Biomaterial Database

Agonist and antagonist effects of nicotine on chick neuronal nicotinic receptors are defined by alpha and beta subunits. 1994

N Hussy, and M Ballivet, and D Bertrand

Département de Physiologie, Centre Médical Universitaire, Université de Genève, Switzerland.

1. Functional neuronal nicotinic receptors were reconstituted in Xenopus oocytes by the nuclear injection of different combinations of chick and rat cDNAs encoding alpha and beta subunits. The pharmacology of these nicotinic receptors was investigated using two-electrode voltage clamp. 2. The sensitivity of the chick alpha 3/beta 2, alpha 3/beta 4, and alpha 4/beta 2 receptors to acetylcholine (ACh) and neuronal bungarotoxin differed markedly, indicating that both subunits contribute to the pharmacological properties of the receptors. 3. Nicotine acted as an agonist on the chick alpha 3/beta 4 and alpha 4/beta 2 receptors and rat alpha 3/beta 2 receptor. In contrast, nicotine (at concentrations > 3 microM) was only a weak partial agonist of the chick alpha 3/beta 2 receptor. Moreover, nicotine coapplied with 3 microM ACh on the chick alpha 3/beta 2 receptor acted as a potent competitive antagonist, with an IC50 of 0.43 microM. No antagonist effect of nicotine could be revealed on the other nicotinic receptors. 4. The effect of nicotine was tested on hybrid receptors obtained by coinjection of chick and rat cDNAs encoding the alpha 3 and beta 2 subunits (yielding the rat alpha 3/chick beta 2 and chick alpha 3/rat beta 2 receptors). Nicotine (10 microM) strongly inhibited both hybrid receptors. 5. Chimeric subunits were constructed by exchanging a segment located in the extracellular N-termini of chick alpha 3 and alpha 4 subunits and chick alpha 3 and rat alpha 3 subunits. These subunits were coexpressed in oocytes with chick or rat beta 2 subunits. The effect of nicotine on these receptors pointed to the importance of a 15 amino acid stretch located 3' of the first transmembrane segment in the determination of the agonist and antagonist action of nicotine. 6. Within this 15 amino acid segment, a single residue differs in chick and rat alpha 3 subunits, at position 198, within the ligand binding site of alpha subunits. Gln198 of the rat alpha 3 subunit was replaced by Thr as found in the chick alpha 3 subunit, using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant subunit was coexpressed with the rat beta 2 subunit, yielding receptors which were inhibited by nicotine. 7. It is concluded that both alpha and beta subunits not only alter considerably the sensitivity of the nicotinic receptor to agonists and antagonists, but also can turn an agonist into a potent antagonist of one receptor subtype.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D009433	Neural Inhibition	The function of opposing or restraining the excitation of neurons or their target excitable cells.	Inhibition, Neural
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D009538	Nicotine	Nicotine is highly toxic alkaloid. It is the prototypical agonist at nicotinic cholinergic receptors where it dramatically stimulates neurons and ultimately blocks synaptic transmission. Nicotine is also important medically because of its presence in tobacco smoke.	Nicotine Bitartrate,Nicotine Tartrate
D009865	Oocytes	Female germ cells derived from OOGONIA and termed OOCYTES when they enter MEIOSIS. The primary oocytes begin meiosis but are arrested at the diplotene state until OVULATION at PUBERTY to give rise to haploid secondary oocytes or ova (OVUM).	Ovocytes,Oocyte,Ovocyte
D011978	Receptors, Nicotinic	One of the two major classes of cholinergic receptors. Nicotinic receptors were originally distinguished by their preference for NICOTINE over MUSCARINE. They are generally divided into muscle-type and neuronal-type (previously ganglionic) based on pharmacology, and subunit composition of the receptors.	Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors,Nicotinic Receptors,Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor,Nicotinic Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptor, Nicotinic,Acetylcholine Receptors, Nicotinic,Receptor, Nicotinic,Receptor, Nicotinic Acetylcholine,Receptors, Nicotinic Acetylcholine
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response