title: Block of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by organophosphate insecticides.
abstract: Chronic and acute exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides may lead to persistent neurological and neurobehavioral effects, which cannot be explained by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition alone. It is suggested that other brain proteins are involved. Effects of commonly used organophosphate pesticides on rat neuronal alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes have been investigated using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Several OP pesticides, e.g., parathion-ethyl, chlorpyrifos and disulfoton, inhibited the ACh-induced ion current with potencies in the micromolar range. The potency of inhibition increased with increasing concentrations of the agonist ACh. Comparison of the potency of nAChR inhibition with the potency of AChE inhibition demonstrated that some OPs inhibit nAChRs more potently than AChE. Binding experiments on alpha4beta2 nAChRs showed that the OPs noncompetitively interact with nAChRs. The inhibitory effects on nAChRs are adequately described and explained by a sequential two-step mechanism, in which rapidly reversible OP binding to a separate binding site leads to inhibition followed by a stabilization of the blocked state or receptor desensitization. It is concluded that OPs interact directly with neuronal alpha4beta2 nAChRs to inhibit the agonist-induced response. This implicates that neuronal alpha4beta2 nAChRs are additional targets for some OP pesticides.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chantal J G M
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Smulders
authors.forename: Tjerk J H
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bueters
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vailati
authors.forename: Regina G D M
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: van Kleef
authors.forename: Henk P M
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Vijverberg
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011725:Pyridines / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D008024:Ligands; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C082748:epibatidine