Constitutive Activity of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Implications for Receptor Activation and Physiological Relevance

Background It is well-known that propofol sometimes causes bradycardia or asystole during anesthesia; however, the direct effect of propofol on the myocardium remains unclear. Previous reports showed the contribution of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to propofol-induced bradycardia. Conversely, it was suggested recently that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in mediating the effect of vagal stimulation in the autonomic regulation of the heart. Therefore, the authors investigated the effects of propofol on spontaneous contraction and NO production in cultured rat ventricular myocytes. Methods The authors measured chronotropic responses of cultured rat ventricular myocytes induced by propofol stimulation with a sensor, a fiber-optic displacement measurement instrument. The authors also quantitatively analyzed NO metabolite production in cultured myocytes by measuring the levels of nitrite and nitrate in a high-performance liquid chromatography reaction system. The influence of propofol on muscarinic acetylcholine receptors of myocyte membranes was also measured with a competitive binding assay using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB). Results Propofol caused negative chronotropy in a dose-dependent manner. Propofol (IC50) also caused the enhancement of nitrite production in cultured myocytes. Eighty percent of the enhancement of nitrite production induced by propofol (IC50) stimulation was abolished by pretreatment with atropine, methoctramine, or N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA). The negative chronotropy induced by propofol (IC50) stimulation was reduced to 40-50% by pretreatment with atropine, methoctramine, L-NMMA, or 1H[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-alpha]quanoxalin-1-one, a selective inhibitor of guanylyl cyclase. Propofol displaced [3H]QNB binding to the cell membrane of myocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion These results suggest that the negative chronotropy induced by propofol is mediated in part by M2-acetylcholine receptor activation, which involves the enhancement of NO production in cultured rat ventricular myocytes.

Download Full-text

Structure and activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors

Biochemical Society Transactions ◽

10.1042/bst0310029 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 29-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

E.C. Hulme ◽

Z.L. Lu ◽

J.W. Saldanha ◽

M.S. Bee

Keyword(s):

Binding Site ◽

Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor ◽

Receptor Activation ◽

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽

Intramolecular Interactions ◽

Van Der Waals Interactions ◽

Muscarinic Acetylcholine ◽

Bovine Rhodopsin ◽

Activated State

A homology model of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, based on the X-ray structure of bovine rhodopsin, has been used to interpret the results of scanning and point mutagenesis studies on the receptor's transmembrane (TM) domain. Potential intramolecular interactions that are important for the stability of the protein fold have been identified. The residues contributing to the binding site for the antagonist, N-methyl scopolamine, and the agonist, acetylcholine, have been mapped. The positively charged headgroups of these ligands probably bind in a charge-stabilized aromatic cage formed by amino acid side chains in TM helices TM3, TM6 and TM7, while residues in TM4 may participate as part of a peripheral docking site. Closure of the cage around the headgroup of acetylcholine may be part of the mechanism for transducing binding energy into receptor activation, probably by disrupting a set of Van der Waals interactions between residues lying beneath the binding site that help to constrain the receptor to the inactive state, in the absence of agonist. This may trigger the reorganization of a hydrogen-bonding network between highly conserved residues in the core of the receptor, whose integrity is crucial for achievement of the activated state.

Download Full-text