Structural determinants within residues 180-199 of the rodent alpha 5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit involved in alpha-bungarotoxin binding

Absence of alpha7-containing neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors does not prevent nicotine-induced seizures

Nicotine is the primary addictive component in tobacco, and at relatively low doses it affects cardiovascular responses, locomotor activity, thermoregulation, learning, memory, and attention. At higher doses nicotine produces seizures. The mechanisms underlying the convulsive effects of nicotine are not known, but studies conducted on a number of inbred strains of mice have indicated a positive correlation between the number of alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BTX) binding sites in the hippocampus and the sensitivity to nicotine-induced seizures. Because alpha7-containing neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) represent the major binding site for alpha-BTX, mice lacking the alpha7 nAChR subunit were predicted to be less sensitive to the convulsive effects of nicotine. To test this hypothesis, we injected nicotine intraperitoneally in alpha7 mutant mice and found that the dose-response curve for nicotine-induced seizures was similar in the alpha7 +/+, alpha7 +/- and alpha7 -/- mice. The retained sensitivity to the convulsant effects of nicotine could not be explained by the presence of cholinergic compensatory mechanisms such as increases in mRNA levels for other nAChR subunits, or changes in binding levels or affinity for nicotinic ligands such as epibatidine and nicotine. These findings indicate that alpha7 may not be necessary for the mechanisms underlying nicotine-induced seizures.

Structure of epitopes recognized by the antibodies to alpha(181-192) peptides of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: extrapolation to the structure of acetylcholine-binding domain

Using the alpha(181-192) peptides of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and Ala-substituted peptide analogues, amino acid residues critical for specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) binding were identified. By means of 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) analysis followed by molecular modeling, it was found that mAb binding resulted in stabilization of the free alpha3(181-192) peptide flexible conformation yielding an extended structure with residues 6-11 of the peptide being in direct contact with the Ab. Since the Ab binds the native AChR as well, it is suggested that the corresponding fragment of AChR alpha3 subunit is exposed to solution and also appears in extended conformation.

Alpha subunit composition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the rat autonomic ganglia neurons as determined with subunit-specific anti-alpha(181-192) peptide antibodies

The subunit composition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of rat autonomic ganglia neurons was studied by means of antibodies, which differentiated between different alpha subunits and specifically blocked acetylcholine-induced membrane currents. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies and mouse monoclonal antibodies were raised against synthetic peptides matching in sequence the alpha(181-192) region of alpha3, alpha4, alpha5, and alpha7 subunits of rat neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The antibodies discriminated among alpha3, alpha4, alpha5, and alpha7 peptides in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bound to native acetylcholine receptors expressed in PC-12 cells. By means of immunoperoxidase staining of cultured rat autonomic neurons followed by transmission, dark-field and phase-contrast microscopy, it was found that all cells of the superior cervical ganglia expressed the alpha3, alpha5, and alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas approximately half of the cells were clearly alpha4-positive. In contrast, only about one-third of the intracardiac neurons were alpha3-positive, about 50% were alpha4-positive, one-seventh were alpha5-positive, and one-fifth were alpha7-positive. All antibodies tested blocked acetylcholine-induced currents in the neurons of the superior cervical ganglia as was demonstrated by whole-cell patch-clamp studies. Although each antibody could block up to 80% of the current, the degree of inhibition varied considerably from cell to cell. It is concluded that alpha3, alpha5, and alpha7 subunits are expressed in all neurons of the superior cervical ganglion and in some intracardiac neurons, whereas alpha4 subunits are expressed in some but not all neurons of both tissues. The neurons of the superior cervical ganglion express heterogeneous acetylcholine receptors and differ in relative amounts of acetylcholine receptor subtypes expressed.

Key histidine residues in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Reactivity of histidine residues of the Discopyge tschudii nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was studied by reaction with DEP and the influence of their modification on functional properties of the receptor was evaluated. Determination of two kinetically distinguishable classes was achieved. The fast-reacting class is composed of 7 histidine residues with an apparent velocity constant k1 = 0.0248 +/- 0.0031 min-1. The second includes--at least--21 histidine residues with a velocity constant k2 = 0.0016 +/- 0.0009 min-1. The circular dichroism spectra of the native receptor and the most DEP-derivative indicate no significant modifications in the alpha-helix content, and fourth derivative spectroscopy analyses show that the environment around the aromatic amino acids remains unchanged. DEP treatment of the receptor results in a time- and reagent concentration-dependent loss of its alpha-bungarotoxin binding ability; these results agree with those obtained with the membrane-bound receptor. The decrease in the neurotoxin binding capacity was correlated with the DEP-reaction extent of the slow groups. Incorporation of 1.93 +/- 0.23 mol of DEP accounted for the maximal binding capacity drop, thus indicating the involvement of two histidine residues per alpha-bungarotoxin binding site. Neither amino groups nor tyrosine residues were modified during the reaction with DEP, indicating that the derivatization of histidine residues is responsible for the observed effect. Faster-reacting residues appear to be involved in agonist-induced ion flux through the nAChR channel. These results strongly support the connection between histidine residues and the receptor functional activity and lead us to infer that the changes observed in alpha-bungarotoxin binding and ionic channel capacity are the consequence of independent events induced by reaction with DEP.

Actions of neurotoxins (bungarotoxins, neosurugatoxin and lophotoxins) on insect and nematode nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Neurotoxins of natural origin have proved to be of considerable value in the isolation and characterization of vertebrate muscle and neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). To date, they have been used less extensively in studies of invertebrate nAChRs. Here we examine how a variety of neurotoxins (the snake toxins alpha-bungarotoxin, alpha-BGT, and kappa-bungarotoxin, kappa-BGT, the molluscan toxin, neosurugatoxin, and the soft coral toxins, lophotoxin and bipinnatin-B) can be used to characterize nAChRs in an insect, Periplaneta americana, and in a parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum. The agonist profiles of these nAChRs are distinct, but the most striking differences are in the actions of antagonists. Whereas the insect nAChR is blocked by both alpha- and kappa-bungarotoxins, the nematode receptor is only blocked by kappa-BGT. Neosurugatoxin blocks nAChRs in both species, but the lophotoxins which block all nAChRs investigated to date are much less effective on the Ascaris muscle receptor.

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor: structure and autoimmune pathology

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) are presently the best-characterized neurotransmitter receptors. They are pentamers of homologous or identical subunits, symmetrically arranged to form a transmembrane cation channel. The AChR subunits form a family of homologous proteins, derived from a common ancestor. An autoimmune response to muscle AChR causes the disease myasthenia gravis. This review summarizes recent developments in the understanding of the AChR structure and its molecular recognition by the immune system in myasthenia.

T helper cell recognition of muscle acetylcholine receptor in myasthenia gravis. Epitopes on the gamma and delta subunits

We tested the response of CD4+ cells and/or total lymphocytes from the blood of 22 myasthenic patients and 10 healthy controls to overlapping synthetic peptides, 20 residues long, to screen the sequence of the gamma and delta subunits of human muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The gamma subunit is part of the AChR expressed in embryonic muscle and is substituted in the AChRs of most adult muscles by an epsilon subunit. The delta subunit is present in both embryonic and adult AChRs. Adult extrinsic ocular muscles, which are preferentially and sometimes uniquely affected by myasthenic symptoms, and thymus, which has a still obscure but important role in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis, express the embryonic gamma subunit. Anti-AChR CD4+ responses were more easily detected after CD8+ depletion. All responders recognized epitopes on both the gamma and delta subunits and had severe symptoms. In four patients the CD4+ cell response was tested twice, when the symptoms were severe and during a period of remission. Consistently, the response was only detectable, or larger, when the patients were severely affected.

The fall and rise of neuronal alpha-bungarotoxin binding proteins

Although neuronal [125I]-alpha-bungarotoxin binding proteins are similar in many respects to muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, their functional significance has eluded researchers for the past fifteen years. Over this period, their status became increasingly doubtful, as almost all attempts failed to demonstrate that alpha-bungarotoxin could block neuronal nicotinic responses. Recently, these enigmatic proteins have been cloned and expressed in oocytes, and have been examined afresh in their native state. As Paul Clarke explains, it is time to recognize neuronal alpha-bungarotoxin binding proteins as distinct members of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene family, even if perhaps they do not function quite like other members.

The alpha 5 gene product assembles with multiple acetylcholine receptor subunits to form distinctive receptor subtypes in brain

The acetylcholine receptor (AChR) alpha 5 gene has been classified as a member of the AChR gene family based on sequence homology. Expression studies, however, have yet to identify a function for the alpha 5 gene product or even to demonstrate an interaction with known AChR subunits. We report here that the alpha 5 gene product is identical to the 49 kd protein previously found on immunoblots of AChRs purified from brain and ciliary ganglia. In brain the alpha 5 gene product is present both in alpha 3- and in alpha 4-based receptor subtypes, while in the ganglion it is found in an alpha 3-based receptor subtype concentrated in postsynaptic membrane. Immunoprecipitation experiments with subunit-specific monoclonal antibodies indicate that some native AChRs are likely to have at least three kinds of subunits, with two being of the alpha type. These findings support new views about the construction of AChRs in neurons.