Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Pages: 27-35

Journal: Neuroscience

Volume number: 229

ISSN: 0306-4522

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.10.059

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) influence bladder afferent activity and reflex sensitivity, and have been suggested as potential targets for treating detrusor overactivity. Mechanisms may include indirect effects, e.g. Involving the urothelium, and direct action on nAChR expressed by afferent neurons. Here we determined the nAChR repertoire of bladder afferent neurons by retrograde neuronal tracing and laser-assisted microdissection/reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and quantified retrogradely labelled nAChR alpha 3-subunit-expressing neurons by immunohistochemistry in nAChR alpha 3 beta 4 alpha 5 cluster enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) reporter mice. Bladder afferents distinctly expressed mRNAs encoding for nAChR-subunits alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha 7, beta 2-4, and weakly alpha 4. Based upon known combinatorial patterns of subunits, this predicts the expression of at least three basically different subunits of nAChR - alpha 3* alpha 6* and alpha 7* - and of additional combinations with beta-subunits and alpha 5. Bladder afferents were of all sizes, and their majority (69%; n = 1367) were eGFP-nAChR alpha 3 positive. Immunofluorescence revealed immunoreactivities to neurofilament 68 (NF68), transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) In eGFP-nAChR alpha 3-positive and -negative neurons. For each antigen, all possible combinations of colocallsation with eGFP-nAChR alpha 3 were observed, with eGFP-nAChRa3-positive bladder neurons without additional immunoreactivity being most numerous, followed by triple-labelled neurons. In conclusion, more than one population of bladder afferent neurons expresses nAChR, indicating that peripheral nicotinic initiation and modulation of bladder reflexes might result, in addition to indirect effects, from the direct activation of sensory terminals. The expression of multiple nAChR subunits offers the potential of selectively addressing functional aspects and/or sensory neuron subpopulations. (C) 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harvard Citation style: Nandigama, R., Ibanez-Tallon, I., Lips, K., Schwantes, U., Kummer, W. and Bschleipfer, T. (2013) EXPRESSION OF NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR SUBUNIT MRNA IN MOUSE BLADDER AFFERENT NEURONS, Neuroscience, 229, pp. 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.10.059

APA Citation style: Nandigama, R., Ibanez-Tallon, I., Lips, K., Schwantes, U., Kummer, W., & Bschleipfer, T. (2013). EXPRESSION OF NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR SUBUNIT MRNA IN MOUSE BLADDER AFFERENT NEURONS. Neuroscience. 229, 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.10.059