title: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS-1) coclustered with agrin-induced AChR-specializations on cultured skeletal myotubes.
abstract: Previously we reported that neuronal nitric oxide synthase type-1 (NOS-1) is expressed in skeletal myotubes in vitro. In the present paper we sought to determine whether agrin-induced membrane specializations known to include the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) on cultured myotubes may also contain NOS-1 and related molecules. After treatment with various agrin constructs containing the full C-terminally AChR-clustering domain (fragments N2, N4), but not with fragment C2 (truncated), NOS-1 expressed in the cytosol of mouse C2C12 skeletal myotubes coclustered with AChR, 43K rapsyn, MuSK, and the dystrophin/utrophin glycoprotein-complex (DUGC). Agrin-induced specializations also included coaggregates of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA)-receptor, alpha-sodium (NaCh), or Shaker-type K+ channel (KCh)/PSD-95 complexes, and NOS-1. We conclude that agrin is crucial for recruitment of preassembled multimolecular membrane clusters, including AChR, NMDAR, and ion channels linked to NOS-1. Coassembly of NOS-1 to postsynaptic molecules may reflect site-specific NO-signaling pathways in neuromuscular junction formation and functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy 1, Neurobiology Unit, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 15, Berlin, D-14195, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lück
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hopf
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blottner
mesh_terms: D018171:Agrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D011940:Receptor Aggregation; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018171:Agrin; D007473:Ion Channels; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C051609:peripheral membrane protein 43K; C033652:postsynaptic density proteins; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496321:Nos1 protein, mouse; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases