title: Cholinergic modulation of baker's yeast cell phagocytosis by rat astrocytes.
abstract: Cholinergic regulation of baker's yeast cell phagocytosis in rat cultured astrocytes was studied. Phagocytic activity was reduced by 1 x 10(-5) M of atropine or pirenzepine, but not by AF-DX116 or 4-DAMP. In addition, carbachol stimulated phagocytosis in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, only 1 x 10(-5)M of atropine, pirenzepine and 4-DAMP significantly reduced enhanced activity induced by 1 x 10(-7)M carbachol. It was also observed that L-NMMA, staurosporine, or U-73122, reduced phagocytosis activity while TFP failed to do so. Nitrite levels in astrocyte supernatants increased after baker's yeast cells were incorporated to astrocyte cultures, correlating with enhanced phagocytosis induced by carbachol stimulation, and were reduced by 1 x 10(-5) M of atropine, pirenzepine or aminopiridine, but not by AF-DX116 or 4-DAMP. Enhanced NO production triggered by astrocyte phagocytosis may have pathological consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, University of Buenos Aires, MT Alvear 2146, 4 piso sector B, 1221 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: María I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Berría
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sterin-Borda
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002217:Carbachol; D000109:Acetylcholine