title: Enhancement by 5-hydroxytryptamine and analogues of desensitization of neuronal and muscle nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes.
abstract: 1. The action of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on neuronal and muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nicotinic AChR) expressed in Xenopus oocytes was studied. 2. 5-HT enhanced the rate of desensitization of the acetylcholine (ACh) current response in all receptor subtypes investigated (muscle, alpha beta 2 gamma delta and alpha 4 beta 2), acting in a dose-dependent manner. 3. 5-HT also reduced the peak current elicited by ACh in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 value for the muscle type receptor was 227 +/- 0.44 microM, and 166 +/- 0.47 microM and 283 +/- 0.28 microM for the combinations alpha beta 2 gamma delta and alpha 4 beta 2 respectively. 4. The effect of 5-HT on the responses to ACh (10 microM) was found to be independent of membrane voltage over the range tested (-80 to -10 mV), and to be readily reversed by washout. 5. The action of 5-HT could be mimicked by structurally similar molecules. The homologue tryptamine was less potent than 5-HT in blocking the ACh current, with an IC50 of 1.0 +/- 0.02 mM. Ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, was more potent than 5-HT, the IC50 being 49.0 +/- 1.4 microM. 6. We postulate that a highly conserved portion of the tertiary structure of nicotinic AChRs, which includes some part of the ACh binding site, has affinity for 5-HT and structural analogues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chad
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D014363:Tryptamines; D012701:Serotonin; C030820:tryptamine; D000109:Acetylcholine