title: A role for the nicotinic alpha-bungarotoxin receptor in neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells.
abstract: The addition of nicotine decreased neuritic outgrowth in PC12 cells in culture. This effect occurs as early as one day after addition of nicotine to the culture medium in a concentration-dependent manner. The nicotine-induced decline in neurite outgrowth was prevented by d-tubocurarine (10(-4) M) indicating that the effect was mediated through a nicotinic receptor. alpha-Bungarotoxin (10(-8) M) was also able to inhibit the nicotine-induced decrease in process formation in a dose-dependent manner. The concentrations of alpha-bungarotoxin required to affect process outgrowth correlated with those required to inhibit radiolabelled alpha-bungarotoxin binding. alpha-Bungarotoxin had no effect on [3H]noradrenaline release, a functional response mediated through the alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, suggesting that alpha-bungarotoxin specifically interacts with the neuronal alpha-bungarotoxin receptor. The present results suggest a functional role for the neuronal nicotinic alpha-bungarotoxin receptor in neurite outgrowth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology*; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; C579165:Chrna7 protein, rat; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D009538:Nicotine; D014403:Tubocurarine; D009638:Norepinephrine