Receptors nicotine and

The actions of nicotine relate to its ability to activate one of the two groups of cholinergic receptors, the nicotinic receptors. Nicotine and a second substance, muscarine, a mushroom toxin, were known long before acetylcholine was identified as a neurotransmitter, and the receptors in the PNS were initially distinguished by... 

Acetylcholine A chemical found in vertebrate neurons that carries information across the space between two nerve cells. This neurotransmitter binds with two types of receptors, nicotinic and muscarinic. 

There are two main types of cholinergic receptors, nicotinic and muscarinic. Nicotinic receptors are located at synapses between two neurons and at synapses between neurons and skeletal muscle cells. Upon activation a nicotinic receptor acts as a channel for the movement of ions into and out of the neuron, directly resulting in depolarization of the neuron. Muscarinic receptors, located at the synapses of nerves with smooth or cardiac muscle, trigger a chain of chemical events referred to as signal transduction. 

Thus, flatworm cholinergic receptors display a mixture of nicotinic and muscarinic properties (10, 11, 17, 30, 32) and are therefore pharmacologically different from the classical vertebrate cholinergic receptors. (Nicotine and muscarine have been used classically in vertebrate pharmacology to define two different classes of cholinergic receptors.) These pharmacological differences may be due to a number of factors lack of specificity of vertebrate blockers for flatworm receptors, the presence of a variety of cholinergic receptors on the same or different cells (neuron and/or muscle), activation of multicomponent pathways (e.g., activation of excitatory neuronal input to inhibitory fibers presynaptic to muscle), etc. 

If a single gene is cloned in sufficient quantity, it can be sequenced (see Deoxyribonucleic acid) and the amino acid sequence of the gene product can be predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the DNA. For example, the amino acid sequences of the insulin receptor, nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic acetylcholine receptors, epidermal growth factor precursor and many (thousands) other proteins have been predicted in this way. 

The term chiral recognition refers to a process m which some chiral receptor or reagent interacts selectively with one of the enantiomers of a chiral molecule Very high levels of chiral recognition are common m biological processes (—) Nicotine for exam pie IS much more toxic than (+) nicotine and (+) adrenaline is more active than (—) adrenaline m constricting blood vessels (—) Thyroxine an ammo acid of the thyroid gland that speeds up metabolism is one of the most widely used of all prescription... 

Cholinergic Transmission is the process of synaptic transmission which uses mainly acetylcholine as a transmitter. Cholinergic transmission is found widely in the peripheral and central nervous system, where acetylcholine acts on nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. 

The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) exerts its diverse pharmacological actions via binding to and subsequent activation of two general classes of cell surface receptors, the nicotinic and the mAChRs. These two classes of ACh receptors have distinct structural and functional properties. The nicotinic receptors,... 

Nicotinic receptors (nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nACHR) exist not only in the membrane of vertebrate skeletal muscle at the synapse between nerve and muscle (muscle-type nAChR) but also at various synapses throughout the brain, mainly at presynaptic positions (neuronal-type nAChR). Whereas the muscle-type nAChR is precisely composed of two a 1-subunits, one (3 -subunit, one y -subunit and one y -subunit (adult)... 

Clinical signs and symptoms of toxicity are related to the overstimulation of muscarinic, nicotinic, and central nervous system receptors in the nervous system. Muscarinic receptors are those activated by the alkaloid drug muscarine. These receptors are under the control of the parasympathetic nervous system, and their hyperactivity results in respiratory and gastrointestinal dysfunction, incontinence, salivation, bradycardia, miosis, and sweating. Nicotinic receptors are those activated by nicotine. Hyperactivity of these receptors results in muscle fasciculations even greater stimulation results in blockade and muscle paralysis (Lefkowitz et al. 1996 Tafliri and Roberts 1987). Hyperactivity of central nervous system receptors results in the frank neurological signs of confusion, ataxia, dizziness, incoordination, and slurred speech, which are manifestations of acute intoxication. Muscarine and nicotine are not... 

Acetylcholinesterase is a component of the postsynaptic membrane of cholinergic synapses of the nervous system in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Its structure and function has been described in Chapter 10, Section 10.2.4. Its essential role in the postsynaptic membrane is hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in order to terminate the stimulation of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors (Figure 16.2). Thus, inhibitors of the enzyme cause a buildup of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft and consequent overstimulation of the receptors, leading to depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane and synaptic block. 

Table II. Binding Constants for (+)-Anatoxin-a and Related Molecules at Nicotinic and Muscarinic Receptor Sites...

To achieve their different effects NTs are not only released from different neurons to act on different receptors but their biochemistry is different. While the mechanism of their release may be similar (Chapter 4) their turnover varies. Most NTs are synthesised from precursors in the axon terminals, stored in vesicles and released by arriving action potentials. Some are subsequently broken down extracellularly, e.g. acetylcholine by cholinesterase, but many, like the amino acids, are taken back into the nerve where they are incorporated into biochemical pathways that may modify their structure initially but ultimately ensure a maintained NT level. Such processes are ideally suited to the fast transmission effected by the amino acids and acetylcholine in some cases (nicotinic), and complements the anatomical features of their neurons and the recepter mechanisms they activate. Further, to ensure the maintenance of function in vital pathways, glutamate and GABA are stored in very high concentrations (10 pmol/mg) just as ACh is at the neuromuscular junction. 

Some agonists, such as methacholine, carbachol and bethanecol are structurally very similar to ACh (Fig. 6.6). They are all more resistant to attack by cholinesterase than ACh and so longer acting, especially the non-acetylated carbamyl derivatives carbachol and bethanecol. Carbachol retains both nicotinic and muscarinic effects but the presence of a methyl (CH3) group on the p carbon of choline, as in methacholine and bethanecol, restricts activity to muscarinic receptors. Being charged lipophobic compounds they do not enter the CNS but produce powerful peripheral parasympathetic effects which are occasionally used clinically, i.e. to stimulate the gut or bladder. 

Changeux, JP, Bertrand, D, Corringer, PJ, Dehoene, S, Edelstein, S, Leno, C, Novere, N le, Marubio, L, Picciotto, M and Zoli, M (1998) Brain nicotinic receptors structure and regulation, role in learning and reinforcement. Brain Res. Rev. 26 198-216. 

In the periphery, some of the primary triggers for these processes have been identified. Acetylcholine seems to be one such factor because stimulation of preganglionic nerves in vivo increases enzyme activity. However, nicotinic and muscarinic receptor antagonists do not completely prevent this increase. The residual activation is attributed to peptides of the secretin-glucagon subgroup, including VIP and secretin both these peptides activate cAMP synthesis. Purinergic transmitters could also be involved. 

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