Behavioral and physiological effects of an aziridinium analog of oxotremorine (BM130)

Effects of an irreversible muscarinic agonist (BM123) on avoidance and spontaneous alternation performance

The present study sought to assess whether the compound N-[4-(2-chloro-ethylmethylamine)-2-butynyl]-2-pyrrolidone (BM123), a potent muscarinic agonist that binds irreversibly to the muscarinic receptor (mAChR), has long-lasting functional effects which may be related to a reduction in functional mAChRs. Passive (inhibitory) avoidance performance, one-way active avoidance learning, and spontaneous alternation behavior were studied in rats. The results confirmed the acute muscarinic stimulating effects of BM123, including tremor, salivation, chromodacryorrhea and hypothermia. In addition, when measured 3-4 days after administration, rats treated with BM123 had disrupted spontaneous alternation performance and tended to have impaired performance for the inhibitory avoidance task with facilitated acquisition of active avoidance. This spectrum of effects is consistent with previous reports showing a 20-40% reduction in mAChRs at these times after BM123. The reversible muscarinic agonist, oxotremorine, was without significant effect. In a further experiment, it was found that pretreatment with methyl atropine did not prevent the disruption of spontaneous alternation behavior by BM123, whereas pretreatment with atropine did. Thus, these long-lasting behavioral effects of BM123 are related to its alkylation of and subsequent reduction in central mAChRs.

Influence of atropine and N-methyl atropine pretreatments on behavioral and physiological effects of the irreversible muscarinic agonist, BM123

The irreversible muscarinic agonist, BM123 (63 mu moles kg-1, IV), was shown to produce central and peripheral physiological signs characteristic of cholinergic agonists. It also induced hypothermia, elevated nociceptive thresholds, reduced locomotor activity and disrupted spontaneous alternation performance in rats. The centrally acting muscarinic antagonist, atropine (50 mu mole kg-1) prevented or reduced all the above effects of BM123 when given SC 40 min prior to the BM123 injection. In contrast, the peripherally acting muscarinic antagonist, N-methyl atropine, prevented only the peripheral effects and the elevated nociceptive thresholds. Habituation of activity during a 20 min session was observed in all groups despite different levels of general activity. These findings are consistent with a model in which atropine and N-methyl atropine compete with BM123 for reversible association with the muscarinic receptor. In the case of BM123 administered alone, the association results, first, in agonist effects and proceeds to form an irreversible complex. Our present results show that by competing with BM123 for mAChR sites during the initial, reversible state of the interaction, atropine blocks the cholinomimetic effects of the agonist during both this state and its otherwise subsequent irreversible state.