Effects of Neuromuscular Blocking Agents on Neuronal Nicotine Receptors of Motor Nerves: Blockade of Nicotinic Autofacilitation and Backfiring

ABSTRACT Tubocurarine reduced (60%) [3H]acetylcholine release from the isolated rat phrenic nerve at concentrations of 1 or 10 μM, but blocked backfiring of the phrenic nerve occuring after partial blockade of cholinesterase already at a concentration of 100 nM. The distinct potency of tubocurarine suggests differences between the presynaptic nicotine receptors mediating autofacilitation of release and preterminal nicotine receptors mediating backfiring of the motor nerve or a low agonist concentration at the latter receptors. The new neuromuscular blocking agents atracurium, pancuronium and vecuronium less effectively reduced [3H]acetylcholine release than tubocurarine indicating a lower a…

Letters to the editor

Immunochemical characterization of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis

Although the presence of anti-mitochondrial antibodies is the main characteristic of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), other autoantibodies have been described in this disease. This study employs immunoblot methods to test whether the sera of PBC patients also contain antibodies directed against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR). We show that the majority of patients' sera indeed react with AChR just as sera of myasthenic patients do. In contrast, however, these anti-AChR antibodies do not lead to significant clinical symptoms of myasthenia. In all cases studied, PBC sera recognized a protein with the molecular weight of the alpha-chain of acetylcholine receptor (40 kDa). In addition,…

THE EFFECTS OF MUSCARINIC AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS ON ACETYLCHOLINE RELEASE FROM PERIPHERAL CHOLINERGIC NERVES IN THE ABSENCE AND PRESENCE OF A CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR

STIMULATION OF ?1-ADRENOCEPTORS ENHANCES ELECTRICALLY EVOKED [3H]-ACETYLCHOLINE RELEASE FROM RAT PHRENIC NERVE

1. The effects of isoprenaline, noradrenaline and fenoterol on the electrically evoked release of [3H]-acetylcholine from the rat phrenic nerve were investigated. 2. Isoprenaline (0.1 mumol/L) and noradrenaline (1 mumol/L) enhanced evoked [3H]-acetylcholine release by about 90%, an effect which was abolished by CGP 20712A (0.1 mumol/L), a specific antagonist at beta 1-adrenoceptors. Noradrenaline still enhanced [3H]-acetylcholine release in the presence of phentolamine (1 mumol/L). 3. The enhancing effect of both isoprenaline and noradrenaline decreased at prolonged exposure times (24-32 min). A pre-exposure of the tissue to a low concentration (0.01 mumol/L) of isoprenaline prevented the e…