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Recent studies have described muscarinic receptors on the mucosa and the detrusor of the human urinary bladder. Muscarinic receptor antagonists are effective in the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB), but their site(s) of action and actual therapeutic target are unclear. Our aim was to compare, in human bladder mucosa and detrusor, the radioligand binding characteristics of newer, clinically effective agents: darifenacin, its hydroxylated metabolite UK-148,993, fesoterodine, solifenacin, tolterodine, and trospium. Specimens were collected from asymptomatic patients (50-72 years old) undergoing open bladder surgery. Radioligand binding studies with the muscarinic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) were performed separately on detrusor and mucosal membranes. All antagonists displayed high affinity when competing for [3H]QNB binding in both detrusor and mucosa. Inhibition constants were also obtained for all antagonists against individual muscarinic receptor subtypes expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Here, fesoterodine showed anomalous binding results, suggesting that some conversion to its metabolite had occurred. Global nonlinear regression analysis of bladder binding data with five antagonists demonstrated 82% low-affinity sites in mucosa and 78% low-affinity sites in detrusor, probably representing M(2)/M(4) receptors. There was an excellent correlation (r(2) = 0.99) of low-affinity global estimates between detrusor and mucosa, whereas the corresponding high-affinity estimates ( approximately 20% of sites) were dissimilar. In conclusion, commonly used and clinically effective muscarinic receptor antagonists bind to receptors located on the bladder mucosa and the detrusor, providing support for the hypothesis that muscarinic receptors in the mucosa may represent an important site of action for these agents in OAB.

Esophageal peristalsis is dependent on activation of muscarinic receptors, but little is known about the roles of specific receptor subtypes in the human esophagus. We examined muscarinic receptor expression and function in human esophageal smooth muscle obtained from patients undergoing resection for cancer. [(3)H]Quinuclidinyl benzylate (QNB)-specific binding was similar in longitudinal muscle (B(max) = 106 +/- 22 fmol/mg of protein, K(d) = 68 +/- 9 pM) and circular muscle (B(max) = 81 +/- 16 fmol/mg of protein, K(d) = 79 +/- 15 pM). Subtype-selective antagonists inhibited [(3)H]QNB similarly in muscle from both layers. Further analysis of antagonist inhibition of [(3)H]QNB binding showed a major site (60-70%) with antagonist affinity profile consistent with the M2 subtype and a second site that could not be classified. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting demonstrated the presence of all five known muscarinic receptor subtypes, and immunocytochemistry on acutely isolated smooth muscle cells confirmed the expression of each subtype on the muscle cells. Subtype-selective antagonists had similar inhibitory effects on carbachol-evoked contractions in longitudinal muscle and circular muscle strips with pA(2) values of 9.5 +/- 0.1 and 9.6 +/- 0.2 for 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide, 7.1 +/- 0.1 and 7.0 +/- 0.2 for pirenzepine, and 6.2 +/- 0.2 and 6.4 +/- 0.2 for methoctramine, respectively. We conclude that human esophageal smooth muscle expresses muscarinic receptor subtypes M1 through M5. The antagonist sensitivity profile for muscle contraction is consistent with activation of the M3 subtype.

A mutant human m5 receptor containing the mutations of Ser465 to Tyr and Thr466 to Pro showed constitutive activity. By replacing the equivalent Ser388 with Tyr and Thr389 with Pro, we created a mutant human m1 (Hm1) receptor with comparable double mutations. The mutant receptor, Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro), was stably expressed in A9 L cells and displayed enhanced responses to classical muscarinic agonists with significantly increased potencies. Choline, a normal component of growth media, showed an efficacy comparable to acetylcholine and carbachol at Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro) receptors. Methylcarbachol, a selective nicotinic agonist, exhibited partial agonist activity at human m1 wild-type receptors and full agonist activity at Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro) receptors. l-Hyoscyamine inhibited the activities of choline and methylcarbachol. Muscarinic antagonists displayed small reductions in binding affinities, although muscarinic agonists showed greatly increased binding affinities for Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro) receptors. All agonists, including choline and methylcarbachol, showed multiple affinity states at Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro) receptors in the absence of GppNHp. The high affinity binding sites for acetylcholine, arecoline and choline were shifted in the presence of GppNHp. These results suggest that Hm1(Ser388Tyr, Thr389Pro) is conformationally favorable for agonist binding and receptor activation.

The neuromuscular blocking drug alcuronium was found earlier to increase the affinity of muscarinic receptors for methyl-N-scopolamine (NMS). This effect could be observed in some but not in other tissues. Subtype selectivity of the positive allosteric action of alcuronium was now investigated in radioligand binding experiments in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with the genes encoding the M1-M5 subtypes of muscarinic receptors. Alcuronium had a particularly high affinity for the M2 receptor subtype (Kd = 0.6 microM) and its affinity for muscarinic receptor subtypes diminished in the order M2 > M4 = M3 > M1 > M5. Alcuronium allosterically increased the binding of (3H)NMS to membranes containing receptors of the M2 (cooperativity factor alpha = 0.38) and M4 subtypes (alpha = 0.72) and inhibited the binding of (3H)NMS to membranes containing receptors of the M1, M3 and M5 subtypes (alpha = 3.35-4.35). The positive effects of alcuronium could also be observed in experiments with (3H)NMS binding to intact whole cells, indicating that the positive allosteric action of alcuronium occurs by alcuronium binding to receptor domains that are accessible from the extracellular space. Alcuronium diminished the affinity for (3H)quinuclidinyl benzilate [(3H)QNB] at all five subtypes of muscarinic receptors and slowed down the dissociation of both (3H)NMS and (3H)QNB; its decelerating effect on radioligand dissociation was most pronounced at the M2 receptor subtype. Differences between the effects of alcuronium on individual muscarinic receptor subtypes are apparently responsible for differences between the allosteric effects of alcuronium on muscarinic receptors in various tissues that had been described previously.

The alpha adrenergic receptor subtypes of the human prostate have been intensively investigated, while the muscarinic receptor subtypes and their function have yet to be determined in this tissue. [3H]-QNB binding to muscarinic receptors was performed on membrane homogenates of adenoma from six prostatectomy specimens resulting in an average total receptor density of 46 fMol/mg protein. Pirenzepine, hexahydrosiladifenidol, and para-fluoro-hexahydrosiladifenidol, drugs with high affinity for the M1 subtype, were significantly more potent inhibitors of [3H]-QNB binding than the M2 selective drug methoctramine. Immunoprecipitation studies were done using antisera raised to individual M1-M5 receptor subtypes. Approximately 75% of the solubilized receptors in the adenoma specimens were immunoprecipitated with the anti-M1 antibody, in contrast to 5% or less with antibodies against M2, M3 or M4 subtypes. These immunoprecipitation studies confirm the preponderance of the M1 subtype in prostate adenoma suggested by the high affinity pirenzepine binding. M1 receptors, when incubated with agonist, coimmunoprecipitated with the alpha subunits of the guanine nucleotide binding regulatory proteins Gi alpha, Gq/11 alpha and G16 alpha. Immunohistochemical staining with the anti-M1 antibody demonstrates the M1 receptor to be localized to the glandular epithelium. The human prostate is the first peripheral tissue in which a preponderance of the M1 subtype of muscarinic receptors has been demonstrated.

Previous work from this laboratory showed that daily s.c. injections of the organophosphate diisopropylfluorophosphate caused prolonged inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) activity in whole blood and brain and downregulation of muscarinic receptors in the central nervous system; these changes were accompanied by progressive, persistent deterioration of working memory and motor function. Further, a single s.c. injection of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos (O,O',-diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothionate, CPF), caused neurochemical changes of the same magnitude and duration, but transient impairment of working memory and motor slowing. In the present study, weekly injections of CPF (0, 15, 30 or 60 mg/kg s.c.) inhibited ChE activity in whole blood of rats by 60% to 90% after 5 weeks; the highest dose also induced tremor, working memory impairment and motor slowing in daily delayed matching-to-position/visual discrimination tests. Reducing the CPF injection frequency to every other week relieved the inhibition of whole blood ChE activity (to 50%-75% of control) and ameliorated all the behavioral deficits. Reinstatement of weekly CPF injections (0, 15, 30, or 45 mg/kg) for 10 weeks inhibited whole blood ChE activity by 75% to 90%. Tremor was not observed during this period; however, motor slowing and working memory impairment persisted throughout the dosing period in all treated groups. Pharmacological evidence for tolerance to the muscarinic effects of CPF was observed on trial completion in the daily delayed matching-to-position/visual discrimination task: CPF-treated rats were supersensitive to scopolamine and subsensitive to pilocarpine. Nicotine reversed the reduction in trial completion associated with CPF. Changes in sensitivity to mecamylamine, d-amphetamine and haloperidol were not observed. Taken together, these studies indicate that inhibition of ChE activity by repeated injection of CPF produces a constellation of behavioral effects not evident after a single CPF treatment, even though both treatment regimens caused prolonged inhibition of ChE activity and downregulation of central muscarinic receptors.

Methamphetamine (MAP) administered in doses of 0.5 to 5 mg/kg i.p. to rats anesthetized with pentobarbital produced a shortening of the duration of loss of righting reflex. This analeptic effect of MAP was blocked by atropine but not by atropine methylbromide, indicating the central cholinergic nature of the response. This effect was also blocked by the D1 and D2 dopamine antagonists SCH 23390 (0.2 mg/kg) and raclopride (2 mg/kg), respectively. Pentobarbital decreased sodium-dependent high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) in frontal cortex and hippocampus as measured in synaptosomes from treated rats. MAP given to pentobarbital-narcotized rats restored HACU activity to nonanesthetized levels, but this restorative effect of MAP was blocked by SCH 23390 or raclopride. These data suggest that in addition to a cholinergic mechanism, the analeptic effect of MAP involves the dopamine system. alpha-Methyl-p-tyrosine, but not reserpine, pretreatment completely blocked the MAP analeptic response. In reserpinzed rats, MAP produced a markedly enhanced analeptic response. Studies of the effects of repeated administration of MAP on its analeptic activity were also undertaken in view of the well known sensitization to the locomotor and stereotypic effects of the amphetamines that occur with repeated intermittent administration. Rats pretreated daily with MAP (5 mg/kg) for 5 or 12 days showed neither tolerance nor sensitization to the analeptic effect of subsequent MAP administrations. 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate-binding studies also showed no changes in muscarinic binding characteristics of membranes prepared from cortex or hippocampus of rats pretreated chronically with MAP. These and our earlier studies suggest that the analeptic effect of MAP is mediated via a dopaminergic-cholinergic mechanism.

The extent of reserve among inhibitory muscarinic autoreceptors on hippocampal cholinergic nerve terminals was examined in superfused calcium-naive synaptosomes. The tissues were treated with the irreversible muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist propylbenzilycholine mustard (PrBCM) and then used to assess the functional status of autoreceptors through acetylcholine (ACh)-induced inhibition of calcium-evoked [3H]ACh release. PrBCM treatment caused a marked reduction in the density of high-affinity [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites (46%, 72% and 90% reductions after 3, 6 or 10 nM PrBCM, respectively) but had no apparent influence on the binding affinities or relative proportions of high- and low-affinity binding sites for the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine or the agonist ACh. In vehicle-treated tissues, ACh was a potent (EC50 = 240 nM) and efficacious (maximal inhibition of stimulated [3H]ACh release = 65%) agonist at muscarinic autoreceptors. However, after PrBCM treatment, the maximal inhibition for ACh was greatly attenuated (35% and 17% for 3 and 6 nM PrBCM, respectively) with no concurrent changes in the EC50 or slope factor. Comparisons of equieffective agonist concentrations before and after receptor occlusion revealed a direct linear relationship between autoreceptor occupancy and inhibition of [3H]ACh release with close agreement between the calculated agonist dissociation constant (KA = 220 nM) and the EC50 for ACh. Pretreatment with 100 nM atropine methylbromide completely prevented PrBCM-induced reductions in muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding and autoreceptor function. These results support the conclusion that muscarinic autoreceptors on hippocampal nerve endings exhibit little or no reserve for inhibition of ACh release by the endogenous neurotransmitter.

The stimulation of the formation of inositol phosphate (IP) by (+-)-methyl-2,3,3a,4-tetrahydro-1H-indolo [3,2,1-de] [1,5] naphthyridine-6-carboxylate monohydrochloride (vinconate), a novel indolonaphthyridine derivative, was studied using both cerebral cortical slices and crude synaptic membranes prepared from the rat brain. Vinconate (10 mM-1 mM) inhibited the binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate to the muscarinic receptor in a dose-dependent manner and the IC50 value for [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding was found to be 17 microM. The rightward shift of the inhibition curve of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding by carbachol in the presence of GTP (100 microM) was abolished by vinconate (100 microM). Carbachol (10 nM-10 mM) significantly increased [3H]IP formation in a dose-dependent manner and the rate of [3H]IP formation mediated by carbachol stimulation was significantly accentuated in the presence of 10 microM vinconate. The enhancement of [3H]IP accumulation by vinconate was inhibited by approximately 50% in the presence of atropine (1-1000 microM), although up to 1 mM of phentolamine and ketanserin had no effect on the vinconate-induced increase of phosphatidylinositol turnover. Moreover, vinconate significantly accentuated 20 mM KCl-evoked stimulation of [3H]IP formation. Vinconate had no differential effect on the ratio of IP or inositol 1,4-biphosphate and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate formations. These results suggest that vinconate may induce a facilitation of phosphatidylinositol turnover via the stimulation of muscarinic receptors and a facilitation of coupling between muscarinic receptors and GTP-binding protein. The presence of a direct stimulatory effect of vinconate on phosphatidylinositol turnover has also been suggested.

The human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y was used to demonstrate morphine-induced down-regulation and naloxone-induced up-regulation of opiate receptors in a mu receptor containing neuronally derived preparation capable of desensitization to morphine. Chronic exposure to morphine decreased the number but not the affinity of mu opiate receptors in SH-SY5Y cells. Differentiation of the cells with retinoic acid or with the phorbol agent TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate) increased the number of mu receptors. Morphine-induced down-regulation, however, was observed in the absence of differentiation as well as after differentiation with retinoic acid or TPA. The decrease in the number of receptors was related to time of exposure, with a half-maximum disappearance time (T1/2) of about 3 hr during the initial phase. The receptor decrease was near maximum at 24 hr with no further significant change up to 72 hr. The loss of [3H] DAMGO ([3H]Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-Me-Phe-Gly-ol) binding was also dose-dependent, with reductions occurring at 0.3, 1 and 10 microM. The loss of receptors was dependent on temperature, with reductions at 37 but not 23 degrees C. The down-regulation was blocked by naloxone and the mu-selective antagonist CTOP (D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D(-Trp-)Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2), but not by the delta antagonist ICI 174864 ([N,N-diallyl-Tyr1,Aib2,3]Leu-enkephalin). Cholinergic ([3H]quinclidinyl benzilate) binding was not affected by the morphine treatment, indicating that the down-regulation was homologous for opiate receptors. In SH-SY5Y cells, unlike other cell models, the opiate antagonist naloxone upregulated mu receptors by more than 50%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscarinic cholinergic receptor function in rat brain cortex was characterized by performing binding assays with [3H](-)quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) in parallel with assays of phospholipase C (PLC) activation by carbachol using membrane preparations and exogenous [3H]-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ([3H]PIP2). Competitive binding studies revealed high- and low-affinity binding sites for the receptor antagonists, pirenzepine, methoctramine and the p-fluoro analog of hexahydro-sila-difenidol (p-F-HHSiD). Carbachol-stimulated [3H]-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate breakdown was specifically inhibited by pirenzepine and p-F-HHiSD. The inhibition curves for these antagonists were best described by interactions at two sites. There was quantitative agreement between the antagonist affinity constants and the proportion of high- and low-affinity sites derived in functional and binding studies. The characteristics of the putative subtypes of muscarinic receptors and their stimulation of phospholipase C was examined after treatment with two alkylating agents, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline and propylbenzilylcholine mustard. Loss of receptors was closely correlated with loss of PLC activation by carbachol, without alteration of the EC50 value (21 microM) of this agonist, clearly demonstrating a lack of receptor reserve. When both alkylating treatments were adjusted to induce a decrease of 60% in the maximal number of [3H]QNB binding sites, a similar (60%) reduction in the maximal effect of carbachol on PLC activation was found. However, the characteristics of the remaining receptors after the treatment with the two alkylating agents differ markedly as determined by competition of pirenzepine, p-F-HHSiD and methoctramine for [3H]QNB binding, and for inhibition of carbachol-stimulated phospholipase C by pirenzepine and p-F-HHSiD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) are important in esophageal physiology, and mAChR alterations may be involved in ethanol-induced esophageal dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that acute ethanol decreases lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), whereas withdrawal from chronic ethanol results in pressure increases which are reversible by acute ethanol. To see if this increase in LESP is due to upregulation of mAChR, we evaluated both mAChR binding and dose-response curves for bethanechol and atropine-induced changes in LESP before and after acute and chronic ethanol exposure. The number of mAChR sites (Bmax) in LES (3.4 fmol/mg tissue) was lowered by acute ethanol (1.72, -50%); withdrawal from chronic ethanol raised Bmax (5.2, +54%). Acute injection of ethanol into cats in withdrawal reversed this increase in mAChR density (3.1, -10%). These changes correlated with our earlier data on ethanol-induced changes in LESP. However, the dose-response curve for bethanechol-induced pressure increases shifted to the right [ED25 (micrograms/kg); control, 8.6; withdrawal, 21.3], paralleled by an increase in the number of low-affinity agonist binding sites. Thus, 1) the withdrawal-associated increase in Bmax (up-regulation) is more likely to be a compensatory response to deficits (functional subsensitivity) distal to the receptor recognition site than to proximal deficits; 2) the increase in Bmax does not cause LESP hyperactivity; and 3) receptor binding changes do not necessarily translate into physiological changes.

Quantitative autoradiographic procedures were used to examine the effects of chronic nicotine infusion on the number of central nervous system nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Female DBA mice were implanted with jugular cannulas and infused with saline or various doses of nicotine (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg/hr) for 10 days. The animals were then sacrificed and the brains were removed and frozen in isopentane. Cryostat sections were collected and prepared for autoradiographic procedures as previously described. Nicotinic cholinergic receptors were labeled with L-[3H]nicotine or alpha-[125I]bungarotoxin; [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate was used to measure muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding. Chronic nicotine infusion increased the number of sites labeled by [3H]nicotine in most brain areas. However, the extent of the increase in binding as well as the dose-response curves for the increase were widely different among brain regions. After the highest treatment dose, binding was increased in 67 of 86 regions measured. Septal and thalamic regions were most resistant to change. Nicotinic binding measured by alpha-[125I]bungarotoxin also increased after chronic treatment, but in a less robust fashion. At the highest treatment dose, only 26 of 80 regions were significantly changes. Muscarinic binding was not altered after chronic nicotine treatment. These data suggest that brain regions are not equivalent in the mechanisms that regulate alterations in nicotinic cholinergic receptor binding after chronic nicotine treatment.

The identity and distribution of muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes and associated signal transduction mechanisms was characterized for the cerebral circulation using correlated functional and biochemical investigations. Subtypes were distinguished by the relative affinities of a panel of muscarinic antagonists, pirenzepine, AF-DX 116 [11-2-[[2-[diethylaminomethyl]- 1-piperidinyl]acetyl]-5,11-dihydro-6H- pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one], hexahydrosiladifenidol, methoctramine, 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methobromide, dicyclomine, para-fluoro-hexahydrosiladifenidol and atropine. Muscarinic receptors characterized by inhibition of [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate binding in membranes of bovine pial arteries were of the M2 subtype. In contrast pharmacological analysis of [3H]-quinuclidinylbenzilate binding in bovine intracerebral microvessels suggests the presence of an M4 subtype. Receptors mediating endothelium-dependent vasodilation in rabbit pial arteries were of the M3 subtype, whereas muscarinic receptors stimulating endothelium-independent phosphoinositide hydrolysis in bovine pial arteries were of the M1 subtype. These findings suggest that characteristics of muscarinic receptors in cerebral blood vessels vary depending on the type of vessel, cellular location and function mediated.

Muscarinic receptor agonist-induced desensitization of phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and loss of receptors were studied in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the m1 and m3 muscarinic receptor genes. Long-term exposure to the full agonist carbamylcholine (CBC) resulted in a time-dependent attenuation of the maximal PI response and a decrease in agonist potency. This desensitization was accompanied by a parallel loss of maximal ligand binding without an alteration of the binding affinity. The time course of both receptor desensitization and down-regulation was similar in m1 and m3 CHO cells. The PI response to the partial agonist McN-A-343 (McN) in m1 cells was more sensitive to desensitization by CBC than the response to the latter agonist, and this desensitization was faster than receptor down-regulation. Desensitization of the PI response to McN was reflected as a decrease in the maximal response without a marked change in potency. McN induced slow desensitization of the PI response to CBC but a much faster desensitization of its own response. Our data provide evidence that although muscarinic agonist-induced desensitization of PI hydrolysis in CHO cells is due mainly to loss of receptors, there are other important factors which play a role in this process, e.g., receptor-effector uncoupling. The relative contribution of these different mechanisms depends on the efficacy of the agonists used for the receptor desensitization and activation steps.

Cells of the TE671/RD human clonal line express a finite number (Bmax) of about 350 fmol/mg of membrane protein) of apparently noninteracting, high-affinity binding sites (KD of 0.07 nM and a Hill coefficient close to unity, nH = 0.94) for the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) radio antagonist, tritium-labeled quinuclidinyl benzilate [( 3H]QNB). The rank order potency of selective antagonists that inhibit specific [3H]QNB binding is: atropine greater than 4-DAMP (4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide) greater than pirenzepine greater than methoctramine greater than AFDX-116 (11-2[[2-[(diethylamino)methyl]-1-[piperidinyl] acetyl]-5,11-dihydro-6H-pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepin-6-one). Functional studies indicate that phosphoinositide (PIns) hydrolysis in TE671/RD cells is increased by carbachol (EC50 of 10 microM), but not by nicotine (to concentrations as high as 1 mM). Agonist-stimulated PIns metabolism is inhibited by antagonists with the same rank order potency as for inhibition of [3H]QNB binding. Functional responses are augmented in the presence of a nonhydrolyzable GTP analog, are strongly inhibited after 24-hr exposure to cholera toxin, but are only slightly inhibited after long-term exposure to pertussis toxin or forskolin. These studies identify a pharmacologically-defined M3-subtype of mAChR strongly coupled via a cholera toxin-sensitive mechanism to PIns hydrolysis in these cells. Within 1 hr of treatment of TE671/RD cells with 1 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP or with 10 microM phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), there is a 30 to 50% decrease in carbachol-stimulated PIns responsiveness that recovers to control values after 5 days of continued drug treatment. However, a comparable and more persistent inhibition of mAChR function is observed on cell treatment with 20 nM PMA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

AF102B [(+-)-cis-2-methyl-spiro(1,3-oxathiolane-5,3')quinuclidine], a structurally rigid analog of acetylcholine, was investigated in a number of neurochemical, pharmacological and behavioral tests related to cholinergic functions. AF102B induced atropine-sensitive contractions of isolated guinea pig ilea and trachea preparations with EC50 values of 3.5 and 3 microM being 87- and 1.3-fold less potent than acetylcholine, respectively. Binding studies using the radioligands pirenzepine, cis-dioxolane and quinuclidinyl benzilate in rat cerebral cortex and quinuclidinyl benzilate in cerebellar homogenates indicated that AF102B was a potent and highly selective M1-type muscarinic probe, being more selective for M1 receptors than oxotremorine, carbachol and AF102A (the trans-isomer of AF102B). AF102B had a 3-fold higher apparent affinity for M1 receptors than the prototype M1 agonist, McN-A-343, cis- and trans-AF30 (other rigid analogs of acetylcholine). Treatment of rat cortical homogenates with Cu++ ions did not modify the affinity observed for the muscarinic antagonists atropine, scopolamine and pirenzepine, whereas increasing the proportion of high affinity sites for the agonists oxotremorine-M, carbachol and McN-A-343. The apparent affinity of AF102B also increased by Cu++ treatment suggesting that this compound interacts with rat cerebral cortex muscarinic receptors as an agonist. AF102B did not affect high affinity choline transport, choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase activities in rat brain preparations. In rats treated with AF64A (the cholinotoxin ethylcholine aziridinium ion; 3 nmol/2 microliters/side i.c.v.), AF102B (1 mg/kg p.o. or i.p.), AF102A (1 mg/kg i.p.), cis-AF30 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and physostigmine (0.06 mg/kg i.p.), each reversed cognitive impairments in a step-through passive avoidance task. Both AF102B and AF102A (1 mg/kg i.p.), but not physostigmine (0.1 mg/kg i.p.), were effective also in reversing reference memory impairments in a Morris water maze test. Repetitive administrations of AF102B (0.2 mg/kg/day i.p.) improved AF64A-induced working memory deficits in the Morris water maze test, but did not affect open field behavior. The data show that the selective M1 agonist AF102B can restore AF64A-induced cognitive impairments, without producing adverse central and peripheral side effects at the effective doses and this can indicate its potential use for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The radioligand binding and functional properties of 10 muscarinic agonists for the M1 muscarinic receptors were characterized on the murine fibroblast B82 cells, which have been transfected with the m1 gene. All of the muscarinic agonists completely inhibited [3H](-)methyl-3-quinuclidinyl benzilate binding to the M1 muscarinic receptor in the transfected B82 cells. Their apparent inhibition constant values for agonist/[3H](-)methyl-3-quinuclidinyl benzilate inhibition experiments correlate well with their EC50 values in stimulating phosphatidylinositide hydrolysis. Based on the maximal functional effects: (+)-cismethyl-dioxolane, oxotremorine-M, acetylcholine, carbachol and methacholine are most efficacious, McN-A-343 and arecoline are least efficacious, whereas the efficacies of oxotremorine and pilocarpine are intermediate. In addition, McN-A-343 inhibited carbachol-stimulated phosphatidylinositide hydrolysis. Spare receptors were detected for oxotremorine-M, methacholine and carbachol, but not the rest of the agonists, by comparing the receptor-occupancy curves with the concentration-response curves. These results suggest that the presence of a quaternary nitrogen (trimethylammonium group) within the structure of the agonist may be important for the expression of full agonist activity.

Behavioral effects of organophosphates (OPs) typically decrease with repeated exposure, despite persistence of OP-induced inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and downregulation of muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors. To characterize this tolerance phenomenon, rats were trained to perform an appetitive operant task which allowed daily quantification of working memory (accuracy of delayed matching-to-position), reference memory (accuracy of visual discrimination) and motor function (choice response latencies and inter-response times during delay). Daily s.c. injections of 0.2 mg/kg of diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) caused no visible cholinergic signs, did not affect body weight or visual discrimination, but progressively impaired matching accuracy and lengthened response latencies and interresponse times. These effects recovered in seven of eight treated rats after termination of DFP treatment. Resumption of daily DFP at 0.1 mg/kg caused smaller impairments of both matching accuracy and response latency. After 21 injections of 0.2 mg/kg/day of DFP, rats were subsensitive to the hypothermia induced by acute oxotremorine (0.2 mg/kg i.p.), as expected after OP-induced downregulation of muscarinic ACh receptors. Evidence for supersensitivity to scopolamine (0.03 and 0.056 mg/kg i.p.) in DFP-treated rats was mixed, with additive effects predominating on both the cognitive and motor aspects of the task. After 18 days of 0.1 mg/kg of DFP, AChE was inhibited 50 to 75% and muscarinic ACh receptor density was reduced 15 to 20% in hippocampus and frontal cortex. Progressive declines in AChE activity in hippocampus and frontal cortex across 15 daily doses with DFP at 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg were observed in other rats; quinuclidinyl benzilate binding was significantly reduced in hippocampus after 15 doses at both levels of DFP. These results indicate that animals showing a definitive sign of tolerance to OP administration (subsensitivity to a cholinergic agonist) were also functionally impaired on both the mnemonic and motoric demands of a working memory task. The nature of this impairment suggests further that it results from compensatory changes in the central nervous system, e.g., muscarinic receptor downregulation, considered to produce "tolerance" to OPs in exposed animals.

We investigated the interrelationship of delayed amnesia, delayed neuronal death and changes in acetylcholine concentration induced by carbon monoxide (CO)-exposure in mice. In the test for retention of the passive avoidance task, amnesia was observed 5 and 7 days after CO-exposure when the mice were exposed to CO 1 day after training; in the case when the mice were exposed to CO 5 and 7 days before training, amnesia was also observed in a retention test given 1 day after training. The number of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 subfield was lower than that of the control 3, 5 and 7 days after CO-exposure. But the neurodegeneration in the parietal cortex, area 1, was not observed until 7 days after CO-exposure. The findings indicated that the amnesia and the neuronal death were produced after a delay when the mice were exposed to CO. In addition, the delayed amnesia was closely related to the delayed neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 subfield. Moreover, [3H]glutamate and [3H]glycine binding sites did not change after CO-exposure but, 7 days after CO-exposure, the concentration of acetylcholine and the binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in the frontal cortex and the striatum were found to have significantly changed, but those in the hippocampus did not show significant change. Therefore, we suggest that delayed amnesia induced by CO-exposure may result from delayed neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 subfield and dysfunction in the acetylcholinergic neurons, in the frontal cortex, the striatum and/or the hippocampus.

The distribution of subtypes of the muscarinic receptor in homogenates of the rat brain was investigated by measuring the competitive inhibition of the binding [3H]N-methylscopolamine by pirenzepine and AF-DX 116 (11[[2-[(diethylamino)methyl]-1-piperidinyl]acetyl]-5, 11-dihydro-6H-pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one). In most brain regions, the competitive binding curves for AF-DX 116 and pirenzepine were consistent with a two-site model. The dissociation constant of pirenzepine for its high-affinity site (M1 receptor) was approximately 10(-8) M, whereas the dissociation constant of AF-DX 116 for its high affinity site (M2 receptor) was approximately 10(-7) M. In many regions, particularly those in the forebrain, the sum of the densities of the M1 and M2 binding sites was substantially less than 100% of the total sites, indicating the existence of a third population of sites lacking high affinity for both pirenzepine and AF-DX 116. We have designated these latter sites as non-M1, non-M2 muscarinic receptors. In general, the densities of the M1 and non-M1, non-M2 binding sites were highest in cerebral cortex, corpus striatum and hippocampus, intermediate in thalamus and hypothalamus, and lowest in midbrain, medulla-pons and cerebellum, whereas the M2 binding site had a relatively low, uniform density throughout the brain. The binding capacity of [3H]N-methylquinuclidinyl benzilate was estimated to be 20 to 30% lower than that of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in various regions of the forebrain, but not in more caudal regions of the brain where the two radioligands had approximately the same binding capacities. Treatment of homogenates of the cerebral cortex with benzilylcholine mustard caused a selective loss of the majority of the [3H]N-methylscopolamine binding sites but spared 25% of the sites labeled by [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate The results of pirenzepine/[3H]quinuclinyl benzilate competitive binding experiments on cerebral cortex treated with benzilylcholine mustard showed that the residual binding sites for [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate were enriched in M1 muscarinic receptors.

Benzoyltropine and tropacocaine are two contaminants of street-cocaine reported to have parasympatholytic activity. Because the mechanism underlying this activity is obscure, we investigated the effects of these compounds on several cholinergic processes: sodium-dependent choline uptake, sodium-independent choline uptake, acetylcholine synthesis, acetylcholine release (spontaneous and veratridine-induced) and binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate to muscarinic receptors. These studies used rat cerebral cortical synaptosomes, except for the receptor-binding studies, which used whole brain plasma membranes. Benzoyltropine and tropacocaine each inhibited sodium-dependent choline uptake and acetylcholine synthesis in a dose-related manner that was competitive with extracellular choline. Benzoyltropine was 4 to 5 times more potent in both actions than tropacocaine. Sodium-independent choline uptake was not affected by either compound. Benzoyltropine (30 microM) had no effect on the sodium-dependent uptake of norepinephrine, gamma-amino-butyric acid, glutamate or serotonin; tropacocaine (30 microM) inhibited only norepinephrine uptake at this concentration. Benzoyltropine and tropacocaine each inhibited the spontaneous and veratridine-induced release of newly synthesized acetylcholine, but not via activation of presynaptic muscarinic receptors. Instead, each compound was able to attenuate the oxotremorine-induced inhibition of the release of acetylcholine, suggesting antimuscarinic activity. Binding experiments showed that benzoyltropine and tropacocaine were, respectively, about 1,000- and 10,000-fold less potent than scopolamine as receptor antagonists. Finally, we demonstrated that benzoyltropine accumulates in the rat brain after its peripheral injection (10 mg/kg i.p.) and remains there with a half-life similar to that of cocaine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

As age and sex affect the function of the lower urinary tract, we studied the characteristics of adrenergic and cholinergic receptors in various parts of lower urinary tract smooth muscle of young (6 months) and old (4 1/2-5 years) male and female rabbits. Saturation experiments performed with [3H]prazosin, [3H]yohimbine, [3H]dihydroalprenolol and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate in rabbit bladder base, bladder dome and urethra indicate the presence of regional, sex- and age-related differences in the density of alpha-1, alpha-2, and beta adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors. Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor density is considerably higher in the female than in the male urethra of both age groups, whereas the higher density of beta adrenergic receptors in the female than in the male bladder base is observed only in the younger animals. The density of muscarinic receptors is higher in bladder dome than in bladder base or urethra in young rabbits of both sexes. In the old animals, the density of muscarinic receptors in bladder base increases to the level observed in bladder dome. Inhibition experiments with selective adrenergic agonists and antagonists indicate that the pharmacological profiles of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in the urethra and beta adrenergic receptors in the bladder dome and bladder base are similar in both sexes and at both ages. Beta-2 adrenergic receptors are shown to be predominant in bladder base and bladder dome of rabbits. Parallel studies in rabbit urethra, adult rat cortex and neonatal rat lung show that the urethral alpha-2 adrenergic receptors are of the alpha-2A subtype.

Homologous desensitization of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) was studied using primary cultures of corticostriatal neurons from neonatal rats. Prolonged incubation with carbachol attenuated phospholipase C responsiveness to muscarinic agonists and decreased the number of cell surface mAChR, as measured by binding of N-[3H] methylscopolamine to neuronal monolayers. When neurons were exposed to carbachol for 15 min, 40% of the mAChR lost from the membrane domain was recovered in the cytosol; a decrease of the total neuronal receptors was detected following an incubation with the agonist lasting longer than 15 min. Both 8-Br-cyclic AMP and forskolin neither affected N-[3H]methylscopolamine binding to cell monolayers or did they prevent the agonist-mediated mAChR desensitization. 8-Br-cyclic GMP also failed to decrease mAChR number. Pertussis toxin failed to prevent the homologous desensitization of mAChR under conditions that blocked the agonist-mediated inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP formation. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-12, 13-acetate induced a concentration-dependent decrease of N-[3H]methylscopolamine binding to neuronal monolayers. However, the protein kinase C inhibitors sphingosine and the ganglioside monosialosyl-gangliotetraglicosylceramide inhibited the 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-12,13-acetate-induced but not the agonist-induced desensitization of mAChRs. Furthermore, incubation with muscarinic agonists failed to translocate protein kinase C from cytosol to plasma membranes, as measured by binding of the phorbol ester [3H]-4-beta-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate to neuronal monolayers. In corticostriatal neurons the agonist-induced desensitization and internalization of mAChR involves neither protein kinase C and protein kinase A activation nor changes in cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP content.

The effects of the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) on muscarinic receptor downregulation and internalization in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells were determined. Downregulation was assessed by measuring [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate binding to intact cells. PMA alone did not induce muscarinic receptor downregulation but instead decreased markedly both the rate and final extent of downregulation induced by the agonist carbachol. The specificity of various analogs for inhibiting carbachol-induced downregulation indicated involvement of protein kinase C. Furthermore the protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine prevented the inhibitory effect of PMA on downregulation. In contrast, staurosporine did not inhibit agonist-induced downregulation. Neither agonist-induced downregulation nor the inhibitory effect of PMA were blocked by cycloheximide, indicating that protein synthesis is not required for these effects. Muscarinic receptor internalization was assessed both by sucrose density gradient centrifugation assays of receptor subcellular distribution and by measuring binding of the hydrophilic radioligand N-[3H]methylscopolamine to intact cells at reduced temperature. PMA did not induce muscarinic receptor internalization but rather inhibited internalization induced by the agonist carbachol. Together these results suggest that activation of protein kinase C leads to inhibition of an agonist-induced increase in the rates of muscarinic receptor internalization and degradation that are presumably responsible for receptor redistribution and eventual downregulation.

It has been proposed that ethanol and aging may interact synergistically to impair brain function through effects on central muscarinic receptors. Previous studies have investigated the effect of either chronic ethanol treatment or aging, but not both factors simultaneously, on brain muscarinic receptors. We have studied brain muscarinic receptors in animals treated with ethanol for up to 25 months. Ethanol consumption for 3 and 9 months resulted in increased density of quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding sites in cortex, coinciding with an increase in high-affinity pirenzepine binding sites and low-affinity carbachol binding sites. Upregulation of QNB binding sites in striatum and hippocampus became obvious after further ethanol treatment (15 and 21 months, respectively). Affinity of QNB binding sites and carbachol binding sites was not altered by ethanol treatment. However, there was an ethanol-related decrease in affinity of low-affinity pirenzepine binding sites in cerebral cortex. Density of QNB binding sites and low-affinity pirenzepine binding sites decreased with age in three brain areas investigated. There were age-related changes in receptor affinity in hippocampus and striatum, but not in cortex. Ethanol-related upregulation of muscarinic receptors was superimposed on age-related loss of receptors. We conclude that acceleration of the aging process associated with ethanol abuse is unlikely to be explained on the basis of alterations in receptor density or affinity.

To determine the ontogenetic relationship of muscarinic receptor and effector systems in the central nervous system, the developmental time courses for binding sites with high (M1) and low (M2) affinity for pirenzepine as well as muscarinic receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown and inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation were examined in rat cortex. M1 sites were 30% of adult levels at 1 week, 70% at 2 weeks, 90% at 3 weeks and equal to adult levels at 4 weeks postpartum. M2 sites, on the other hand, did not show a significant change between the ages of 1 and 6 weeks. Acetylcholine-stimulated phosphoinositide breakdown was detected at all ages tested (1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 weeks). The percentage of conversion of [3H] phosphoinositides to [3H]inositol phosphates, stimulated by 1 mM acetylcholine, increased with age until 3 weeks after birth and then decreased slightly at ages 4 and 6 weeks. Carbachol inhibition of [3H]cyclic AMP accumulation, on the other hand, was undetectable in tissues from 1- and 2-week-old rats, whereas in tissues from 3- and 4-week-old rats, the responses were at 6-week level. Thus, for carbachol inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation, a time in development existed (2 weeks after birth) at which receptors appeared to be present but response to stimulation was absent. To examine indirectly the coupling of binding sites to second messenger systems via guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins, the density of binding sites for the muscarinic receptor agonist, [3H]oxotremorine-M, was measured.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The muscarinic cholinoceptors in porcine coronary artery were identified and characterized by a binding assay using (-)-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) and also by pharmacological method. Specific (-)-[3H]QNB binding in the coronary artery was saturable and of high affinity (Kd = 0.08 nM), and it showed a pharmacological specificity as well as stereoselectivity which characterized muscarinic receptors. Muscarinic antagonists competed with the (-)-[3H]QNB binding in order: nonlabeled QNB greater than dexetimide greater than atropine greater than pirenzepine greater than AF-DX 116 greater than levetimide greater than gallamine. Dexetimide was approximately 2000 times as potent as levetimide. The potencies (pKi) of these muscarinic antagonists in competing for (-)-[3H]QNB binding sites in porcine coronary artery correlated well with their pharmacological potencies (pA2 for antagonistic effect of acetylcholine-induced contraction of coronary artery). The decrease in the (-)-[3H]QNB binding by atropine and pirenzepine was due to a reduction in the apparent affinity with little change in the number of maximal binding sites, suggesting a competitive antagonism. Specific (-)-[3H]QNB binding (Kd and maximal number of binding sites) in porcine coronary artery was not changed by the removal of endothelium. We conclude: 1) (-)-[3H]QNB selectively labels the physiologically relevant muscarinic receptors in porcine coronary artery and 2) the majority of these receptors is localized on vascular smooth muscles and the receptors mediate the acetylcholine-induced contractile response of coronary artery.

The effects of neuromuscular blocking drugs and muscarinic agonists and antagonists on the dissociation of [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate ([3H]QNB) from muscarinic receptors was studied on rat atrial homogenates. In typical experiments the investigated drug was added to the homogenate equilibrated with [3H]QNB and the amount of undissociated [3H]QNB receptor complexes was measured 40 min later. The antagonists atropine and pirenzepine, agonists carbamoylcholine and methylfurmethide and neuromuscular blockers pancuronium, d-tubocurarine and decamethonium caused a concentration-dependent dissociation of [3H]QNB from the receptors, which may be explained by their competition with [3H]QNB for the same (primary) binding sites. In accordance with this, these drugs did not affect the dissociation of [3H]QNB elicited by an excess of atropine, which indicates that the kinetics of dissociation of the [3H]QNB receptor complex remained unchanged in their presence. Neuromuscular blockers alcuronium, gallamine and to a lesser degree tercuronium differed from the other drugs in that 1) their effect on [3H]QNB dissociation was biphasic, being higher at their low (10(-6) to 10(-5) M) than at their high concentrations (10(-4) to 10(-3) and that 2) at high concentrations they strongly inhibited the dissociation of [3H]QNB receptor complexes elicited by the excess of atropine. Their behavior may be rationalized by assuming that at low concentrations they bind to the primary binding site making rebinding of once dissociated [3H]QNB molecules improbable (competitive mechanism), whereas at high concentrations they also act on a secondary (allosteric) binding site stabilizing the [3H]QNB receptor complexes by slowing their off-kinetics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscarinic receptors, [14C]choline uptake and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in central and peripheral tissues of guinea-pigs treated repeatedly with diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) were simultaneously determined. After repeated DFP (1 mg/kg) administration, there was a significant decrease in specific [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate binding only in the striatum, ileal longitudinal muscle and urinary bladder among various tissues examined. Scatchard analysis revealed that the administration of DFP at 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg which depressed the tissue AChE by 50 to 90%, caused a dose-dependent decrease (20-50%) in striatal and ileal [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites without a change in the dissociation constant. The lower dose (0.2 mg/kg) of DFP depressed significantly the AChE in both tissues by 30% but failed to alter their [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites. High affinity uptake of [14C]choline in the striatum and ileal longitudinal muscle was significantly decreased by repeated administration of DFP at 0.5 and 1 mg/kg but not 0.2 mg/kg. The DFP-induced loss of striatal and ileal muscarinic receptors was effectively antagonized by a concomitant administration of physostigmine (0.5 mg/kg) and atropine (5 mg/kg). Also, these drugs antagonized the DFP-induced decrease in the striatal [14C]choline uptake. Thus, the present study has demonstrated that repeated DFP administration causes a specific decrease in muscarinic receptors and [14C]choline uptake in the striatum and ileal longitudinal muscle of guinea pigs which is closely associated with a considerable (more than 50%) depression of the tissue AChE. In addition, these adaptive changes by DFP were effectively antagonized by physostigmine and atropine.

The properties of the specific binding of the muscarinic receptor ligands [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and N-[3H]methylscopolamine in rat brain were compared. The specific binding of both ligands was affected equally by heat, phospholipase A2 and trypsin. N-[3H]methylscopolamine labeled only a fraction of the total muscarinic receptors recognized by [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in different brain areas and in the heart. Evidence is presented that N-[3H]methylscopolamine, in fact, binds to a subpopulation of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites. The distribution of the high-affinity binding sites of N-[3H]methylscopolamine did not show a different tissue dependence as compared to the total receptor population, and did not parallel the distribution of the pirenzepine-sensitive M1 receptor subtype. Similarly, the affinity of both [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and N-[3H]methylscopolamine varied from one tissue to another by a maximum of 2-fold. Although (-)-quinuclidinyl benzilate competed for the specific binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in different tissues according to the law of mass-action, N-methylscopolamine showed an anomalous interaction with two binding sites. The low-affinity binding sites of N-methylscopolamine showed saturability of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding and stereoselectivity. When the binding characteristics of these N-methylscopolamine-inaccessible binding sites of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in the brain were investigated further, it was found that N-methylscopolamine bound exclusively with a single low affinity, whereas pirenzepine still interacted with two receptor populations incorporated in these sites. It is concluded from several lines of evidence that the heterogeneity of binding of N-methylscopolamine to muscarinic receptors does not represent an interaction with the muscarinic M1 and M2 receptor subtypes defined by pirenzepine. Thus, the unique binding profile of pirenzepine to muscarinic receptors cannot be explained merely on the basis of its hydrophilic nature.

Three muscarinic receptor antagonists, [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB), N-[3H]methylscopolamine ([3H]NMS and N-[methyl-3H]QNB ([3H]NMeQNB), each bind to an apparently homogeneous population of receptors on intact chick heart cells. [3H]QNB binds to approximately 9500 sites/cells, whereas [3H]NMS and [3H]NMeQNB bind to approximately 5000 sites/cell. Atropine and scopolamine compete with all three radioligands with a single, high affinity. Their quaternary analogs N-methylatropine and NMS and the quaternary agonist carbachol also show a single affinity for [3H]NMS and [3H]NMeQNB binding sites, but have biphasic competition curves for [3H]QNB sites with low "apparent" affinity for a subpopulation of sites. When 10 nM or greater propylbenzilylcholine mustard is used to alkylate receptors virtually all [3H]NMS binding is abolished, whereas [3H]QNB still labels a significant fraction of the binding sites seen in control cells. The sites with low apparent affinity for quaternary ligands are shown to have characteristics of muscarinic receptors, but do not appear necessary for muscarinic receptor-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. We suggest that a subpopulation of nonfunctional muscarinic receptors are sequestered within the membrane or otherwise inaccessible to hydrophilic or charged ligands.

Studies show [3H]PZ identified selectively a subpopulation of muscarinic binding sites compared to classical antagonists like (-)-[3H]QNB in many central and peripheral tissues. We characterized the binding and regulation of selected antagonists to high-affinity [3H]PZ (putative M1) and low-affinity PZ (putative M2) sites in rat cerebral cortex (predominantly M1) and heart (predominantly M2). Saturation isotherms of [3H]PZ and (-)-[3H]QNB were performed under various conditions. Guanyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate (30 microM) showed little effect on Kd (dissociation constant) or total binding capacity (total receptor density) values. Higher ionic strength buffers yielded lower affinity values for [3H]PZ and (-)-[3H]QNB. Kinetic studies confirmed high affinity Kd values seen in steady-state assays. We conducted inhibition studies of selected muscarinic antagonists including the reportedly cardioselective (putative M2) drug, AF-DX 116 (11-[(2-(diethylamino)methyl-1-piperidinyl)-acetyl]-5, 11-dihydro-6H-pyrido(2,3-b)(1,4)-benzodiazepine-6-one], the reportedly M1 selective compound, PZ, and the classical antagonist (-)QNB, using [3H]PZ and (-)-[3H]QNB-labeled cerebral cortical and cardiac homogenates. Assays were done with and without guanyl-5'-yl-imidophosphate at 25 degrees C in 10 mM Na-K-phosphate, 50 mM Na-K-phosphate and modified Krebs-phosphate buffer. Studies showed antagonists generally had higher affinity in 10 mM Na-K-phosphate buffer, were insensitive to guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate and had Hill values (nH) nearly equal to one. Cardiac PZ/[3H]QNB curves were steep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors leads to several biochemical events including an increased turnover of phosphoinositides. In this study we have investigated whether repeated administration of the organophosphorus insecticide disulfoton, known to cause the development of tolerance to this compound, would affect phosphoinositide metabolism in rat brain. Basal and carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism were measured in cerebral cortex slices, by measuring the accumulation of inositol phosphates (InsPs) in the presence of lithium. In control animals carbachol caused a 600% increase in InsPs accumulation with an EC50 of 100 microM. Maximal effect occurred with a LiCl concentration of 7.5 mM and required the presence of calcium. Administration of disulfoton for 10 days (2 mg/kg/day by gavage), decreased the number of muscarinic receptors in cortex from 1.1 to 0.7 pmol/mg of protein without changing the affinity of the receptors (both measured by binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate). Acetylcholinesterase was inhibited by 85%. Basal InsPs accumulation was unchanged in disulfoton-treated rats, whereas carbachol-stimulated InsPs accumulation decreased by 18%. No changes of norepinephrine-stimulated InsPs formation and of alpha-1 adrenoceptors were present in cortices from disulfoton-treated rats. Recovery of muscarinic receptor binding and carbachol-stimulated InsPs accumulation occurred at a similar rate and was completed 2 to 3 weeks after the end of the treatment, whereas acetylcholinesterase activity was still 38% inhibited 3 weeks later. These results support the hypothesis that a functional adaptation of muscarinic receptors is involved in the development of tolerance to organophosphates.

The concentration-effect relationships of carbachol were studied for three different responses of detrusor muscle of rabbit urinary bladder: the mechanical response, the increase of 45Ca uptake and the displacement of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) from muscarinic receptors. The EC50 for carbachol in production of contractile responses of the detrusor muscle was observed to be 0.27 microM. The 45Ca uptake by detrusor muscle strips was studied by the lanthanum-residual wash out method. Carbachol increased 45Ca uptake with an EC50 of 12.7 microM. [3H]QNB binding was performed on homogenates of rabbit bladder detrusor muscle. By Scatchard analysis, the receptor density was found to be 47.2 fmol/mg of protein and the KD 0.074 nM. The contractile responses, the 45Ca uptake and the specific [3H]QNB binding were all blocked by atropine and so are taken to represent muscarinic receptor-mediated phenomena. Carbachol displacement of [3H]QNB yielded an EC50 of 135 microM and a Kl of 42 microM. It is concluded that the mechanical response requires a much lower concentration of carbachol than that needed for stimulating 45Ca uptake or for occupying [3H]QNB binding sites and that there appears to be approximately a 150-fold muscarinic receptor excess.

Subtypes of muscarinic cholinergic receptors have been proposed to exist, but the biochemical responses mediated by the putative subtypes are unknown. In the present study, muscarinic receptor-mediated phosphoinositide breakdown and inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity were characterized in rat brain as well as rat parotid and heart. To study whether these responses are mediated by separate subtypes of muscarinic receptors, the potencies of agonists and antagonists were determined in both assays. Antagonist potencies were calculated by Schild analysis. In the brain, the putatively selective muscarinic receptor antagonist, pirenzepine, exhibited Ki values of 21 nM in the assay of phosphoinositide breakdown and 310 nM in the assay of adenylate cyclase activity. Similarly, using radioligand binding techniques, it distinguished two binding sites with Kd values of 12 and 168 nM. The antagonist, atropine, on the other hand, was equipotent in the two biochemical assays and the radioligand binding assay with Ki values of approximately 1 to 2 nM. In peripheral tissues with robust muscarinic receptor-mediated phosphoinositide (parotid) and adenylate cyclase (heart) responses, pirenzepine exhibited a similar selectivity (19-fold) for the phosphoinositide assay that was seen in the brain, but it was 6- to 7-fold less potent in both peripheral tissues than in the central nervous system. In addition, the potencies of pirenzepine in binding and functional studies in each tissue were not as well correlated as in the brain. Atropine and other antagonists were 4- to 9-fold selective for inhibiting oxotremorine-stimulated phosphoinositide breakdown in the peripheral tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscarinic receptors in rabbit aortic membranes were characterized by binding assays using I-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate, and compared with muscarinic receptors in dog and bovine aortas. In the rabbit aortic membranes, I-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate specifically bound with high affinity (KD = 28.1 pM) to a single class of sites (maximum number of binding sites = 57.2 fmol/mg of protein) which have characteristics of muscarinic receptors. Drug competition curves indicated a single class of binding sites for antagonists (e.g., K1 = 160 nM for pirenzepine), but suggested the presence of two affinity binding sites (or states) for agonists (e.g., K1 = 8.29 nM and K2 = 0.32 microM for oxotremorine, respectively). I-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate also bound to a single class of sites in the membranes of dog and bovine aortas, with similar affinities to the case of rabbit aorta. But the maximum number of binding site values were significantly lower than the value in the rabbit aorta. Furthermore, bovine aorta exhibited a higher affinity (K1 = 8.7-22.3 nM) for pirenzepine, but a lower affinity (K1 = 0.62-1.46 microM) for oxotremorine, as compared with rabbit and dog aortas. Accordingly, muscarinic receptors in the aorta are different between animal species, regarding its density and interactions with muscarinic agents. The receptors in bovine aorta may be M1-subtype but receptors in rabbit and dog aortas may be relatively M2-subtypes.

Hydrolysis of membrane phosphatidylinositol (PI) and polyphosphonoinositides (PPI) may be the coupling mechanism between receptor stimulation and the rise in intracellular calcium concentration that leads to smooth muscle contraction. In bovine tracheal smooth muscle, we correlated PI/PPI turnover, contraction and muscarinic receptor occupancy by carbamoylcholine (10(-9) to 10(-2) M). Inositol monophosphate formation after agonist stimulation, in the presence of lithium, provided a direct measurement of PI/PPI breakdown, and receptor occupancy was determined by [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate binding. Carbamoylcholine caused a concentration-dependent contraction (EC50 = 7.4 X 10(-8) M), PI/PPI response (EC50 = 3.8 X 10(-5) M) and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate displacement (with high and low affinity binding sites have dissociation constants (Kd) of 3 X 10(-7) and 6 X 10(-4) M, respectively). This indicates the presence of spare receptors as maximal contraction is obtained when less than 20% of receptors are occupied. The concentration of carbamoylcholine inhibiting 50% of the PI/PPI response and 50% of maximal receptor occupancy (IC50) were similar for atropine (IC50 = 1 X 10(-9) and 5.3 X 10(-9) M, respectively), and for pirenzepine (IC50 = 3 X 10(-6) and 2.3 X 10(-6) M, respectively); the pA2 of the contraction was 8.3 +/- 0.12 for atropine and 7.2 +/- 0.08 for pirenzepine, indicating that M2 receptors may be largely predominant among bovine tracheal smooth muscle muscarinic receptors. Bovine tracheal smooth muscle may be a useful model to study the effects of other spasmogens, as it allows comparison of functional effects, PI breakdown and receptor occupancy in the same preparation.

The high-affinity agonist binding state of muscarinic receptors in the rat heart and cerebral cortex has been pharmacologically characterized in parallel studies. Muscarinic sites were labeled and studied with the aid of a highly specific, rapid filtration binding assay using the potent muscarinic agonist (+)-[3H]CD. Homogenates of both tissues were found to contain a saturable high-affinity (Kd = 1-2 nM), low capacity (6-17% of (-)-[3H]QNB sites) (+)-[3H]CD binding state which demonstrated stereoselectivity and drug specificity typical of a muscarinic site. However, comparative studies of drug potency profiles in competition for myocardial and cerebral cortical (+)-[3H]CD-labeled membranes revealed several major pharmacological differences between muscarinic sites in these tissues. Whereas the muscarinic agonists pilocarpine and McN-A-343, the nonclassical antagonist pirenzepine, and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine reduced (+)-[3H]CD binding in both tissues, their inhibitory effects were more potent (4- to 77-fold) in cerebral cortical membranes. Conversely, gallamine, a nicotinic cholinergic antagonist, demonstrated a 36-fold greater potency at the high-affinity (+)-[3H]CD binding state in myocardial membranes. By comparison, other classical muscarinic agonists and antagonists were nearly equipotent as inhibitors of high-affinity (+)-[3H]CD binding in these two tissues. Thus, these studies for the first time demonstrate that muscarinic receptors in the heart and cerebral cortex can be distinguished pharmacologically by certain drugs which interfere with the high-affinity agonist binding state of the muscarinic recognition site and provide support for the subclassification of these receptors.

The authors have characterized the muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes in human peripheral lung membranes using the selective muscarinic antagonist [3H]pirenzepine [( 3H]PZ) and the classical muscarinic antagonist [3H](-)-quinuclidinyl benzilate. High-affinity binding with pharmacologic specificity was demonstrated for both radioligands. The high affinity Kd for [3H]PZ binding determined from saturation isotherms was 5.6 nM, and the Kd for [3H](-)-quinuclidinyl benzilate binding was 14.3 pM. Approximately 62% of the total muscarinic binding sites in human peripheral lung bind [3H]PZ with high affinity. There was no significant effect of the guanine nucleotide, guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, on the inhibition of [3H](-)-quinyclidinyl benzilate binding by the muscarinic agonist carbachol in peripheral lung membranes. If the muscarinic receptor with high affinity for PZ has an important role in bronchoconstriction, its characterization could result in the development of more selective bronchodilators.

The isolated working rat heart exhibits dynamic changes in the cholinergic muscarinic receptor in response to perfusion with the acetylcholine congener methacholine. For example, perfusion with 4 microM methacholine for 2.5 hr mediates a statistically significant and reversible 10 to 15% decrease in receptor content in right atrium and left atrium and ventricle. The muscarinic receptor exhibits a single affinity state for antagonists but multiple affinity states for receptor agonists. When agonist 3H-antagonist competition experiments are performed, the concentration dependence of displacement by agonists is flattened and extends over more than 2 log units. From such curves, it is difficult to extract values for the relative proportions of the multiple receptors or their KD values by inspection. We have developed a procedure for plotting the competition curves so that the KD values and proportion of multiple receptor forms can be estimated graphically. We determined these more accurately by computer using a nonlinear least-squares analysis. After perfusion of methacholine for 1 hr, there were increases in the KD of the low and high affinity forms of the receptor in the right and left atria. After 2.5 hr of perfusion, the KD of the high-affinity form increased further in the left atrium. In the right atrium, the two affinity states were converted into a single state of low affinity. Although there was a significant decrease in the amount of receptor in left ventricle, there were no changes in the KD values or proportions of the two states. All changes in receptor reversed during an additional 2.5 hr of perfusion without methacholine.

Ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A), a neurotoxic choline analog, was evaluated for its interactions with the cholinergic system in mice. Parenterally administered AF64A was lethal (LD50 = 32.6 mumol/kg i.v.) and the lethality could be antagonized even at 8 LD50 doses by pretreatment with choline (714 mumol/kg i.p.) 2 min earlier. Mice that were protected by choline slowly developed neurological motor disturbances such as ataxia and hypokinesia, and lost weight. Intracerebroventricular administration of 65 nmol of AF64A was not acutely lethal, but produced similar delayed behavioral effects similar to those found after parenteral administration of AF64A. Seven days after a single injection of 65 nmol of AF64A i.c.v., there was a significant decrease in acetylcholine content in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus, but no change in choline levels. Acetylcholine content was still significantly reduced in the hippocampus at 3 weeks after this treatment. The reduction in activity of choline acetyltransferase and high-affinity choline transport paralleled the reduction in acetylcholine measured at 7 days post AF64A treatment, whereas muscarinic receptors in all three brain areas were unchanged. These combined data indicate that AF64A is a presynaptic chemical neurotoxin, capable of inducing a persistent deficiency in central cholinergic transmission.

Although it has been suggested by many investigators that subtypes of muscarinic cholinergic receptors exist, physical studies of solubilized receptors have indicated that only a single molecular species may exist. To test the hypothesis that the putative muscarinic receptor subtypes in rat forebrain are interconvertible states of the same receptor, the selective antagonist pirenzepine (PZ) was used to protect muscarinic receptors from blockade by the irreversible muscarinic receptor antagonist propylbenzilylcholine mustard (PBCM). If interconversion of high (M1) and low (M2) affinity binding sites for PZ occurs, incubation of cerebral cortical membranes with PBCM in the presence of PZ should not alter the proportions of M1 and M2 binding sites that are unalkylated (i.e., protected). If, on the other hand, the binding sites are not interconvertible, PZ should be able to selectively protect M1 sites and alter the proportions of unalkylated M1 and M2 binding sites. In the absence of PZ, treatment of cerebral cortical membranes with 20 nM PBCM at 4 degrees C for 50 min resulted in a 69% reduction in the density of M1 binding sites and a 55% reduction in the density of M2 binding sites with no change in the equilibrium dissociation constants of the radioligands [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate or [3H]PZ. The reasons for this somewhat selective effect of PBCM are not apparent. In radioligand binding experiments using cerebral cortical membranes, PZ inhibited the binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in a biphasic manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The anticholinergic properties of thioridazine (THD) and its metabolites mesoridazine (MES) and sulforidazine (SUL) were compared to the antimuscarinics atropine and quinuclidinylbenzilate (QNB). THD, MES and SUL were virtually inactive in antagonizing the carbachol-induced inhibition of evoked ACh release from perfused rabbit striatal slices. This lack of effect was seen even when dopamine influences were abolished by treatment with reserpine and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine. The lack of functional anticholinergic potency contrasted with the affinity of THD for muscarinic receptors measured as competition for [3H]QNB binding sites in striatal homogenates (Ki values: atropine, 2.7 nM; THD 14 nM; SUL, 66 nM; and MES, 90 nM). Both atropine and QNB blocked carbachol-induced inhibition of ACh release in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 values vs. 3 microM carbachol: 0.5 nM for QNB; 1.25 nM for atropine). THD, only 5 times less potent than atropine in competing for [3H]QNB binding sites, was inactive in antagonizing carbachol-induced ACh release. At very high concentrations (3-30 microM), THD, MES and SUL did enhance dopamine efflux and inhibit ACh release. In summary, the lack of effect of THD on release modulatory muscarinic receptors suggest that THD is selective for the M1 subtype. Because the M2 subtype is a small fraction of the total population in the striatum, it is not surprising that they would escape recognition in the QNB binding assays. These data suggest that inhibition of ACh release may contribute to the actions of THD only at very high doses, or when drug accumulation is abnormal.

To visualize muscarinic receptors in human bronchi, the stripping film method was used which permits direct autoradiographic localization of tissue labeling. Cryostate sections of human bronchi were fixed in 0.5% glutaraldehyde in Krebs-Ringer buffer, pH 7.0 for 30 min at 0 degrees C, washed in Krebs-Ringer buffer for 20 min at 0 degrees C and incubated with (-)-[3H]Quinuclidinyl benzilate [(-)-[3H]QNB] for 90 min at 37 degrees C. Specific (-)-[3H]QNB binding to tissue sections was saturable (receptor density of 0.14 +/- 0.03 fmol/tissue section) and of high affinity (Kd of 40 +/- 9 pM). For autoradiography, labeled tissue sections were covered with stripping film and exposed for 5 months. Muscarinic receptors in human bronchi were located predominantly in submucosal glands and parasympathetic ganglia. There was less labeling in smooth muscle cells and nerve bundles. Epithelium and blood vessels located within the bronchial wall were devoid of specific labeling.

The properties of [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate ( [3H]QNB) binding and [3H]pirenzepine ( [3H]PZ) binding to various regions of rat brain were compared. [3H]PZ appeared to bind with high affinity to a single site, with a Kd value of approximately 15 nM in the cerebral cortex. The rank order of potencies of muscarinic drugs to inhibit binding of either [3H]QNB or [3H]PZ was QNB greater than atropine = scopolamine greater than pirenzepine greater than oxotremorine greater than bethanechol. Muscarinic antagonists (except PZ) inhibited both [3H]PZ and [3H]QNB binding with Hill coefficients of approximately 1. PZ inhibited [3H]QNB binding in cortex with a Hill coefficient of 0.7, but inhibited [3H]PZ binding with a Hill coefficient of 1.0. Hill coefficients for agonists were less than 1. The density of [3H]PZ binding sites was approximately half the density of [3H]QNB binding sites in cortex, striatum and hippocampus. In pons-medulla and cerebellum, the densities of [3H]PZ binding sites were 20 and 0%, respectively, relative to the densities of [3H]QNB binding sites. When unlabeled PZ was used to compete for [3H]QNB binding, the relative number of high-affinity PZ binding sites in cortex, pons and cerebellum agreed with the relative number of [3H]PZ binding sites in those regions. The binding of [3H]PZ and [3H]QNB was nonadditive in cortex. GTP inhibited high-affinity oxotremorine binding, but not PZ binding. Together, these data suggest that [3H]PZ binds to a subset of [3H]QNB binding sites. Whether this subset reflects the existence of subtypes of muscarinic receptors or is a consequence of coupling to another membrane protein remains to be seen.

The binding properties of (-)-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and [3H] N-methylscopolamine to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have been investigated in rat brain homogenates. The binding of both antagonists demonstrated high affinity and saturability. Analysis of the binding data resulted in linear Scatchard plots. However, (-)-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate showed a significantly higher maximal binding capacity than that of [3H]N-methylscopolamine. Displacement of both ligands with several muscarinic receptor antagonists resulted in competition curves in accordance with the law of mass-action for quinuclidinyl benzilate, atropine and scopolamine. A similar profile was found for the quaternary ammonium analogs of atropine and scopolamine when [3H]N-methylscopolamine was used to label the receptors. However, when these hydrophilic antagonists were used to displace (-)-[3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate binding, they showed interaction with high- and low-affinity binding sites. On the other hand, the nonclassical muscarinic receptor antagonist, pirenzepine, was able to displace both ligands from two binding sites. The present data are discussed in terms of the relationship of this anomalous heterogenity of binding of these hydrophilic muscarinic receptor antagonists and the proposed M1 and M2 receptor subtypes.

The binding and regulation of selected muscarinic agonists to putative subtypes in rat cerebral cortex and heart were studied. Parallel inhibition studies of [3H]pirenzepine ([3H]PZ) and (-)-[3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate [(-)-[3H]QNB]-labeled membranes were done with and without 30 microM guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] at 25 degrees C in 10 mM Na-K-phosphate buffer which enhances PZ binding affinity and in modified Krebs-phosphate buffer, which mimics physiological conditions. Classical agonists such as carbachol, oxotremorine and acetylcholine inhibited (-)-[3H]QNB binding to membranes with shallow Hill values (nH less than 1), were better fit to a 2-state model, were Gpp(NH)p-regulated and showed lower affinity in modified Krebs-phosphate buffer than in 10 mM Na-K-phosphate buffer. Some agonists were not significantly better fit to a 2-state model in [3H]PZ-labeled cortical membranes, especially in 10 mM Na-K-phosphate buffer. Whereas putative M1 and M2 binding sites distinguished by PZ possessed multiple agonist affinity states, as judged by carbachol, and agonist binding to [3H]PZ-labeled sites were Gpp(NH)p modulated, the partial agonist pilocarpine and nonclassical agonist McN-A-343 [3-(m-chlorophenylcarbamoyloxy)-2-butynyl trimethylammonium chloride] showed little Gpp(NH)p-induced shift in [3H]PZ-labeled cortical membranes in physiological conditions. Agonist binding to (-)-[3H]QNB-labeled putative M2 cardiac sites was more sensitive to Gpp(NH)p than (-)-[3H]QNB-labeled cortical sites. Carbachol and acetylcholine showed significant selectivity for putative M2 sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Using the radioligand binding assay, the in vitro potency of three neuroleptic drugs at dopaminergic ([3H]spiroperidol), alpha adrenergic ([3H]WB-4101) and muscarinic cholinergic ([3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate) receptor binding sites was compared to the potency of 12 metabolites of these drugs at the same receptors. Metabolites resulting from the oxidation of the ring sulfur of either thioridazine or fluphenazine were very weak at all three receptors. On the other hand, two metabolites, thioridazine-S-sulfoxide (mesoridazine) and thioridazine-S-sulfone (sulforidazine) were more potent than thioridazine at both the dopaminergic and alpha adrenergic receptors but less potent at muscarinic receptors. The binding data correlated very well with published clinical data on the relative potency and incidence of autonomic and extrapyramidal side effects of these three drugs. Since several of the metabolites which are potent receptor blockers accumulate in the plasma during chronic neuroleptic treatment, it appears that both the therapeutic and side effects of neuroleptic drug treatment are due in large part to metabolites of the administered drug.