2型糖尿病大鼠膀胱M_3受体改变的实验研究

目的研究病程3周的2型糖尿病大鼠膀胱M3受体含量及其基因转录水平的变化情况,探讨糖尿病性膀胱早期发病机制中逼尿肌M3受体的改变情况。方法2 d龄雌性Wistar大鼠随机分成2型糖尿病组和正常对照组,链脲佐菌素按90 mg/kg体重腹腔注射并结合高糖高脂饮食诱导2型糖尿病大鼠模型。于糖尿病病程3周时进行下列实验:反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)方法检测M3受体mRNA的含量;Western blotting方法检测膀胱M3受体蛋白的含量。结果RT-PCR方法检测结果显示:糖尿病组大鼠膀胱M3受体mRNA的数量显著高于正常对照组[(52.0±5.7)%vs(35.6±11.7)%,P<0.05]。Western blotting方法检测结果显示:糠尿病组大鼠膀胱M3受体含量显著高于正常对照组[(30.9±2.1)%vs(23.4±4.7)%,P<0.01]。结论本研究证实了糖尿病性膀胱早期M3受体的生物合成上调这一改变,从而解释了糖尿病早期膀胱逼尿肌收缩力增加这一现象。这可能是早期糖尿病性膀胱病变的一个发病机制。     

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity in rat urinary bladder detrusor: participation in M3 and M4 muscarinic receptor function

1. The aim of this paper was to determine the different signalling cascades involved in contraction of the rat urinary bladder detrusor muscle mediated via muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic AChR). Contractile responses, phosphoinositides (IPs) accumulation, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and cyclic GMP (cGMP) production were measured to determine the reactions associated with the effect of cholinergic agonist carbachol. The specific muscarinic AChR subtype antagonists and different inhibitors of the enzymatic pathways involved in muscarinic receptor-dependent activation of NOS and cGMP were tested. 2. Carbachol stimulation of M(3) and M(4) muscarinic AChR increased contractility, IPs accumulation, NOS activity and cGMP production. All of these effects were selectively blunted by 4-DAMP and tropicamide, M(3) and M(4) antagonists respectively. 3. The inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC), calcium/calmodulin (CaM), neuronal NOS (nNOS) and soluble guanylate cyclase, but not of protein kinase C and endothelial NOS (eNOS), inhibited the carbachol action on detrusor contractility. These inhibitors also attenuated the muscarinic receptor-dependent increase in cGMP and activation of NOS. 4. In addition, sodium nitroprusside and 8-bromo-cGMP, induced negative relaxant effect. 5. The results obtained suggest that carbachol activation of M(3) and M(4) muscarinic AChRs, exerts a contractile effect on rat detrusor that is accompanied by an increased production of cGMP and nNOS activity. The mechanism appears to occur secondarily to stimulation of IPs turnover via PLC activation. This in turn, triggers cascade reactions involving CaM, leading to activation of nNOS and soluble guanylate cyclase. They, in turn, exert a modulator inhibitory cGMP-mediated mechanism limiting the effect of muscarinic AChR stimulation of the bladder.     

Alteration of M(3) subtype muscarinic receptors in the diabetic rat urinary bladder

The M(3) receptor (M(3)-mAChR) is the major muscarinic subtype in the animal bladder responsible for detrusor contraction. The alterations in its protein quantity and biosynthesis during diabetic cystopathy were investigated. 3-month-old male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: (1) 2-week diabetic rats and (2) normoglycemic control rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. The amount of M(3) receptor protein in the rat bladder body tissue was measured by Western immunoblotting using monoclonal antibodies. For determination of M(3) muscarinic receptor mRNA in the bladder tissue, the method of Northern blotting was employed. The results of the Western immunoblotting showed that the amount of M(3)-mAChR protein in the diabetic bladder was significantly increased by about 70.2 +/- 8.5% when compared to the control bladder (p < 0.05, n = 8). Northern blotting demonstrated a 54.7 +/- 6.0% increase of M(3)-mAChR mRNA in the diabetic bladder (p < 0.05, n = 8). The findings of the present study demonstrated an upregulation of M(3)-mAChR biosynthesis in the diabetic urinary bladder. This phenomenon offers an explanation of the increased contractility after muscarinic stimulation of the detrusor muscle of diabetic animals.     

Effects of ageing on muscarinic receptor subtypes and function in rat urinary bladder

We compared the density and function of M₂ and M₃ muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes in the urinary bladder of young adult (3 months) and old (23 months) male Wistar rats. Old rats had a reduced density of muscarinic receptors (96±10 vs. 156±21 fmol/mg protein), but competition experiments with the M₃-selective darifenacin did not indicate alterations in the relative roles of M₂ and M₃ receptors, with the former being more abundant. The amount of immunodetectable -subunits of various G-proteins potentially linked to muscarinic receptor function was unchanged. The potency of carbachol to contract bladder strips was also unaltered; its maximum effects as well as those of a single KCl concentration were unchanged if raw data or those corrected for strip length were analysed, but somewhat reduced when those corrected for strip weight were analysed. Antagonistic effects of atropine, the M₂-selective Ro 320–6206 and the M₃-selective darifenacin were unchanged. Agonistic effects of the M₃-sparing agonist 4-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-benzoimidazol-1-yl)-[1,4]bipiperidinyl-1-carboxylic acid ethyl ester were similarly poor in young and old rats. Additional experiments were concomitantly performed in submandibular glands from the same animals. While total muscarinic receptor density in submandibular glands was not significantly affected by age (56±5 vs. 61±4 fmol/mg protein), the relative contribution of M₃ receptors significantly declined from 68±3% to 57±2% based upon darifenacin competition curves. We conclude that aged Wistar rats express fewer muscarinic receptors in their urinary bladder, but there is no change in the relative abundance of M₂ and M₃ receptors; this is accompanied by only minor if any alterations in receptor responsiveness. In contrast, submandibular gland expresses similar receptor numbers in young and old rats, but slightly fewer M₃ receptors in old animals.     

Functional roles of muscarinic M2 and M3 receptors in mouse stomach motility: studies with muscarinic receptor knockout mice

Functional roles of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the regulation of mouse stomach motility were examined using mice genetically lacking muscarinic M(2) receptor and/or M(3) receptor and their corresponding wild-type (WT) mice. Single application of carbachol (1 nM-30 microM) produced concentration-dependent contraction in antral and fundus strips from muscarinic M(2) receptor knockout (M(2)R-KO) and M(3) receptor knockout (M(3)R-KO) mice but not in those from M(2) and M(3) receptors double knockout (M(2)/M(3)R-KO) mice. A comparison of the concentration-response curves with those for WT mice showed a significant decrease in the negative logarithm of EC(50) (pEC(50)) value (M(2)R-KO) or amplitude of maximum contraction (M(3)R-KO) in the muscarinic receptor-deficient mice. The tonic phase of carbachol-induced contraction was decreased in gastric strips from M(3)R-KO mice. Antagonistic affinity for 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl-piperidine (4-DAMP) or 11-([2-[(diethylamino)methyl]-1-piperdinyl]acetyl)-5,11-dihydro-6H-pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one (AF-DX116) indicated that the contractile responses in M(2)R-KO and M(3)R-KO mice were mediated by muscarinic M(3) and M(2) receptors, respectively. Electrical field stimulation (EFS, 0.5-32 Hz) elicited frequency-dependent contraction in physostigmine- and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (l-NAME)-treated fundic and antral strips from M(2)R-KO and M(3)R-KO mice, but the cholinergic contractile components decreased significantly compared with those in WT mice. In gastric strips from M(2)/M(3)R-KO mice, cholinergic contractions elicited by EFS were not observed but atropine-resistant contractions were more conspicuous than those in gastric strips from WT mice. Gastric emptying in WT mice and that in M(2)/M(3)R-KO mice were comparable, suggesting that motor function of the stomach in the KO mice did not differ from that in the WT mice. The results indicate that both muscarinic M(2) and M(3) receptors but not other subtypes mediate carbachol- or EFS-induced contraction in the mouse stomach but that the contribution of each receptor to concentration-response relationships is distinguishable. Although there was impairment of nerve-mediated cholinergic responses in the stomach of KO mice, gastric emptying in KO mice was the same as that in WT mice probably due to the compensatory enhancement of the non-cholinergic contraction pathway.     

M(3) muscarinic receptors mediate contraction of human urinary bladder

Since muscarinic receptors appear to be the physiologically most important control system for urinary bladder contraction, we have characterized the receptor subtype mediating contraction in response to the muscarinic agonist carbachol in the human bladder. Experiments were based on four antagonists, the non-selective atropine, the M(1)-selective pirenzepine, the M(2)-selective methoctramine and the M(3)-selective darifenacin. All antagonists yielded Schild-plots with a slope close to unity. The order of potency (atropine> or =darifenacin>pirenzepine>methoctramine) as well as the estimated antagonist affinities suggested that contraction of the human bladder occurs predominantly if not exclusively via the M(3) receptor.     

Pharmacological characterization of the muscarinic receptor subtypes responsible for the contractile response in the rat urinary bladder

1 Contractile responses of smooth muscle from the Wistar rat urinary bladder were studied with the use of muscarinic agonists and antagonists. 2 McN-A-343 induced only weak contractile responses of the bladder muscle. In contrast, oxotremorine showed higher potency than either acetylcholine or bethanechol in inducing a contractile response (the respective pD₂ values were 6.38 ± 0.25, 4.82 ± 0.24 and 4.42 ± 0.14). 3 The M₂ antagonists, methoctramine (10^?9m to 10^?5m ) and gallamine (10^?9m to 10^?5m ), did not reduce acetylcholine-induced (10^?5m ) contractions of the bladder muscle strip. On the other hand, 4-diphenyl-acetoxy-N-methyl piperidine methiodide (4-DAMP, 10^?10m to 10^?7m ), an M₃ receptor blocker, effectively antagonized the acetylcholine-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. 4-DAMP had a similar pA₂ value to those of the non-selective antagonists, atropine and scopolamine (pA₂ values were 8.26 ± 0.05, 8.36 ± 0.05 and 8.41 ± 0.11, respectively). Pirenzepine, an M₁ blocker, antagonized the contractions at higher concentrations (10^?8m to 10^?5m , pA₂= 6.23 ± 0.04). 4 It is concluded that (1) the dominant muscarinic receptor subtype responsible for smooth muscle contraction in the rat urinary bladder is M₃; and (2) the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine was more potent than acetylcholine and bethanechol in inducing a contractile response.     

Selective M3 muscarinic receptor antagonist inhibits small-cell lung carcinoma growth in a mouse orthotopic xenograft model

In small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), acetylcholine (ACh) is synthesized and secreted, and it acts as an autocrine growth factor through activation of its receptors, muscarinic receptor (mAChR) and nicotinic receptor (nAChR). Alteration of tumor growth by blockade of M(3) mAChR in a human SCLC cell line, NCI-H82, was investigated in the present study. We used a highly selective M(3) muscarinic antagonist, N-(2-[3-([3R]-1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-3-piperidinyl]methylamino)-3-oxopropyl]amino-2-oxoethyl)-3,3,3-triphenyl-propioamide (J-115311). Our results show that J-115311 inhibited the increased intracellular calcium elicited by carbachol, a muscarinic agonist, in SCLC cells. J-115311 also inhibited SCLC cell growth in vitro. In a mouse orthotopic xenograft model, J-115311 dose-dependently reduced tumor growth when NCI-H82 cells were inoculated into the upper left lobe of the lung. These findings indicate that blockade of M(3) mAChR can suppress tumor growth in SCLC, suggesting the potential therapeutic utility of M(3) muscarinic antagonists as anti-cancer agents.     

Effects of pregnancy on muscarinic receptor density and function in the rabbit urinary bladder.

The contractile response of the rabbit urinary bladder to field stimulation consists of both cholinergic and purinergic components. In general, approximately 60% of the contractile response to field stimulation is cholinergic and 40% is purinergic. Although the purinergic response represents a significant proportion of the initial (phasic) pressure response to field stimulation of the isolated whole bladder, it contributes only 10-15% of the ability of field stimulation to empty the bladder. The current study investigates the effects of pregnancy on the contractile responses of the isolated urinary bladder to cholinergic and purinergic stimulation. The results of these studies indicate that pregnancy induces substantial changes in the physiology and pharmacology of the urinary bladder. The following data are consistent with the theory that pregnancy substantially increases the relative purinergic component of the response to field stimulation (and presumably neuronal stimulation): (1) there was a significantly greater response of the bladders isolated from pregnant rabbits to low-frequency field stimulation; (2) atropine was more effective at inhibiting the pressure generation of bladders isolated from virgin female rabbits; (3) field stimulation was more effective at emptying bladders isolated from virgin female rabbits; (4) the response of the bladders from pregnant rabbits to bethanechol was significantly reduced, whereas the response to ATP was significantly increased. In addition to these effects of pregnancy on bladder physiology, pregnancy induced a 50% decrease in the muscarinic receptor density of the urinary bladder body, which correlated very well with the 50% decrease in the contractile response to bethanechol.     

Pharmacokinetics of anticholinergic drugs and brain muscarinic receptor alterations in streptozotocin diabetic rats

We studied the effects of experimental diabetes on the pharmacokinetics of biperiden (BP) and scopolamine (SP) and brain muscarinic receptor alterations in rats after the injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60mg kg^?1 i.v.). The serum levels of BP and SP differed significantly between the rats 14 weeks after the STZ treatment and age-matched control rats. The values of total body clearance (CL_tot) of BP and SP were significantly increased by STZ treatment. The values of volume of distribution (V_dss) of SP were slightly increased in the STZ-treated rats, although V_dss of BP was decreased. Because of the high lipophilicity of BP, V_dss of BP may be decreased due to the reduced fat tissue volume caused by STZ treatment. The density of the muscarinic receptors in whole brain was measured by a radioligand receptor binding assay using [³H]-quinuclidinyl-benzylate ([³H]-QNB). The density in the diabetic rats two weeks after the STZ treatment was significantly decreased compared to age-matched control rats. However in the diabetic rats 14 weeks after the STZ treatment, there was no difference in the density of muscarinic receptors. The IC₅₀ of muscarinic antagonist for the binding of [³H]-QNB to the receptor did not change on STZ treatment. Modulation of the receptor following repeated anticholinergic drug exposure was studied. In control rats, the number of muscarinic receptors in the brain increased by 6.9% on chronic treatment with BP for two weeks. When diabetic rats were treated with BP and SP, the number of muscarinic receptors in the brain increased by 9.6% and 33.8%, respectively.     

Darifenacin: a muscarinic M3-selective receptor antagonist for the treatment of overactive bladder

Darifenacin is a novel, muscarinic M(3)-selective receptor antagonist with up to 59-fold selectivity for M(3) receptors compared with other muscarinic receptor subtypes and a low relative affinity for M(1) and M(2) receptors. This profile may explain its clinical efficacy in overactive bladder (OAB), the observed absence of adverse effects on cognitive function and reduced cardiovascular risks. Large-scale clinical trials have confirmed that darifenacin 7.5 and 15 mg/day provide rapid and meaningful improvement across a range of OAB symptoms, but with CNS and cardiac adverse event rates comparable to placebo. On this basis, darifenacin seems to meet the standard for an effective OAB pharmacotherapy that is well-tolerated and, more importantly, minimises the risk of safety-related adverse effects.     

Characterization of the muscarinic receptor subtypes in the rat urinary bladder

We investigated the nature of the muscarinic receptors present in the rat urinary bladder by performing binding studies with various selective (pirenzepine, AF-DX 116, hexahydrosiladifenidol, benzhexol, 4-diphenyl-acetoxy-N-methyl piperidine methiodide, dicyclomine, secoverine) and classical (N-methylscopolamine, atropine) antagonists. Competition experiments were carried out against [3H]N-methyl scopolamine at 30 degrees C in Na+/Mg2+ HEPES buffer; non-specific binding was determined in the presence of 1 microM 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate. Of all the antagonists examined, only AF-DX 116 exhibited a heterogeneous binding profile (nH less than 1). Computer-assisted analysis showed that the data fitted best to a two-binding site model, revealing the existence of high and low affinity receptors. The affinity values of AF-DX 116, determined in binding experiments carried out in heart and gland homogenates, allowed us to classify the rat urinary bladder receptors into cardiac and glandular subtypes. We suggest that the glandular receptor subtype is involved in smooth muscle contraction, since AF-DX 116 was equally potent in inhibiting smooth muscle contraction and the secretion of saliva.     

Increased function of inhibitory neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors in diabetic rat lungs

1. The function of inhibitory neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors in diabetic rat lungs was investigated.
2. Neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors inhibit acetylcholine release from parasympathetic nerves. Thus, stimulation of neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors with muscarinic agonists, such as pilocarpine, inhibits acetylcholine release and vagally induced bronchoconstriction. In contrast, blockade of neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors with selective M₂ muscarinic antagonists, such as AF-DX 116, potentiates acetylcholine release and vagally induced bronchoconstriction.
3. Rats were made diabetic by streptozotocin (65 mg kg⁻¹, i.v.). After 7–14 days the rats were anaesthetized with urethane (1.5 g kg⁻¹, i.p.), tracheostomized, vagotomized, ventilated and paralysed with suxamethonium (30 mg kg⁻¹, i.v.). Some 7 day diabetic rats were treated with low doses of long acting (NPH) insulin (2 units day⁻¹, s.c.) for 7 days before experimentation. This dose of insulin was not sufficient to restore normoglycaemia in diabetic rats. Thus, insulin-treated diabetic rats remained hyperglycaemic.
4. Distal electrical stimulation (5–70 Hz, 6 s, 40 V, 0.4 ms) of the vagi caused bronchoconstriction, measured as an increase in inflation pressure and bradycardia. In diabetic rats, vagally induced bronchoconstriction was significantly depressed vs controls. In contrast, bronchoconstriction caused by i.v. acetylcholine was similar in diabetic and control animals.
5. The function of neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors was tested with the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine (0.001–100.0 μg kg⁻¹, i.v.) and the antagonist AF-DX 116 (0.01–3.0 mg kg⁻¹, i.v.). Pilocarpine inhibited vagally-induced bronchoconstriction (30 Hz, 20–40 V, 0.4 ms at 6 s) and AF-DX 116 potentiated vagally-induced bronchoconstriction (20 Hz, 20–40 V, 0.4 ms at 6 s) to a significantly greater degree in diabetic rats compared to controls.
6. Both frequency-dependent vagally-induced bronchoconstriction and M₂ muscarinic receptor function could be restored to nearly control values in diabetic rats treated with low doses of insulin.
7. Displacement of [³H]QNB (1 nM) with the agonist carbachol (10.0 nM–10.0 mM) from diabetic cardiac M₂ muscarinic receptors revealed a half log increase in agonist binding affinity at both the high and low affinity binding sites vs controls. In contrast, M₂ receptors from insulin-treated diabetic rat hearts showed no significant difference in binding affinity vs controls.
8. These data show that neuronal M₂ muscarinic receptors in the lungs have increased function in diabetic rats, suggesting that insulin modulates M₂ muscarinic receptor function.

     

Roles of M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors in cholinergic nerve-induced contractions in mouse ileum studied with receptor knockout mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The functional roles of M(2) and M(3) muscarinic receptors in neurogenic cholinergic contractions in gastrointestinal tracts remain to be elucidated. To address this issue, we studied cholinergic nerve-induced contractions in the ileum using mutant mice lacking M(2) or M(3) receptor subtypes. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Contractile responses to transmural electrical (TE) stimulation were isometrically recorded in ileal segments from M(2)-knockout (KO), M(3)-KO, M(2)/M(3)-double KO, and wild-type mice. KEY RESULTS: TE stimulation at 2-50 Hz frequency-dependently evoked a fast, brief contraction followed by a slower, longer one in wild-type, M(2)-KO or M(3)-KO mouse preparations. Tetrodotoxin blocked both the initial and later contractions, while atropine only inhibited the initial contractions. The initial cholinergic contractions were significantly greater in wild-type than M(2)-KO or M(3)-KO mice; the respective mean amplitudes at 50 Hz were 91, 74 and 68 % of 70mM K(+)-induced contraction. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin blocked the cholinergic contractions in M(3)-KO but not in M(2)-KO mice. Cholinergic contractions also remained in wild-type preparations, but their sizes were reduced by 20-30 % at 10-50 Hz. In M(2)/M(3)-double KO mice, TE stimulation evoked only slow, noncholinergic contractions, which were significantly greater in sizes than in any of the other three mouse strains. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These results demonstrate that M(2) and M(3) receptors participate in mediating cholinergic contractions in mouse ileum with the latter receptors assuming a greater role. Our data also suggest that the lack of both M(2) and M(3) receptors causes upregulation of noncholinergic excitatory innervation of the gut smooth muscle.     

Darifenacin: a novel M3 muscarinic selective receptor antagonist for the treatment of overactive bladder

Darifenacin is a novel M₃ muscarinic selective receptor antagonist for once-daily treatment of overactive bladder (OAB), a highly prevalent, chronic and debilitating disease defined by urinary urgency with or without urge incontinence, usually with increased frequency of micturition and nocturia. In vitro, darifenacin is a potent and specific muscarinic receptor antagonist with ≤ 59-fold higher selectivity for muscarinic M₃ receptors relative to other muscarinic receptor subtypes. This profile may, therefore, confer clinical efficacy in the treatment of OAB, with a lower propensity for adverse effects and safety issues related to blockade of other muscarinic receptor subtypes. Indeed, consistent with its low relative affinity for M₁ and M₂ receptors, no effects on cognitive function and heart-rate variability, respectively, have been observed with darifenacin. Subsequent large-scale clinical trials have confirmed that darifenacin (at doses of 7.5 and 15 mg/day) results in central nervous system and cardiac adverse events comparable to placebo, and provides early and meaningful improvement across a range of OAB symptoms including incontinence episodes, urgency and urinary frequency. On the basis of such findings, darifenacin would appear to meet the current need for an effective OAB pharmacotherapy that is efficacious, well-tolerated and, more importantly, minimises the risk of safety-related adverse effects.     

Darifenacin: a novel M3 muscarinic selective receptor antagonist for the treatment of overactive bladder

Darifenacin is a novel M3 muscarinic selective receptor antagonist for once-daily treatment of overactive bladder (OAB), a highly prevalent, chronic and debilitating disease defined by urinary urgency with or without urge incontinence, usually with increased frequency of micturition and nocturia. In vitro, darifenacin is a potent and specific muscarinic receptor antagonist with 相似文献   

Pharmacological characterization of muscarinic receptors in mouse isolated urinary bladder smooth muscle

The pharmacological characteristics of muscarinic receptors in the male mice urinary bladder smooth muscle were studied. (+)-Cis-dioxolane, oxotremorine-M, acetylcholine, carbachol and pilocarpine induced concentration-dependent contractions of the urinary bladder smooth muscle (pEC(50)=6.6+/-0.1, 6.9+/-0.1, 6.7+/-0.1, 5.8+/-0.1 and 5.8+/-0.1, E(Max)=3.2+/-0.8 g, 2.7+/-0.4 g, 1.0+/-0.1 g, 2.7+/-0.3 and 0.9+/-0.2 g, respectively, n=4). These contractions were competitively antagonized by a range of muscarinic receptor antagonists (pK(B) values): atropine (9.22+/-0.09), pirenzepine (6.85+/-0.08), 4-DAMP (8.42+/-0.14), methoctramine (5.96+/-0.05), p-F-HHSiD (7.48+/-0.09), tolterodine (8.89+/-0.13), AQ-RA 741 (7.04+/-0.12), s-secoverine (8.21+/-0.09), zamifenacin (8.30+/-0.17) and darifenacin (8.70+/-0.09). In this tissue, the pK(B) values correlated most favourably with pK(i) values for these compounds at human recombinant muscarinic M(3) receptors. A significant correlation was also noted at human recombinant muscarinic m5 receptors given the poor discriminative ability of ligands between M(3) and m5 receptors. In recontraction studies, in which the muscarinic M(3) receptor population was decreased, and conditions optimized to study M(2) receptor activation, methoctramine exhibited an affinity estimate consistent with muscarinic M(3) receptors (pK(B)=6.23+/-0.14; pA(2)=6.16+/-0.03). Overall, these data study suggest that muscarinic M(3) receptors are the predominant, if not the exclusive, subtype mediating contractile responses to muscarinic agonists in male mouse urinary bladder smooth muscle.     

Heterogeneity of release-inhibiting muscarinic autoreceptors in heart atria and urinary bladder: a study with M2- and M4-receptor-deficient mice

Release-inhibiting muscarinic autoreceptors were studied in heart atria and the urinary bladder of NMRI mice, M(2)-receptor-deficient mice, M(4)-receptor-deficient mice, and wildtype mice sharing the genetic background of the knockout animals. Segments of the tissues were preincubated with (3)H-choline and then superfused and stimulated electrically.In atrial segments taken from adult mice and stimulated with 120 pulses at 1 Hz, the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine-M reduced the evoked overflow of tritium. Its concentration-response curves in atria from NMRI, M(2)-wildtype, M(4)-wildtype and M(2)-knockout mice were similar, with maximal inhibition by about 75%. In atria from M(4)-knockout mice, the maximal inhibitory effect of oxotremorine-M was reduced to 57%. The concentration-response curves of oxotremorine-M were shifted to the right by ipratropium, methoctramine and pirenzepine. Methoctramine and pirenzepine were approximately equipotent antagonists in all strains except in M(4)-knockout atria in which methoctramine was more potent than pirenzepine. When atria from adult NMRI mice were stimulated by 360 pulses at 3 Hz, ipratropium increased the evoked overflow of tritium both in the absence and in the presence of physostigmine (0.1 microM). In atria taken from 1-day-old NMRI mice, oxotremorine-M failed to reduce the evoked overflow of tritium. In bladder segments taken from adult mice, superfused with medium containing oxotremorine-M (1 microM), and stimulated by 360 pulses at 3 Hz, ipratropium increased the evoked overflow of tritium. Its concentration-response curves in preparations from NMRI, M(2)-wildtype, M(4)-wildtype and M(2)-knockout mice were similar. There was one exception: ipratropium failed to cause an increase in bladder pieces from M(4)-knockout mice. Methoctramine and pirenzepine also increased the evoked overflow of tritium in all strains except the M(4)-knockout. The two antagonists were approximately equipotent in NMRI, M(4)-wildtype and M(2)-knockout preparations but methoctramine was less potent than pirenzepine in M(2)-wildtype preparations. When bladder pieces from adult NMRI mice were superfused with oxotremorine-M-free medium and stimulated by 360 pulses at 3 Hz, ipratropium increased the evoked overflow of tritium in the presence of physostigmine (0.1 microM) but not in its absence. In bladder segments taken from 1-day-old NMRI mice and superfused with medium containing oxotremorine-M (1 microM), ipratropium increased the evoked overflow of tritium in the same way as in adult tissue.It is concluded that NMRI mice and the two wildtype strains are similar in their muscarinic autoreceptors. In atria, the autoreceptors are heterogeneous. Some are M(4). The non-M(4)-autoreceptors probably are M(2). In the bladder, the autoreceptors are exclusively M(4). In both tissues, the autoreceptors are activated by previously released acetylcholine under appropriate conditions.     

Establishment and pathophysiological characterization of type 2 diabetic mouse model produced by streptozotocin and nicotinamide

This study was performed in order to establish a mouse model that represents the non-obese type 2 diabetes reflecting a majority of diabetic patients among Asian races and to show its pathophysiological profiles. Streptozotocin (STZ) was administered to C57BL/6J mice with or without nicotinamide (120 or 240 mg/kg, STZ/NA120 or STZ/NA240), twice with an interval of 2 d, and plasma glucose concentration, body weight, water intake, insulin contents and insulin signal-related proteins were monitored. STZ-induced hyperglycemia (fasting and non-fasting), body weight loss and polyposia were significantly depressed by NA dose-dependently. In STZ/NA120 and STZ/NA240 mice, pancreatic insulin content was retained by 28 and 43% of normal control (10.5+/-0.93 muU/ml), respectively, and histological damage of pancreatic beta cells was also less severe than that observed in STZ mice. When given the calorie-controlled high fat diet, the STZ/NA mice caused hyperlipidemia, and significantly increased insulin resistance. These observations suggest that the combined administration of STZ and NA causes partial depletion of pancreatic insulin and that the high fat constituents lead to insulin resistance in this model. The present mouse model, therefore, well exhibits the recent diabetic pathophysiological characteristics of a majority of Asian patients.     

Increased function of inhibitory neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors in trachea and ileum of diabetic rats

1. Release of acetylcholine from parasympathetic nerves is inhibited by neuronal M(2) muscarinic receptors. The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on prejunctional M(2) and postjunctional M(3) muscarinic receptor function in rat trachea and ileum were investigated in vitro. 2. Neuronal M(2) muscarinic receptor function was tested by measuring the ability of an agonist, pilocarpine, to inhibit and an antagonist, methoctramine, to potentiate electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced contraction of trachea and ileum. Concentration-response curves to pilocarpine and methoctramine were shifted to the left in both to a greater degree in diabetics than controls. 3. In trachea, post-junctional M(3) muscarinic receptor function was increased since maximum contractile responses to the muscarinic agonists acetylcholine and carbachol were greater in diabetics than controls. This increase offset the increased function of the inhibitory neuronal M(2) muscarinic receptors since EFS-induced, frequency-dependent contraction was equal in control and diabetic rats. 4. In contrast, post-junctional M(3) muscarinic receptor function was unchanged by diabetes since concentration-response curves to acetylcholine and carbachol were not different between groups. Thus, EFS-induced contractions of the ileum were decreased in diabetics versus controls. 5. In conclusion, inhibitory M(2) muscarinic receptors on parasympathetic nerves in the trachea and ileum are hyperfunctional in diabetic rats. The function of post-junctional M(3) muscarinic receptors in the trachea, but not the ileum, is also increased in diabetes. 6. The dysfunction of inhibitory, neuronal M(2) muscarinic receptors in the airways may protect against hyperreactivity and in the ileum may contribute to gastrointestinal dysmotility associated with diabetes.