Effects of hexamethonium on transmitter release from the rat phrenic nerve.
Hexamethonium (HEX) was applied to isolated transected diaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations of the rat in order to further elucidate the functional role of the presynaptic nicotinic autoreceptors. End-plate potentials (EPPs) and miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs) were recorded from the neuromuscular junctions in the presence and absence of HEX to determine the relative effect of this nicotinic antagonist on end-plate sensitivity and evoked release. In this study we show that HEX enhances transmitter release for the first few stimuli, but this action is not maintained during a train-of-six stimulation. While these results support the hypothesis that transmitter released from the nerve terminal normally has a negative feedback effect by depressing transmitter release it is proposed that HEX also has secondary actions on the neuromuscular junction that are unrelated to autoreceptor blockage. The results with HEX suggests that the presynaptic receptors may differ pharmacologically from the postsynaptic receptors.
Department of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056.
D F
DF
Wilson
R H
RH
Thomsen
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D018738:Hexamethonium; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D018738:Hexamethonium; D000109:Acetylcholine