Abstract
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes were characterized in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of wild-type and dystrophin-lacking mdx mice. The binding of Epibatidine and αBungarotoxin, ligands for α3- and α7-containing receptors, respectively, revealed, for each ligand, a single class of high-affinity binding sites, with similar affinity in both wild-type and mdx mice. The Epibatidine-labeled receptors were immunoprecipitated by antibodies against the α3, β2, and β4 subunits. Immunocytochemistry showed that the percentage of α3-, β2-, and β4- but not of α7-immunopositive postsynaptic specializations was significantly lower in mdx than in wild-type mouse SCG. These observations suggest that the mouse SCG contains nAChRs, stabilized by dystrophin, in which the α3 subunit is associated with the β2 and/or β4 subunits. Conversely, dystrophin is not involved in the stabilization of the α7-containing nAChRs, as the percentage of α7-immunopositive synapses is similar in both wild-type and mdx mouse SCG.
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