title: Neuronal nicotinic alpha-bungarotoxin receptors.
abstract: Recent evidence has indicated that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and the nicotinic alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BGT) site may be distinct in neuronal tissues. With regard to function, the former receptor appears to be involved in mediating synaptic events; however, the role of the nicotinic alpha-BGT site in nervous tissue is currently not known. Since the binding of alpha-BGT exhibits such high affinity and selectivity for a specific receptor, this may implicate an involvement of the toxin binding site in some aspect of neuronal activity with the receptor possibly mediating functions other than nicotinic cholinergic transmission. A further hypothesis to explain the nature of the toxin binding site may be that the natural ligand for the alpha-BGT site is one other than acetylcholine, with acetylcholine acting as a modulator of the site. Current studies in our laboratory are exploring these possibilities by determining whether specific peptides and/or polypeptides can interact at the nicotinic alpha-BGT site in nervous tissue. Studies using both in vivo and in vitro approaches suggest that thymopoietin may serve a role as a modulator of the nicotinic alpha-BGT site in neuronal tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quik
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Afar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Audhya
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trifaró
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000294:innervation; D000818:Animals; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013946:Thymopoietins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D013946:Thymopoietins; D014403:Tubocurarine