title: Expression of an alpha7 duplicate nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-related protein in human leukocytes.
abstract: We examined the potential expression and function of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in leukocytes. RT-PCR with alpha7 specific primers revealed the presence of the receptor mRNA in leukocytes. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated the expression of a protein that is recognized by alpha7 specific antibodies. However, nicotine and acetylcholine (ACh) failed to elicit current in leukocytes. Binding experiments with alpha-bungarotoxin rhodamine conjugated were negative, illustrating the absence of a high-affinity binding site. RT-PCR analysis revealed the selective expression of the dupalpha7 mRNA. These data indicate that leukocytes express in their membrane the dupalpha7 protein but its physiological role remains to be identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CMU, 1 rue Michel Servet, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Villiger
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szanto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaconi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanchet
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buisson
authors.forename: K-H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: J-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Romand
mesh_terms: D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012235:Rhodamines; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; C579167:Chrna7 protein, human; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D012235:Rhodamines; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D002118:Calcium