Nicotinic binding in rat brain: autoradiographic comparison of (/sup 3/H)acetylcholine, (/sup 3/H)nicotine, and (/sup 125/I)-alpha-bungarotoxin

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Neurosci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6241866

Clarke, P B; Schwartz, R D; Paul, S M; Pert, C B; Pert, A

Three radioligands have been commonly used to label putative nicotinic cholinoceptors in the mammalian central nervous system: the agonists (/sup 3/H)nicotine and (/sup 3/H)acetylcholine ((/sup 3/H)ACh--in the presence of atropine to block muscarinic receptors), and the snake venom extract, (/sup 125/I)-alpha-bungarotoxin((/sup 125/I)BTX), which acts as a nicotinic antagonist at the neuromuscular junction. Binding studies employing brain homogenates indicate that the regional distributions of both (/sup 3/H)nicotine and (/sup 3/H)ACh differ from that of (/sup 125/I)BTX. The possible relationship between brain sites bound by (/sup 3/H)nicotine and (/sup 3/H)ACh has not been examined directly. The authors have used the technique of autoradiography to produce detailed maps of (/sup 3/H)nicotine, (/sup 3/H)ACh, and (/sup 125/I)BTX labeling; near-adjacent tissue sections were compared at many levels of the rat brain. The maps of high affinity agonist labeling are strikingly concordant, with highest densities in the interpeduncular nucleus, most thalamic nuclei, superior colliculus, medial habenula, presubiculum, cerebral cortex (layers I and III/IV), and the substantia nigra pars compacta/ventral tegmental area. The pattern of (/sup 125/I)BTX binding is strikingly different, the only notable overlap with agonist binding being the cerebral cortex (layer I) and superior colliculus. (/sup 125/I)BTX binding is also dense in the inferior colliculus, cerebral cortex (layer VI), hypothalamus, and hippocampus, but is virtually absent in thalamus. Various lines of evidence suggest that the high affinity agonist-binding sites in brain correspond to nicotinic cholinergic receptors similar to those found at autonomic ganglia; BTX-binding sites may also serve as receptors for nicotine and are possibly related to neuromuscular nicotinic cholinoceptors.

• OSTI ID: 6241866
• Journal Information: J. Neurosci.; (United States), Vol. 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETYLCHOLINE
RECEPTORS
NICOTINE
AFFINITY
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BRAIN
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
LIGANDS
RATS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
ALKALOIDS
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
AZINES
AZOLES
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DRUGS
ESTERS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KINETICS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PARASYMPATHOLYTICS
PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS
PYRIDINES
PYRROLES
PYRROLIDINES
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques