Potentiation of acetylcholine responses in Xenopus embryonic muscle cells by dibutyryl cAMP

Plant alkaloids that cause developmental defects through the disruption of cholinergic neurotransmission

The exposure of a developing embryo or fetus to alkaloids from plants, plant products, or plant extracts has the potential to cause developmental defects in humans and animals. These defects may have multiple causes, but those induced by piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloids arise from the inhibition of fetal movement and are generally referred to as multiple congenital contracture-type deformities. These skeletal deformities include arthrogyrposis, kyposis, lordosis, scoliosis, and torticollis, associated secondary defects, and cleft palate. Structure-function studies have shown that plant alkaloids with a piperidine ring and a minimum of a three-carbon side-chain α to the piperidine nitrogen are teratogenic. Further studies determined that an unsaturation in the piperidine ring, as occurs in gamma coniceine, or anabaseine, enhances the toxic and teratogenic activity, whereas the N-methyl derivatives are less potent. Enantiomers of the piperidine teratogens, coniine, ammodendrine, and anabasine, also exhibit differences in biological activity, as shown in cell culture studies, suggesting variability in the activity due to the optical rotation at the chiral center of these stereoisomers. In this article, we review the molecular mechanism at the nicotinic pharmacophore and biological activities, as it is currently understood, of a group of piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloid teratogens that impart a series of flexure-type skeletal defects and cleft palate in animals.

Neuroprotective effect of RO-20-1724-a phosphodiesterase4 inhibitor against intracerebroventricular streptozotocin induced cognitive deficit and oxidative stress in rats

Cyclic nucleotides viz cGMP and cAMP are known to play an important role in learning and memory processes. Enhancement of cyclic nucleotide signalling through inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) has been reported to be beneficial in several neurodegenerative disorders associated with cognitive decline. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of RO-20-1724-a PDE4 inhibitor on streptozotocin (STZ) induced experimental sporadic dementia of Alzheimer's type. The STZ was injected twice intracerebroventrically (3 mg/kg i.c.v.) on alternate days (day 1 and day 3) in rats. The STZ injected rats were treated with RO-20-1724 (125, 250 and 500 μg/kgi.p.) for 21 days following first i.c.v. STZ administration. Learning and memory in rats were assessed by passive avoidance [PA (days 14 and 15)] and Morris water maze [MWM (days 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21)] following first i.c.v. STZ administration. On day 22 rat cerebral homogenate was used for all the biochemical estimations. The pharmacological inhibition of PDE4 by RO-20-1724 significantly attenuated STZ induced cognitive deficit and oxidative stress. RO-20-1724 was found to not only improve learning and memory in MWM and PA paradigms but also restore STZ induced elevation in cholinesterase activity. Further, RO-20-1724 significantly reduced malondialdehyde and nitrite levels, and restored the glutathione levels indicating attenuation of oxidative stress. Current data complement previous studies by providing evidence for a subset of cognition enhancing effects after PDE4 inhibition. The observed beneficial effects of RO-20-1724 in spatial memory may be due to its ability to restore cholinergic functions and possibly through its antioxidant mechanisms.

Amelioration of intracerebroventricular streptozotocin induced cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress by vinpocetine -- a PDE1 inhibitor

Enhancing cyclic nucleotides signaling by inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is known to be beneficial in disorders associated with cognitive decline. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of vinpocetine (PDE1 inhibitor) on intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) streptozotocin induced experimental sporadic dementia of Alzheimer's type. Infusion of streptozotocin impaired learning and memory, increased oxidative-nitritive stress and induced cholinergic hypofunction in rats. Chronic treatment with vinpocetine (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg i.p.) for 21 days following first i.c.v. streptozotocin infusion significantly improved learning and memory in Morris water maze and passive avoidance paradigms. Further, vinpocetine significantly reduced the oxidative-nitritive stress, as evidenced by decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite levels, and restored the reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Significant increase in acetylcholinesterase activity and lactate dehydrogenase levels was observed in the present model indicating cholinergic hypofunction and increase in neuronal cell damage. Chronic treatment with vinpocetine also reduced significantly the increase in acetylcholinesterase activity and lactate dehydrogenase levels indicating restorative capacity of vinpocetine with respect to cholinergic functions and preventing the neuronal damage. The observed beneficial effects of vinpocetine on spatial memory may be due to its ability to favorably modulate cholinergic functions, prevent neuronal cell damage and possibly through its antioxidant mechanism also.

Expression and channel properties of alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive acetylcholine receptors on chick ciliary and choroid neurons

Cell-specific expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) was examined using ciliary and choroid neurons isolated from chick ciliary ganglia. At embryonic days 13 and 14 (E13,14) the neurons can be distinguished by size, with ciliary neuron soma diameters exceeding those of choroid neurons by about twofold. Both neuronal populations are known to express two major AChR types: alpha3*-AChRs recognized by mAb35, that contain alpha3, alpha5, beta4, and occasionally beta2 subunits, and alpha-bungarotoxin (alphaBgt)-AChRs recognized and blocked by alphaBgt, that contain alpha7 subunits. We found that maximal whole cell current densities (I/C(m)) mediated by alphaBgt-AChRs were threefold larger for choroid compared with ciliary neurons, while alpha3*-AChR current densities were similar in the two populations. Different densities of total cell-surface alphaBgt-AChRs could not explain the distinct alphaBgt-AChR response densities associated with ciliary and choroid neurons. Ciliary ganglion neurons display abundant [(125)I]-alphaBgt binding ( approximately 10(6) sites/neuron), but digital fluorescence measurements revealed equivalent site densities on both populations. AChR channel classes having single-channel conductances of approximately 30, 40, 60, and 80 pS were present in patches excised from both ciliary and choroid neurons. Treating the neurons with alphaBgt selectively abolished the 60- and 80-pS events, identifying them as arising from alphaBgt-AChRs. Kinetic measurements revealed brief open and long closed durations for alphaBgt-AChR channel currents, predicting a very low probability of being open (p(o)) when compared with 30- or 40-pS alpha3*-AChR channels. None of the channel parameters associated with the 60- and 80-pS alphaBgt-AChRs differed detectably, however, between choroid and ciliary neurons. Instead calculations based on the combined whole cell and single-channel results indicate that choroid neurons express approximately threefold larger numbers of functional alphaBgt-AChRs (N(F)) per unit area than do ciliary neurons. Comparison with total surface [(125)I]-alphaBgt-AChR sites (N(T)), reveals that N(F)/N(T) << 1 for both neuron populations, suggesting that "silent" alphaBgt-AChRs predominate. Choroid neurons may therefore express a higher density of functional alphaBgt-AChRs by recruiting a larger fraction of receptors from the silent pool than do ciliary neurons.

Preliminary evidence for an involvement of the cholinergic system in the sedative effects of rolipram in rats

Rolipram is a specific cAMP phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor in the brain, which induces an increase in the intracellular levels of cAMP. Rolipram produces characteristic alterations in animal behavior, which have been suggested to be mediated mainly through an intracellular mechanism involving an increase in cAMP. However, specific mechanisms mediating the sedative effects of this compound have not yet been investigated. Because several lines of evidence indicate that the acetylcholine neural system may be involved in some effects of PDE4 inhibitors, the aim of this study was to elucidate whether the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is involved in the sedative effects induced by rolipram. The present study assessed the motor effects of rolipram in an exploratory behavioral test, the open field, in Wistar rats. The results show that rolipram (0.1-3.0 mg/kg SC) induced potent and dose-dependent hypoactivity, decreasing both locomotion and rearing. Physostigmine (0.03-0.3 mg/kg SC) potentiated a subeffective dose of rolipram (0.03 mg/kg SC), resulting in strong sedation, similar to that following higher doses of either rolipram or physostigmine alone, whereas the reduction in locomotor activity induced by rolipram (0.3 mg/kg SC) was completely reversed by scopolamine (0.03-0.3 mg/kg SC). These data provide preliminary evidence suggesting the involvement of the acetylcholinergic system in the sedative effects of rolipram.

Long-term desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is regulated via protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation

During prolonged application of transmitter, ligand-gated ion channels enter a nonconducting desensitized state. Studies on Torpedo electroplax nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors have shown that entry into the desensitized state is accelerated by protein kinase A-dependent (PKA) receptor phosphorylation. To examine the effects of phosphorylation on desensitization of muscle-type ACh receptors, we expressed the frog embryonic receptor type in Xenopus oocytes. Treatment of embryonic muscle ACh receptors with 8-Br cAMP had no measurable effect on the rate of entry into a desensitized state, but it greatly accelerated the recovery from desensitization. Three complementary approaches to reduce the levels of receptor phosphorylation provided additional evidence for a role of PKA-dependent phosphorylation in rescuing receptors from long-term desensitization. Inactivation of the endogenous PKA activity by coexpression of an inhibitor protein, treatment of receptors with phosphatase, and removal of phosphorylation sites by site-specific subunit mutation all resulted in slowed recovery. Our findings point to the existence of two distinct desensitized states: one requiring several seconds for full recovery and a second state from which recovery requires minutes. Receptors lacking PKA phosphorylation sites exhibit a pronounced increase in the slowly recovering component of desensitization, suggesting that receptor phosphorylation speeds overall recovery by reducing the entry into a deep desensitized state. This newly described effect of phosphorylation on ACh receptor function may serve as an important modulator of postsynaptic receptor sensitivity.

Rolipram and its optical isomers, phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors, attenuated the scopolamine-induced impairments of learning and memory in rats

We investigated the effects of (+/-)-rolipram, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitor, and its isomers on scopolamine-induced deficits of learning and memory in rats using an 8-arm radial maze task and a passive avoidance task. 1) In the 8-arm radial maze task, (+/-)-rolipram (0.02-0.2 mg/kg, p.o.), (-)-rolipram (0.01-0.02 and 0.2-0.5 mg/kg, p.o.) and (+)-rolipram (20-50 mg/kg, p.o.) attenuated the scopolamine-induced deficits of spatial cognition. As for the minimum effective dose of each drug, (-)-rolipram was 2 and 2000 times as potent as (+/-)-rolipram and (+)-rolipram, respectively. (-)-Rolipram produced a biphasic dose-response and (+/-)-rolipram produced a broad dose-response. 2) (+/-)-Rolipram and its isomers also attenuated the scopolamine-induced deficits in the passive avoidance response. Also for the minimum effective dose, (-)-rolipram (0.01-0.02 mg/kg) was 2 and 200 times as potent as (+/-)-rolipram (0.02-0.1 mg/kg) and (+)-rolipram (2mg/kg). 3) The behaviorally effective doses of (+/-)-rolipram and its isomers also enhanced the oxotremorine-induced tremors in mice. Comparing these racemic isomers, (-)- and (+/-)-rolipram have more potent effects than (+)-rolipram on scopolamine-induced deficits in the 8-arm radial maze task and passive avoidance task. Especially (+/-)-rolipram has a wide dose range in these behavioral study. These results suggest that the ameliorating effects of rolipram might result from the indirect potentiation of various transmitters including cholinergic and noradrenergic systems by an increase in cAMP with the inhibition of PDE4.

Ameliorating effects of rolipram on experimentally induced impairments of learning and memory in rodents

The effects of rolipram, a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (phosphodiesterase 4) inhibitor, on experimentally-induced amnesia were examined using a 3-panel runway paradigm in rats and a passive avoidance task in mice. Scopolamine, cerebral ischemia induced by four-vessel occlusion and electric convulsive shock impaired working memory in the 3-panel runway task. Rolipram at 0.1 mg/kg reduced the increase in errors induced by scopolamine or cerebral ischemia. Rolipram at 0.32 mg/kg also reduced the increase in errors induced by electric convulsive shock. Dibutyryl cAMP also had similar effects in 3-panel runway experiments. In the passive avoidance task, rolipram reversed the impairments of the avoidance response induced by scopolamine, cycloheximide and electric convulsive shock at 10, 10 and 3 mg/kg, respectively. These results indicate that rolipram ameliorates impairments of learning and memory in rats and mice, and suggest that rolipram might ameliorate the impairments of learning and memory by elevating cAMP levels.

Potentiation of spontaneous acetylcholine release from motor nerve terminals by glutamate in Xenopus tadpoles

Extracellular application of glutamate (100 microM) increased the spontaneous secretion of acetylcholine, as well as the amplitude and decay time of miniature endplate potentials at developing neuromuscular synapses in Xenopus tadpoles. Kainate, quisqualate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (100 microM each) increased miniature endplate potential frequency by 26-, 13- and four-fold, respectively. The rank order of efficacy at 100 microM was kainate > quisqualate > N-methyl-D-aspartate > glutamate. The effect of kainate on miniature endplate potential frequency was inhibited by 6-cyano-2,3-dihydroxy-7-nitroquinoxaline (20 microM), but not by (+/-)-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (20 microM). Treatment with the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockers verapamil (10 microM), Cd2+ (100 microM) or omega-conotoxin (1 microM) inhibited the potentiating action of kainate on miniature endplate potential frequency. On the other hand, 1S,3R-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate (300 microM), a glutamate metabotropic receptor agonist, inhibited the spontaneous acetylcholine release, which was antagonized by the application of 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (500 microM). The potentiating effect of glutamate receptor agonists on the miniature endplate potential frequency declined or disappeared in older Xenopus tadpoles. Quisqualate (100 microM) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (100 microM) but not kainate (30 microM) increased the amplitude and decay time of miniature endplate potential, whereas 1S, 3R-1-aminocyclopentane-1, 3-dicarboxylate (300 microM) only increased the decay time of miniature endplate potentials. These results suggest that there are kainate/quisqualate and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors existing in the motor nerve terminals of younger Xenopus tadpoles and the activation of these receptors potentiates spontaneous acetylcholine release through increasing Ca2+ influx. Our data suggest that the presynaptic glutamate receptors on cholinergic terminals may be involved in feedback regulation of acetylcholine secretion at earlier embryonic stages.

Regulatory role of ATP at developing neuromuscular junctions

Neuronal factors co-released with neurotransmitters may play an important role in synaptic development and function. Extracellular application of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), a substance co-stored and co-released with acetylcholine (ACh) in peripheral nervous systems, potentiated the spontaneous secretion of ACh at developing neuromuscular synapses in Xenopus 1-day-old cell cultures, as shown by a marked increase in the frequency of spontaneous synaptic currents recorded in the post-synaptic muscle cell. ATP also increased the frequency of miniature endplate potentials in the isolated tails of 2-week-old Xenopus tadpoles, with much smaller effect than that observed in cell cultures. The potentiation effect of ATP on ACh release in Xenopus cell cultures was inhibited by L-type Ca2+ channel blockers, suggesting that the L-type Ca2+ channel is responsible for the positive regulation of spontaneous ACh secretion by ATP at the developing neuromuscular synapses. The frequency of spontaneous synaptic events was found to vary greatly from cell to cell in the culture, over two orders of magnitude. Synapses with high frequency events are probably under the influence of endogenously released ATP. In addition, ATP was shown to potentiate the responses of isolated myocytes to iontophoretically-applied ACh. Local application of ATP to one region of the elongated myocyte surface resulted in potentiated ACh responses only at the ATP-treated region. Single channel recording showed that ATP specifically increased the open time and opening frequency of embryonic-type, low conductance ACh channels. Pharmacological experiments suggest that ATP exerted both its pre- and post-synaptic effects by binding to P2-purinoceptors and activating protein kinase C. Moreover, the potentiation effects of ATP were restricted to the early stages of embryos. Taken together, these results suggest that ATP co-released with ACh or released from stimulated myocytes may promote synaptic development by potentiating pre-synaptic ACh release and post-synaptic ACh channel activity during the early phase of synaptogenesis.

Regulation of postsynaptic responses by calcitonin gene related peptide and ATP at developing neuromuscular junctions

Neuronal factors co-released with neurotransmitters may play an important role in synapse development and function. Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), two principal neuromodulators present in the motor nerve terminals, were studied for their roles and mechanisms during early development of neuromuscular synapses in Xenopus nerve--muscle co-cultures. CGRP treatment increased the decay time and amplitude of spontaneous synaptic currents (SSCs) recorded from innervated myocytes, without affecting SSC frequency, suggesting a postsynaptic mechanism. ATP also increased the SSC amplitude and decay time. In addition, ATP was shown to potentiate the responses of isolated myocytes to iontophoretically applied acetylcholine (ACh). Single-channel recording from isolate myocytes showed that both CGRP and ATP specifically increased the open time of embryonic-type, low-conductance ACh channels. Pharmacological experiments suggest that the CGRP actions were mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), while ATP exerted its effects by binding to P2 purinoceptors and thereby activating protein kinase C (PKC). Moreover, the effects of CGRP and ATP on ACh channel activity were restricted to immature myocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that endogenous CGRP and ATP co-released with ACh from the nerve terminal may promote synaptic development by potentiating postsynaptic ACh channel activity during the early phase of synaptogenesis.

Additive effect of ADP and CGRP in modulation of the acetylcholine receptor channel in Xenopus embryonic myocytes

1. We have previously shown that the activation of either protein kinase A (PKA) or protein kinase C (PKC) enhanced the responses of muscle membrane to acetylcholine (ACh) by increasing the mean open time of embryonic-type ACh channels in Xenopus cultured myocytes. In the present study, we further investigated the interaction between these two kinases in the modulation of ACh channels by using the receptor ligands, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) which selectively activate PKC and PKA, respectively. 2. ADP concentration-dependently increased the mean open time of embryonic-type ACh channels and 0.3 mM ADP is sufficient to achieve the maximal potentiating effect. alpha, beta-Methylene ATP and PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) but not adenosine, AMP, dibutyryl cyclic GMP have similar potentiating action. 3. Suramin (0.3 mM) pretreatment abolished the potentiating effect of ADP but left that of PMA unchanged. 4. CGRP increased the mean open time of embryonic-type ACh channels in a concentration-dependent manner and 1 microM CGRP produced the maximal effect. 5. The maximal effects of both ADP (0.3 mM) and CGRP (1 microM) in the prolongation of mean open time of ACh channels were additive. 6. These results suggest that the modulation of embryonic-type ACh channels by the endogenously released ligands via the activation of PKA and PKC is additive and possibly different sites of ACh channels may be involved in the potentiation effect of either PKC or PKA.

Potentiation by ATP of the postsynaptic acetylcholine response at developing neuromuscular synapses in Xenopus cell cultures

1. Extracellular application of ATP to developing Xenopus neuromuscular synapses in culture resulted in a marked increase in the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous synaptic currents, using whole-cell recording. 2. The postsynaptic action of ATP was examined by studying the response of isolated muscle cells to iontophoretically applied acetylcholine (ACh). ATP enhanced the responses of the muscle membrane to ACh. The order of potency for various nucleotides (ATP = ADP >> AMP, adenosine, GTP) suggests that ATP acts through P2-purinoceptors. The effect of ATP on whole-cell currents was also abolished by the protein kinase inhibitor H-7. 3. Single-channel measurements indicate that ATP increased the mean open time of low-conductance ACh channels. No change in the conductance of ACh channels was observed. 4. Local application of ATP to one region of the elongated myocyte surface resulted in potentiated ACh responses only at the ATP-treated region, suggesting that the cytosolic second messengers were effectively confined within the muscle cytoplasm. 5. The results of the present study suggest that ATP released from the nerve terminals may potentiate the ACh response of developing muscle cells during the early phase of synaptogenesis, and that the action of ATP can be restricted to the subsynaptic region exposed to the secreted ATP.

Developmental change in the modulation of acetylcholine receptor channel by protein kinase C activation in Xenopus embryonic muscle cells

Protein phosphorylation is important in synaptic transmission and plasticity. We report here that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, enhances the postsynaptic response at developing neuromuscular junctions by increasing the open time of embryonic acetylcholine (ACh) channels at earlier stages of cultured myocytes. Compared with day-1 cultures, the effects of TPA declined or disappeared on day-3 cultures. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) which is co-stored and co-released with ACh at motor nerve terminals and is reported to enhance spontaneous synaptic currents by the activation of PKC, also shows similar developmental changes in the modulation of embryonic ACh channels in Xenopus embryonic myocytes.