Differential adrenocortical responses to neural stimuli following intracerebroventricular injection of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies in rats.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of central nervous system nicotinic receptors for acetylcholine in the adrenocortical responses to neural stimuli. Adult male rats received a daily intraventricular injection of partially purified nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies (anti-AchR), obtained from a patient with myasthenia gravis, for 5 consecutive days. Control animals were treated similarly with immunoglobulins obtained from normal human serum. Blood samples were obtained under basal conditions or following photic, sciatic nerve stimulation, and acoustic stress. Treatment with anti-AchR increased basal ACTH and corticosterone levels (by approximately twofold) but inhibited the response to acoustic stress. The response to photic and sciatic nerve stimulation stress was not affected. This study demonstrated that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors may be differentially involved in the mediation of adrenocortical responses to neural stimuli.
Weidenfeld
J
J
Department of Neurology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Brenner
T
T
Conforti
N
N
Bodoff
M
M
Feldman
S
S
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000502:physiology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone