Inverse correlation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity with the presence of neurofilament inclusions in dorsal root ganglion neurons cultured in the presence of a reversible inhibitor of AChE.
We have previously shown that treatment of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGN) with a highly specific, reversible acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, BW284c51, retards neuritic outgrowth in a dose dependent manner and is accompanied by the presence of abnormal, perikaryal neurofilament (NF) inclusions in approximately 40% of the cells. Since subpopulations of DRGN have been classified according to their levels of AChE activity, we have combined immunocytochemical and enzyme histochemical techniques to investigate a possible correlation between AChE activity and the presence of NF inclusion formation. Our results show that after inhibitor treatment, cells with low levels of AChE activity have a greater percentage of inclusions, with nearly 75% of cells with undetectable levels of AChE activity containing inclusions. In contrast, inclusions were present in only 3.2% of cells with high levels of AChE activity. This inverse relationship between AChE activity and the presence of NF inclusions supports our previous observations that this enzyme may have extra-synaptic functions which could affect neuronal development and regeneration.
Department of Anatomy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, USA.
J L
JL
Dupree
E N
EN
Maynor
J W
JW
Bigbee
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002093:Benzenaminium, 4,4'-(3-oxo-1,5-pentanediyl)bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-), Dibromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D002093:Benzenaminium, 4,4'-(3-oxo-1,5-pentanediyl)bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-), Dibromide; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase