Nicotinic receptors of rat lymphocytes during adjuvant polyarthritis.
Resting rat lymphocytes and thymocytes express specific [3H]nicotine binding sites with Kd values 7.5 and 10 nM, respectively. Resting T lymphocytes express 5-7 times as many binding sites (1,500/cell) as do unfractionated thymocytes (250/cell), suggesting that only a subset of thymocytes express nicotinic binding sites. Neither macrophages nor B cells bear nicotinic receptors. [3H]nicotine binding to lymphocytes is competitively inhibited in the presence of the cholinergic agonist carbamylcholine with IC50 = 100 microM. The number of receptors expressed on draining lymph node lymphocytes is upregulated during the course of adjuvant induced polyarthritis: maximum of [3H]nicotine binding is observed at day 21 of the disease with a subsequent decline reaching basal level at day 36. These results show the presence of [3H]nicotine binding sites on T lymphocytes and suggest their involvement in the later immune phase of adjuvant induced polyarthritis.
Maslinski
W
W
Clinical Immunology, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215.
Laskowska-Bozek
H
H
Ryzewski
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000378:metabolism; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D009538:Nicotine