Mitochondrial respiratory chain as a new target for anti-ischemic molecules

In human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell preparations, sigma(1) receptor agonists (+)-pentazocine and 1S,2R-(-)-cis-N-2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N-methyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexylamine (BD737) competed for 3H]haloperidol binding with K(i) values of 67+/-10 and 14+/-10 nM, respectively. (+)-Pentazocine or BD737 up to 10 microM did not affect basal levels of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration (Ca(2+)](i)) in these cells, but they significantly reduced muscarine-induced Ca(2+)](i) changes in a dose-related manner. However, the reduction by (+)-pentazocine was not reversed by the sigma(1) receptor antagonist haloperidol. Further studies showed (+)-pentazocine, BD737 and haloperidol could compete for 3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding in SH-SY5Y cells with K(i) values of 0.51+/-0.06, 0.32+/-0.07 and 4.4+/-2.3 microM, respectively. Thus, the inhibitory effects on muscarine-induced Ca(2+)](i) changes by (+)-pentazocine and BD737 in SH-SY5Y cells were likely due to blockade of muscarinic receptors, not due to sigma(1) receptor activation by these ligands.