title: Cholinesterase inhibitors and stress: effects on brain muscarinic receptor density in mice.
abstract: Exposure to the reversible cholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine bromide (PB), in conjunction with stress, has been suggested as a possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome. This work explores the hypothesis that PB exposure coupled with stress will alter cholinergic receptor density based on the rationale that prolonged exposure to PB and stress will lead to increased stimulation of cholinergic receptors due to the reduced capacity to degrade acetylcholine, leading to changes in receptor levels. Male C57Bl6 mice were exposed to PB (3 or 10 mg/kg/day) or physostigmine (2.88 mg/kg/day) for 7 days via ALZET mini-osmotic pumps implanted subcutaneously. The mice were stressed by shaking at random intervals (avg of 2 min/30 min) for 1 week, which was sufficient to increase blood cortisol levels. Brain tissue for autoradiographic analysis was collected on day 7 of treatment. While we examined many brain regions, analysis revealed that most of the significant changes (p<0.05) were seen in cholinergic nuclei. Stress typically increased muscarinic receptor density, while PB and PHY generally decreased muscarinic receptor density.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435, USA.
authors.forename: Brena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mauck
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lucot
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paton
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Grubbs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D010830:Physostigmine; D002802:Cholinesterases; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide