Cholinergic agonists increase intracellular Ca2+ in cultured human microglia

Microglia are resident phagocytic cells in the central nervous system (CNS), and can be activated in response to various stimuli including neurotransmitters. Using fura-2 imaging, we investigated the effects of carbachol (CCh), a cholinergic agonist, on [Ca2+]i in cultured human microglia. Treatment...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience letters 1998-10, Vol.255 (1), p.33-36
Main Authors: ZHANG, L, MCLARNON, J. G, GOGHARI, V, YONG BEOM LEE, KIM, S. U, KRIEGER, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atropine - pharmacology
Biological and medical sciences
Calcium - metabolism
Carbachol - administration & dosage
Carbachol - pharmacology
Cells, Cultured
Cholinergic Agonists - administration & dosage
Cholinergic Agonists - pharmacology
Drug Administration Schedule
Drug Combinations
Fetus
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Intracellular Membranes - metabolism
Isolated neuron and nerve. Neuroglia
Microglia - drug effects
Microglia - metabolism
Muscarinic Antagonists - pharmacology
Osmolar Concentration
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:Microglia are resident phagocytic cells in the central nervous system (CNS), and can be activated in response to various stimuli including neurotransmitters. Using fura-2 imaging, we investigated the effects of carbachol (CCh), a cholinergic agonist, on [Ca2+]i in cultured human microglia. Treatment of microglia with CCh (100 microM) produced a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, which was atropine-sensitive and was associated with release from intracellular Ca2+ stores. Successive applications of CCh showed a change in the amplitude of the [Ca2+]i signal consistent with desensitization. These results show that human microglia express functional muscarinic receptors and respond to cholinergic agonists. The rapid change of [Ca2+]i in microglia may serve as a second messenger to trigger downstream cascades which contribute to signalling pathways in CNS pathology.
ISSN:0304-3940
1872-7972
DOI:10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00706-X