title: Role of the epithelium and acetylcholine in mediating the contraction to 5-hydroxytryptamine in the mouse isolated trachea.
abstract: 1. The 5-HT receptor subtype that mediates bronchocontraction and the involvement of neuronal and non-neuronal acetylcholine was assessed in murine isolated tracheae. 2. Atropine (1-10 nM) caused a rightward shift of the methacholine concentration-effect curves (pA(2)=9.0) but reduced the maximum response to 5-HT, suggesting that 5-HT acts as an indirect agonist. The potency of 5-HT receptor agonists (alpha-methyl-5-HT approximately 5-HT>5-carboxamidotryptamine), together with the competitive antagonism of 5-HT by ketanserin (pA(2)=9.4), suggests the involvement of the 5-HT(2A) receptor. 3. While cholinergic twitch responses to electrical field stimulation were abolished by the fast sodium channel inhibitor tetrodotoxin (300 nM), as well as by combined blockade of N-, P- and Q-type voltage-operated calcium channels by omega-conotoxin GVIA (30 nM) and agatoxin IVA (100 nM), responses to 5-HT were unaffected. Similarly, botulinum toxin A (50 nM) inhibited EFS twitch responses, but not contractions to 5-HT. 4. Choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity was localised to ganglia and nerve fibres as well as approximately half the epithelial cells in the preparation. Removal of the epithelial layer markedly attenuated the contractile response to 5-HT, but had no effect on contractions to either methacholine or EFS. 5. These findings suggest that 5-HT, acting at 5-HT(2A) receptors on mouse tracheal epithelial cells, stimulates these cells to release acetylcholine, which then causes contraction of airway smooth muscle. This phenomenon should be borne in mind in when interpreting studies of murine models of airway disease.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, King's College London, London. james.moffatt@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moffatt
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cocks
authors.forename: Clive P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001896:Boron Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002356:Cartilage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001896:Boron Compounds; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; C042390:alpha-methylserotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D001285:Atropine; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA; D007650:Ketanserin; C109986:2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D000109:Acetylcholine