title: Impaired acetylcholine release from the myenteric plexus of Trichinella-infected rats.
abstract: We examined the release of acetylcholine (ACh) from jejunal longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus preparations in noninfected control rats and in rats infected 6, 23, or 40 days previously with Trichinella spiralis. ACh release was assessed by preincubating the tissue with [3H]choline and measuring the evoked release of tritium. The uptake of 3H was significantly less in tissue from T. spiralis-infected rats compared with control. In tissues from either infected or control animals, electrical field stimulation (30 V, 0.5 ms, 10 Hz for 1 min), or veratridine (6-30 microM) induced 3H release that was tetrodotoxin sensitive. Depolarization by KCl (25-75 mM) also caused 3H release, but this was only partially reduced by tetrodotoxin. Radiochromatographic analysis indicated evoked release of 3H to be almost entirely [3H]ACh. In rats infected 6 days previously with T. spiralis, [3H]ACh release induced by KCl, veratridine, and field stimulation were decreased at least 80%. The suppression of [3H]ACh release induced by veratridine or KCl was fully reversible after 40 days postinfection, but field-stimulated responses remained approximately 50% of control values. These results indicate that T. spiralis infection in the rat is accompanied by a reversible suppression of ACh release from the longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus of the jejunum.
authors.affiliation: Intestinal Diseases Research Unit, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Blennerhassett
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Blennerhassett
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vermillion
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011865:Radioisotope Dilution Technique; D051381:Rats; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014316:Tritium; D014701:Veratridine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D014701:Veratridine; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine