title: The effect of atropine on the activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 channels in rat nodose ganglion neurons.
abstract: It has been suggested that changes in brain 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor function may contribute to some behavior disorders, such as anxiety, schizophrenia and drug abuse. We are using the whole-cell version of the patch-clamp technique to study the function of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 channels in neurons freshly dissociated from rat nodose ganglion. In these cells, 5-hydroxytryptamine elicits an inward current over the concentration range of 0.25-100 microM (EC50 = 2.62 microM) by activating 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptors. The muscarinic cholinergic antagonist atropine reduced the amplitude of 5-hydroxytryptamine activated inward current in a concentration-dependent manner. Other muscarinic antagonists, scopolamine, dexetimide, the M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist pirenzepine, the M2 receptor antagonist methoctramine and the M3 receptor antagonist 4-DAMP methiodide also inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced inward current. Atropine did not appear to change the reversal potential of this current. In the presence of 5 microM atropine, the concentration-response curve for 5-hydroxytryptamine current was shifted to the right in a parallel fashion. The EC50 value for 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased from 2.62 to 8.76 microM. Schild plots of increasing atropine and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations revealed a pA2 value of 5.74 for atropine (apparent KD = 1.8 microM). These observations suggest that atropine competitively antagonizes the activation of a receptor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, a novel action of muscarinic antagonists in the nervous system. This effect of atropine may contribute to the clinical symptoms seen in severe atropine intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD 20852.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Weight
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009620:Nodose Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012701:Serotonin; D001285:Atropine