title: Modulation of ACh release by presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptors in the neuromuscular junction of the newborn and adult rat.
abstract: We studied the presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptor subtypes controlling ACh release and their relationship with voltage-dependent calcium channels in the neuromuscular synapses of the Levator auris longus muscle from adult (30-40 days) and newborn (3-6 and 15 days postnatal) rats. Using intracellular recording, we studied how several muscarinic antagonists affected the evoked endplate potentials. In some experiments we previously incubated the muscle with calcium channel blockers (nitrendipine, omega-conotoxin-GVIA and omega-Agatoxin-IVA) before determining the muscarinic response. In the adult, the M1 receptor-selective antagonist pirenzepine (10 micro m) reduced evoked neurotransmission ( approximately 47%). The M2 receptor-selective antagonist methoctramine (1 micro m) increased the evoked release ( approximately 67%). Both M1- and M2-mediated mechanisms depend on calcium influx via P/Q-type synaptic channels. We found nothing to indicate the presence of M3 (4-DAMP-sensitive) or M4 (tropicamide-sensitive) receptors in the muscles of adult or newborn rats. In the 3-6-day newborn rats, pirenzepine reduced the evoked release ( approximately 30%) by a mechanism independent of L-, N- and P/Q-type calcium channels, and the M2 antagonist methoctramine (1 micro m) unexpectedly decreased the evoked release ( approximately 40%). This methoctramine effect was a P/Q-type calcium-channel-dependent mechanism. However, upon maturation in the first two postnatal weeks, the M2 pathway shifted to perform the calcium-dependent release-inhibitory activity found in the adult. We show that the way in which M1 and M2 muscarinic receptors modulate neurotransmission can differ between the developing and adult rat neuromuscular synapse.
authors.affiliation: Unitat d'Histologia i Neurobiologia (UHN): Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, carrer St Llorenç num 21, 43201-Reus, Spain. msm@fmcs.urv.es
authors.forename: Manel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Santafé
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salon
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: M Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lanuza
authors.forename: Osvaldo D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Uchitel
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomàs
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017660:Autoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000502:physiology; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type / Q000502:physiology; D020865:Calcium Channels, P-Type / Q000502:physiology; D020907:Calcium Channels, Q-Type / Q000502:physiology; D003959:Diamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000502:physiology; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009568:Nitrendipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043585:Receptor, Muscarinic M2; D043587:Receptor, Muscarinic M3; D043588:Receptor, Muscarinic M4; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA / Q000494:pharmacology; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017660:Autoreceptors; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D020865:Calcium Channels, P-Type; D020907:Calcium Channels, Q-Type; D003959:Diamines; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043585:Receptor, Muscarinic M2; D043587:Receptor, Muscarinic M3; D043588:Receptor, Muscarinic M4; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D010890:Pirenzepine; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA; D009568:Nitrendipine; D000109:Acetylcholine; C054938:methoctramine