Characterization of muscarinic receptors mediating relaxation and contraction in the rat iris dilator muscle

Ghrelin in ocular pathophysiology: from the anterior to the posterior segment

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid acylated peptide produced in several organs that binds the growth hormone secretagogues receptor type 1a (GHSR-1a). It acts over a wide range of systems, e.g. the endocrine, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and immune systems and the eye. The aim of this work is to review the physiologic and pathologic implications of the ghrelin-GHSR-1a in the eye. A systematic revision of studies published between 2000 and 2013 in English, Spanish or Portuguese in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus was performed. Search words used included: ghrelin, GHSR-1a, ocular production, iris muscular kinetics, ciliary body, glaucoma, retinopathy and uvea. The production of ghrelin by the ocular tissue has been detected both in the anterior and posterior segments, as well as the presence of GHSR-1a. This peptide promotes the relaxation of the iris sphincter and dilator muscles, being this effect independent from GHSR-1a and dependent on prostaglandins release in the first case and dependent on GHSR-1a in the second. Regarding ocular pathology, ghrelin levels in the aqueous humor appear to be decreased in individuals with glaucoma. Moreover, ghrelin has been shown to decrease the intraocular pressure in animal models of ocular hypertension through GHSR-1a. In the posterior segment, the ghrelin-GHSR-1a system interferes with the development of oxygen-induced retinopathy, being protective in the vaso-obliterative phase and deleterious in the vaso-proliferative stage of the disease. Thus, the ghrelin-GHSR-1a system presents as a possible local regulatory mechanism in the eye, with pathophysiological implications, constituting a target for future clinical and therapeutic research and interventions.

Muscarinic receptor agonists and antagonists: effects on ocular function

Muscarinic agonists act mainly via muscarinic M₃ cholinoceptors to cause contraction of the iris sphincter, ciliary muscle and trabecular meshwork as well as increase outflow facility of aqueous humour. In the iris dilator, the effect of muscarinic agonists is species dependent but is predominantly relaxation via muscarinic M₃ receptors. In the conjunctiva, muscarinic agonists stimulate goblet cell secretion which contributes to the protective tear film. Muscarinic M₂ and M₃ receptors appear mainly involved. In the lens muscarinic agonists act via muscarinic M₁ receptors to produce depolarization and increase [Ca(2+)](i). All five subtypes of muscarinic receptor are present in the retina. In the developing retina, acetylcholine appears to limit purinergic stimulation of retinal development and decrease cell proliferation. In the adult retina acetylcholine and other muscarinic agonists may have complex effects, for example, enhancing light-evoked neuronal firing in transient ON retinal ganglion cells and inhibiting firing in OFF retinal ganglion cells. In the lacrimal gland, muscarinic agonists activate M₃ receptors on secretory globular acinar cells to stimulate tear secretion and also cause contraction of myoepithelial cells. In Sjögren's syndrome, antibodies to the muscarinic M₃ receptor disrupt normal gland function leading to xerophthalmia although the mechanism of action of the antibody is still not clear. Atropine and pirenzepine are useful in limiting the development of myopia in children probably by an action on muscarinic receptors in the sclera, although many other muscarinic receptor antagonists are not effective.

Innervation of rat iris by trigeminal and ciliary neurons expressing pChAT, a novel splice variant of choline acetyltransferase

We have recently discovered a splice variant of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA and designated the variant protein pChAT because of its preferential expression in peripheral neuronal structures. In this study, the presence of pChAT in rat iris was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot using a pChAT antiserum, in combination with RT-PCR analysis and ChAT enzyme assay. For comparison, the conventional ChAT (cChAT) was studied in parallel. By pChAT immunohistochemistry, intense labeling was found to occur in nerve fibers of the iris and in neurons of the ciliary and trigeminal ganglia. Denervation studies, analyzed by semiquantitative morphometry, indicated that these iridial pChAT fibers originated about half from the ciliary ganglion and the other half from the trigeminal ganglion. The presence of pChAT protein in the iris and trigeminal ganglion was confirmed by Western blot. The expression of pChAT mRNA in the ciliary and trigeminal ganglia was proved by RT-PCR. Although cChAT protein and mRNA were detected in the ciliary ganglion, neither was detectable in the trigeminal ganglion. The contributions of the ciliary and trigeminal ganglia to the iridial ChAT enzyme activity were verified by the present ChAT assay. Here, we provide evidence that iridial pChAT nerves are composed of postganglionic parasympathetic efferents from the ciliary ganglion and, more interestingly, somatic sensory afferents of the trigeminal ophthalmic nerve.

Effect of continuous administration of a cholinergic agonist on [3H]4-DAMP binding and m3 mRNA expression in cultured human ciliary muscle cells

It is well known that chronic topical administration of cholinergic agonists results in a subsensitization in ciliary muscle-mediated increases in outflow facility and accommodation in monkey eyes in vivo. These physiologic changes are apparently mediated by the M3 subtype receptor. However, the nature of this subsensitization remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of the continuous presence of carbachol, a muscarinic agonist, on the expression of the muscarinic receptor subtype m3 and the binding of [3H]4-DAMP in cultured human ciliary muscle cells (H7CM). The H7CM cell line, derived from the ciliary muscle of a one-day-old human infant, was used in this study. Confluent monolayers were treated individually with 1 mM carbachol for 2, 6, 24 and 48 hours. The level of mRNA encoding muscarinic receptor subtype m3 was measured by RNase protection. For confirmation, a receptor binding assay was done using [3H]4-DAMP, a radioligand selective for M3 subtype receptors. At each timepoint, results were compared with untreated controls. Treatment with carbachol resulted in a down regulation ranging from 23.4% to 34.8% of m3 mRNA expression at all time points. All [3H]4-DAMP binding assay results also decreased, ranging from 24.5% to 31.0%.

Physiological features of visceral smooth muscle cells, with special reference to receptors and ion channels

Visceral smooth muscle cells (VSMC) play an essential role, through changes in their contraction-relaxation cycle, in the maintenance of homeostasis in biological systems. The features of these cells differ markedly by tissue and by species; moreover, there are often regional differences within a given tissue. The biophysical features used to investigate ion channels in VSMC have progressed from the original extracellular recording methods (large electrode, single or double sucrose gap methods), to the intracellular (microelectrode) recording method, and then to methods for recording from membrane fractions (patch-clamp, including cell-attached patch-clamp, methods). Remarkable advances are now being made thanks to the application of these more modern biophysical procedures and to the development of techniques in molecular biology. Even so, we still have much to learn about the physiological features of these channels and about their contribution to the activity of both cell and tissue. In this review, we take a detailed look at ion channels in VSMC and at receptor-operated ion channels in particular; we look at their interaction with the contraction-relaxation cycle in individual VSMC and especially at the way in which their activity is related to Ca2+ movements and Ca2+ homeostasis in the cell. In sections II and III, we discuss research findings mainly derived from the use of the microelectrode, although we also introduce work done using the patch-clamp procedure. These sections cover work on the electrical activity of VSMC membranes (sect. II) and on neuromuscular transmission (sect. III). In sections IV and V, we discuss work done, using the patch-clamp procedure, on individual ion channels (Na+, Ca2+, K+, and Cl-; sect. IV) and on various types of receptor-operated ion channels (with or without coupled GTP-binding proteins and voltage dependent and independent; sect. V). In sect. VI, we look at work done on the role of Ca2+ in VSMC using the patch-clamp procedure, biochemical procedures, measurements of Ca2+ transients, and Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile proteins of VSMC. We discuss the way in which Ca2+ mobilization occurs after membrane activation (Ca2+ influx and efflux through the surface membrane, Ca2+ release from and uptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and dynamic changes in Ca2+ within the cytosol). In this article, we make only limited reference to vascular smooth muscle research, since we reviewed the features of ion channels in vascular tissues only recently.

Pertussis toxin-sensitive muscarinic relaxation in the rat iris dilator muscle

1. The effects of pertussis toxin (PTX) on contraction and/or relaxation induced by agonists or transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) were examined in the rat iris dilator and sphincter muscles. 2. TNS in the presence of phentolamine induced an atropine-sensitive biphasic response: initial contraction followed by relaxation in dilator muscles. Exogenously applied acetylcholine (ACh) elicited a large relaxation at low doses (3 microM or less) and a concentration at high doses. 3. Only the ACh-induced relaxation was affected by injection of PTX (10 ng) into the anterior eye chamber. Relaxation was decreased 12 h after injection and had completely disappeared after 24 h. Relaxation recovered in part 3 weeks and almost completely 8 weeks after PTX treatment. A gradual decrease in muscarinic relaxation in a dilator muscle was also observed in vitro after addition of PTX to the bathing solution. 4. The pA2 values of muscarinic blockers, pirenzepine, AF-DX 116, 4-DAMP, and himbacine for competitive antagonism to ACh-induced contraction were 7.14, 6.53, 9.03, and 6.80, respectively, in PTX-pretreated dilator muscles. These values are comparable to those obtained in parasympathectomized dilator muscles and may indicate involvement of M3 or M3-like receptors in muscle contraction. 5. Pretreatment with PTX did not significantly affect contraction induced by noradrenaline or 5-hydroxytryptamine or the relaxation induced by isoprenaline in dilator muscles. 6. In conclusion, among several agonist-induced responses in the rat iris dilator and sphincter muscles, only muscarinic relaxation in dilator muscle occurs via activation of PTX-sensitive GTP binding proteins.