Desensitization kinetics of a chloride acetylcholine response in Aplysia

The effect of cooling on the acetylcholine-induced current of identified Helix pomatia Br neuron

The Br neuron of the snail Helix pomatia, involved in neuronal regulation of various homeostatic and adaptive mechanisms, represents an interesting model for studying effects of temperature changes on neuronal activity of poikilotherms. The acetylcholine (ACh) induces a transient, inward dose-dependent current in the identified Br neuron. In the work presented, we analyses the effects of cooling on the ACh-induced inward current. The amplitude of ACh-induced inward current was markedly decreased after cooling and the speed of the decay of ACh response was decreased. Sensitivity to cooling of Ach-activated current on the Br neuron is mediated by a mechanism that does not involve change in the apparent receptor affinity or the cooperativity of binding.

Modification of the acetylcholine-induced current of the snail Helix pomatia L. by fast temperature changes

Using the single electrode voltage clamp method, we found that acetylcholine (aCh) induces transient inward dose-dependent current on the membrane of the identified Helix pomatia Br neuron. We analyzed the effects of fast cooling and heating as well as thermal acclimation on the aCh inward current. the experiments were conducted on active and dormant snails acclimated to either 20 or 7?C for at least four weeks. the Hill coefficient remained approximately 1 in all cases, which means that there is a single aCh binding site on the membrane. Fast temperature alternations induce binding affinity changes. in the work presented, we analyzed the effects of cooling on the aCh-induced inward current. the amplitude of aCh-induced inward current was markedly reduced after cooling, and the speed of decay of the aCh response was lower. <br><br><font color="red"><b> This article has been retracted. Link to the retraction <u><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/ABS1501341E">10.2298/ABS1501341E</a><u></b></font>

Interaction of concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin with Helix acetylcholine receptors

The effects of lectins concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), were studied on acetylcholine (ACh) responses of physically isolated internally dialyzed Helix aspersa neurons using the concentration clamp method and on the binding of [3H]alpha-bungarotoxin to the cluster of neurons. Con A and WGA have different simple sugar specificity and produced different actions on ACh-evoked Cl conductance responses, which were antagonized by Con A (5 micrograms/ml) but were not altered by WGA. Con A depressed ACh responses when applied extracellularly while it had no effect on ACh responses of the same neuron when added to the intracellular solution, thus indicating that Con A specific glycoproteins are exposed on the surface of the neuron. The studies of the effect of Con A on the properties of the ACh binding site (receptor) have demonstrated, that (1) the onset of desensitization of ACh responses of the dialyzed neurons, determined from the decay of ACh-current from peak to plateau in the continued presence of agonist and best fitted by a double exponential function, was accelerated by Con A; (2) Con A depressed the maximal ACh induced current in a dose response relationship and altered the Hill coefficients; (3) Con A depressed the binding of [3H]alpha-bungarotoxin to the cluster of neurons. These results indicate that Con A receptors on the surface of the neuronal membrane play a regulatory role in the ACh-receptor system and suggest that binding of lectin molecules to their receptors leads to inhibition of binding of ACh to ACh-receptors and to acceleration of the kinetics of desensitization of ACh receptors. All the effects of Con A, that is, on the peak amplitude, desensitization, dose-response relationship of ACh induced current and binding of [3H]alpha-bungarotoxin, could be recovered by D-mannose, a competitive inhibitor of Con A binding to its receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ouabain blocks some rapid concentration-induced clamp acetylcholine responses on Helix neurons

1. The effects of ouabain, a potent inhibitor of Na(+)-K+ ATPase, were determined on the transmembrane responses of internally dialyzed Helix neurons to rapid acetylcholine (ACh) application using the "concentration clamp" technique. 2. Ouabain selectively depressed "A"-type responses to ACh, which are due to a selective increase in membrane permeability to chloride. In contrast, the "B"-type responses, due primarily to an increase in monovalent cation permeability, was unaffected. 3. The blockade of the Cl- responses was not associated with a change of the reversal potential of the response. Ouabain depressed the maximal response without shifting the dose-response curve. 4. Ouabain caused an increase in the time constant of decay of the ACh current, but the value in the presence of ouabain was not different from that of a lower concentration of ACh determined so as to give a response of the same peak amplitude. Therefore, the effect of ouabain is not on the process of receptor desensitization directly.

Ethanol sensitivity of postsynaptic receptors in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica

We examined the effects of ethanol on post-synaptic receptors in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica, including those sensitive to acetylcholine (ACh) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Current elicited by direct application of acetylcholine to the cell body was composed of two components; a fast component (peak current - ca. 800 ms) and a slower component (peak current - ca. 12.2 s). These two components were differentially sensitive to ethanol. The fast component, which represents a chloride conductance, was significantly reduced in ethanol concentrations as low as 50 mM, while the slow component of the response, carried by potassium ions, was unaffected by ethanol at to ethanol, showing no change in 50 mM ethanol, and a slight, but statistically significant reduction of the response to GABA in 100 mM ethanol. These results suggest that the cholinergic system warrants further study, since the receptors gating the fast response consistently show sensitivity in the clinically-relevant range. In addition, results obtained studying these receptors may bear on the question of ethanol's site of action, since the receptor-channel complexes associated with the fast and slow responses are differentially sensitive to ethanol, although they are found in the same cell, and therefore would share the same bulk lipid matrix.

Desensitization kinetics of a K+ acetylcholine response in Aplysia

We have studied the process of acetylcholine receptor desensitization on Aplysia medial pleural neurons under voltage clamp conditions. Acetylcholine, applied by microperfusion, elicits a biphasic response on these neurons, a rapid component which reverses polarity at about -60 mV and is Cl-dependent, and a slower component which reverses at about -85 mV and is K-dependent. Both components show desensitization, and the present study focuses on the K-dependent component, which could be isolated by maintaining membrane potential at the Cl equilibrium potential or by blocking the Cl component pharmacologically. K-dependent acetylcholine responses on these neurons varied in regard to time to peak of response and rate of desensitization. While the rising phase of the response was always fitted by a single exponential process, times to peak were divided somewhat arbitrarily into three broad groups of fast (less than 3 s), medium (3-6 s) and slow (greater than 6 s). Desensitization of fast responses was best described by two exponential processes plus a constant, medium responses by a double exponential, and slow responses by single exponential plus a constant. The apparent dissociation constant of acetylcholine was 17.3 +/- 1.6 microM. The best fit of responses for a given cell remained constant over a range of acetylcholine doses, but the kinetics of both fast and slow components accelerated with dose and depolarization. The fast component of desensitization was very temperature dependent. In neurons where it was present it was abolished by cooling, while in neurons with no fast component at room temperature it would appear with warming. The time constant of the fast component varied inversely with temperature. The time constant of the slow component was maximal at 22-24 degrees C, and fell on either side of this temperature. These results suggest that receptor desensitization for acetylcholine K responses is, like Na-dependent responses, composed of two independent processes. When responses to the acetylcholine agonists, carbachol and arecoline, were compared to those of acetylcholine on fast-type neurons, the times to peak varied in the order acetylcholine less than carbachol less than arecoline. The carbachol response was best fitted by two exponential functions, while arecoline was best fitted by a single exponential plus a constant.