title: Tissue distribution of human acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase messenger RNA.
abstract: Cholinesterase inhibitors occur naturally in the calabar bean (eserine), green potatoes (solanine), insect-resistant crab apples, the coca plant (cocaine) and snake venom (fasciculin). There are also synthetic cholinesterase inhibitors, for example man-made insecticides. These inhibitors inactivate acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase as well as other targets. From a study of the tissue distribution of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase mRNA by Northern blot analysis, we have found the highest levels of butyrylcholinesterase mRNA in the liver and lungs, tissues known as the principal detoxication sites of the human body. These results indicate that butyrylcholinesterase may be a first line of defense against poisons that are eaten or inhaled.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jbilo
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatonnet
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Toutant
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lockridge
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase