Cholinergic agonists increase intracellular Ca2+ in cultured human microglia

• 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
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00706-X

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.