Differential effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from mouse muscle and Torpedo electrocytes

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 1997-07, Vol.230 (3), p.163-166
• Main Authors: Eaton, M.J, Pagán, O.R, Hann, R.M, Eterović, V.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Bungarotoxins - pharmacology; Cell receptors; Cell structures and functions; Dimethyl sulfoxide; Dimethyl Sulfoxide - pharmacology; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - pharmacology; Female; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Iodine Radioisotopes; Ion Channel Gating - drug effects; Marine; Mice; Molecular and cellular biology; Monoamines receptors (catecholamine, serotonine, histamine, acetylcholine); Oocytes; Oocytes - chemistry; Oocytes - physiology; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Phencyclidine - pharmacology; Radioligand Assay; Radioligand binding; Receptors, Nicotinic - physiology; Torpedo; Torpedo californica; Tritium; Voltage-clamp; Xenopus laevis
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00505-3

The present study examined the effects of 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) from mouse muscle and Torpedo californica electrocytes. Receptors were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and studied with voltage-clamp. When applied simultaneously with acetylcholine, DMSO did not inhibit current amplitude of either receptor. Preincubation with DMSO for 1 min reduced current amplitude by approximately 50% from oocytes expressing electrocyte receptor. Preincubation did not affect the muscle receptor. With electric organ membranes, 0.1% DMSO did not block either [ α- 125I]bungarotoxin binding to the nAChR agonist site or [ 3H]phencyclidine binding to its high affinity site on resting or desensitized receptor. These data suggest that DMSO might be affecting the electrocyte receptor through a second messenger system.