title: Identification of M1 and M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the cat carotid body chemosensory system.
abstract: The carotid body is a major arterial chemoreceptor that senses low O2 tension, high CO2 tension and low pH in the arterial blood. It is generally believed that neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine (ACh), participate in the genesis of afferent neural output from the carotid body and modulate the function of chemoreceptor cells (glomus cells). Previous pharmacological studies suggest that M1 and M2 muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs) are involved in these processes. This study was designed to demonstrate the presence and localization of M1 and M2 mAChRs in the carotid body and in the petrosal ganglion of the cat. Since DNA sequences of the cat M1 and M2 mAChRs were not known, we first determined partial DNA sequences. These sequences and deduced amino acid sequences highly resembled those of human and the rat. Subsequent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)analysis has demonstrated that mRNAs for M1 and M2 mAChRs are present in the carotid body and the petrosal ganglion of the cat. Immunohistochemistry has indicated that the localization of these receptors appears different. Immunoreactivity for M1 mAChR was strong in nerves in the carotid body. Nerve endings positively stained for M1 mAChR appear to innervate glomus cells. Weak staining for M1 mAChRs was seen in glomus cells. On the other hand, M2 receptor protein seems to be present in glomus cells but not on nerve endings. One third of the neurons in the petrosal ganglion showed immunoreactivity for M1 mAChR. Many neurons and nerve fibers in the petrosal ganglion expressed M2 mAChR immunoreactivity. The results were consistent with previous pharmacological studies. Thus, activation of M1 mAChRs on afferent nerve endings may be linked to the increase in neural output during hypoxia. Further, M1 and M2 mAChRs on glomus cells modulate the release of neurotransmitters.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. mshiraha@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirahata
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirasawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balbir
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000378:metabolism*; D002415:Cats; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D017950:Ganglia, Sensory / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005930:Glossopharyngeal Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D043585:Receptor, Muscarinic M2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043585:Receptor, Muscarinic M2; D000109:Acetylcholine