mumol l-1) or atenolol (0.3 mumol l-1) completely prevented the stimulatory effect of noradrenaline and isoprenaline on evoked transmitter output. 4. The facilitatory effect of isoprenaline declined, when the exposure time was increased. This observation supports the assumption that beta-adrenoceptors can be desensitized or inactivated during continued exposure to agonists. 5. It was shown for the first time that stimulation of beta-adrenoceptors enhances transmitter output from the motor nerve. It is proposed that these beta-adrenoceptors are of the beta 1-subtype and are localized on the endings of motor nerves. Circulating catecholamines may facilitate neuromuscular transmission by stimulation of presynaptic beta-adrenoceptors.