title: A novel peptide modulates alpha7 nicotinic receptor responses: implications for a possible trophic-toxic mechanism within the brain.
abstract: The alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) plays a key role in neural development and neurodegeneration. Here, we identify a novel, modulatory receptor ligand, a 14-amino acid peptide (AEFHRWSSYMVHWK) derived from the C-terminus of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In three different in vitro preparations, this 'AChE-peptide' is bioactive in a ligand-specific and concentration-dependent manner. First, it modulates acutely the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on Xenopus oocytes transfected with human alpha7, but not alpha4/beta2, nAChR. The action persists when intracellular calcium is chelated with BAPTA or when calcium is substituted with barium ions. This observation suggests that intracellular Ca(2+) signals do not mediate the interaction between the peptide and nAChR, but rather that the interaction is direct: however, the intervention of other mediators cannot be excluded. Secondly, in recordings from the CA1 region in guinea-pig hippocampal slices, AChE-peptide modulates synaptic plasticity in a alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BgTx)-sensitive manner. Thirdly, in organotypic cultures of rat hippocampus, long-term exposure to peptide attenuates neurite outgrowth: this chronic, functional effect is selectively blocked by the alpha7 nAChR antagonists, alpha-BgTx and methyllycaconitine, but not by the alpha4/beta2-preferring blocker dihydro-beta-ethroidine. A scrambled peptide variant, and the analogous peptide from butyrylcholinesterase, are ineffective in all three paradigms. The consequences of this novel modulation of the alpha7 nAChR may be activation of a trophic-toxic axis, of relevance to neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK. susan.greenfield@pharm.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Edward O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bermudez
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: C488971:AchE peptide; D002614:Chelating Agents; C579167:Chrna7 protein, human; C579165:Chrna7 protein, rat; D008024:Ligands; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium