Abstract
Mechanisms regulating expression of neuronal muscarinic and nicotinic receptors were examined in cultures of neonatal rat sympathetic neurons. Two factors known to stimulate cholinergic transmitter development in sympathetic neurons were examined for their effects on cholinergic receptor expression. A membrane associated factor (MANS46) and a diffusible factor produced by cultured rat fibroblasts (RFCM) each decreased muscarinic receptor number. By contrast, neither treatment altered levels of nicotinic receptors. Levels of muscarinic (m2) receptor mRNA were decreased by MANS but not by RFCM, indicating that effects of the two treatments were mediated by different mechanisms. Neither MANS nor RFCM altered levels of nicotinic α3 or β2 mRNAs, consistent with the lack of change in numbers of nicotinic receptors. These observations indicate that receptor phenotype in developing neurons is subject to regulation by multiple epigenetic factors. Further, the same signals which regulate transmitter development may also regulate receptor expression in sympathetic neurons.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 121-129 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Molecular Brain Research |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1-3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1992 |
Keywords
- Development
- Muscarinic
- Neurotrophic factor
- Nicotinic
- Receptor mRNA
- Receptor regulation
- Sympathetic neuron
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience