Muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding sites differentiated by their affinity for pirenzepine do not interconvert

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5578959

Gil, D W; Wolfe, B B

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 (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate or (/sup 3/H)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 (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate in a biphasic manner.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia
• OSTI ID: 5578959
• Journal Information: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN JPETA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AFFINITY
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BODY
BRAIN
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL MEMBRANES
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DRUGS
IN VITRO
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KINETICS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGANDS
MAMMALS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
MEMBRANES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RATS
REACTION KINETICS
RECEPTORS
RODENTS
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES