Amphetamine enhances Ca2+ entry and catecholamine release via nicotinic receptor activation in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells

Amphetamine, a psychostimulant, has been shown to act as a channel blocker of muscle nicotinic receptors and to induce a Ca(2+)-dependent secretion from adrenal chromaffin cells. In this study, the relationship between amphetamine and nicotinic receptors was studied using bovine adrenal chromaffin cells as a model system. Our results show that D-amphetamine sulfate alone induced an increase in the cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration (Ca(2+)](c)) and 3H]norepinephrine release in a dose-dependent and extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Two common nicotinic receptor antagonists, hexamethonium and mecamylamine, suppressed the D-amphetamine sulfate-induced Ca(2+)](c) rise and 3H]norepinephrine release. In addition, D-amphetamine sulfate inhibited the 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl-piperazinium iodide (DMPP)-induced Ca(2+)](c) rise and 3H]norepinephrine release, but not the high K(+)- or veratridine-induced Ca(2+)](c) increase and 3H]norepinephrine release. Antagonists, including alpha-bungarotoxin and choline, that are more specific for alpha7 nicotinic receptors were capable of inhibiting the D-amphetamine sulfate-induced Ca(2+)](c) rise, while D-amphetamine sulfate was found to be capable of inhibiting the Ca(2+)](c) rise induced by the alpha7-nicotinic receptor agonists, epibatidine and choline. Moreover, D-amphetamine sulfate dose-dependently suppressed 3H]nicotine binding to chromaffin cells. We, therefore, conclude that D-amphetamine sulfate acts as a nicotinic receptor agonist to induce Ca(2+)](c) increase and 3H]norepinephrine release in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.