Acetylcholine receptor gene expression in skeletal muscle of chronic ethanol-fed rats.
The expression of the neuromuscular acetylcholine receptor (AChR) alpha-subunit gene was evaluated in soleus muscles from an animal model of chronic alcoholism. At 8 weeks of age, test rats were placed on a nutritionally complete liquid diet containing 6.7% ethanol (v/v). Age- and weight-matched control rats were pair-fed an isocaloric liquid diet. After a 16-week diet period, soleus muscles were obtained and total RNA and poly(A)+ RNA were isolated. Muscle RNA levels from ethanol-fed and control rats were comparable. AChR alpha-subunit mRNA was detected by hybridization of muscle poly(A)+ RNA with a 32P-labeled, complementary riboprobe. The steady-state level of AChR alpha-subunit mRNA was reduced by 39% (p less than 0.001) in soleus muscles from the ethanol-fed rats as compared to pair-fed controls. These results suggest that the expression of the AChR alpha-subunit gene is down-regulated after chronic ethanol exposure at a transcriptional or posttranscriptional level.
Held
I R
IR
Neuroscience Research Laboratory, VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141.
Sayers
S T
ST
McLane
J A
JA
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D000431:Ethanol