Differential effects of the muscarinic M2 antagonists, AF-DX 116 and gallamine, on single neurons of rabbit sympathetic ganglia

Disparate cholinergic currents in rat principal trigeminal sensory nucleus neurons mediated by M1 and M2 receptors: a possible mechanism for selective gating of afferent sensory neurotransmission

Neurons situated in the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (PSTN) convey orofacial sensory inputs to thalamic relay regions and higher brain centres, and the excitability of these ascending tract cells is modulated across sleep/wakefulness states and during pain conditions. Moreover, acetylcholine release changes profoundly across sleep/wakefulness states and ascending sensory neurotransmission is altered by cholinergic agonists. An intriguing possibility is, therefore, that cholinergic mechanisms mediate such state-dependent modulation of PSTN tract neurons. We tested the hypotheses that cholinergic agonists can modulate PSTN cell excitability and that such effects are mediated by muscarinic receptor subtypes, using patch-clamp methods in rat and mouse. In all examined cells, carbachol elicited an electrophysiological response that was independent of action potential generation as it persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin. Responses were of three types: depolarization, hyperpolarization or a biphasic response consisting of hyperpolarization followed by depolarization. In voltage-clamp mode, carbachol evoked corresponding inward, outward or biphasic currents. Moreover, immunostaining for the vesicle-associated choline transporter showed cholinergic innervation of the PSTN. Using muscarinic receptor antagonists, we found that carbachol-elicited PSTN neuron hyperpolarization was mediated by M2 receptors and depolarization, in large part, by M1 receptors. These data suggest that acetylcholine acting on M1 and M2 receptors may contribute to selective excitability enhancement or depression in individual, rostrally projecting sensory neurons. Such selective gating effects via cholinergic input may play a functional role in modulation of ascending sensory transmission, including across behavioral states typified by distinct cholinergic tone, e.g. sleep/wakefulness arousal levels or neuropathic pain conditions.

A physiologically-evoked M1-muscarinic depolarization in guinea-pig inferior mesenteric ganglion neurons

The possibility of physiologically-evoked muscarinic excitatory synaptic potentials was examined in the inferior mesenteric ganglion (IMG) with intracellular microelectrodes in vitro. Three types of depolarizing responses were evoked concurrently by colonic distension: (1) fast nicotinic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs); (2) an 'intermediate' time course depolarization and (3) a long time course potential that persisted throughout the period of distension. After hexamethonium was superfused over the ganglia the long time course potential was observed in 91% of IMG neurons. Intermediate time course of depolarizations were observed in 100% of IMG neurons and correlated with each propulsive contraction of the distal colon. The intermediate depolarizations had an average amplitude of 1.8 +/- 0.1 mV (n = 175 individual events; 27 preparations) with an average duration of 11.9 +/- 0.8 sec (n = 28 individual events). The intermediate time course synaptic potentials were accompanied by an increase in input resistance of 15% (n = 6). Superfusion of atropine (1 microM; n = 6) on the IMG or the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine (1 microM; n = 5) abolished the intermediate time course synaptic potentials during distension. Superfusion of the M2-selective antagonist AF-DX 116 (1 microM; n = 4) had no effect. In all preparations examined, distension-induced intermediate time course depolarizations were blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX) (3 microM). Pressure ejection of carbachol (1 mM, 60-100 ms pulses) evoked depolarizations of similar amplitude (6.5 +/- 0.7 mV; n = 18) and duration to the intermediate depolarizations observed during propulsive contractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modulation of cellular excitability in neocortex: muscarinic receptor and second messenger-mediated actions of acetylcholine

Muscarinic-type acetylcholine (ACh) receptor are involved in a variety of cortical functions. ACh "activates" neocortex; simultaneously modifying spontaneous subthreshold activity, intrinsic neuronal oscillations and spike discharge modes, and responsiveness to fast (putative glutamatergic) synaptic inputs. However, beyond the general involvement of muscarinic receptors, a mechanistic understanding of integrated cholinergic actions, and interactions with non-cholinergic transmission, is lacking. We have addressed this problem using intracellular recordings from the in vitro auditory neocortex. First, we investigated cholinergic modification of responses to the excitatory amino acid glutamate. ACh, or the muscarinic agonist methacholine, produced a lasting enhancement of glutamate-mediated membrane depolarizations. Muscarinic receptors of the M1 and/or M3 subtype, rather than M2 or nicotinic receptors, mediated this enhancement. Subsequently, we investigated whether second messenger systems contribute to observed muscarinic actions. Activation of protein kinase C with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (4 beta-PDBu), enhanced neuronal responses to glutamate. The effect of 4 beta-PDBu was attenuated by the kinase antagonist H7. Finally, we attempted to identify postsynaptic actions of endogenous ACh. Tetanic stimulation of cholinergic afferents elicited voltage-dependent effects, including reduced spike frequency adaptation and reduced slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) elicited by transmembrane depolarizing stimuli. These effects were mimicked by methacholine, enhanced by eserine, and antagonized by muscarinic receptor antagonists. These data suggest that cholinergic modulation in neocortex likely involves the integrated actions of diverse mechanisms, primarily gated by muscarinic receptors, and at least partly involving second messenger systems.