Rat arteries contain multiple nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α-subunits

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• 作者：Brü ; ggmann ; Dö ; rthe ; Lips ; Katrin S. ; Pfeil ; Uwe ; Haberberger ; Rainer V. ; Kummer ; Wolfgang
• 关键词：Acetylcholine ; Cholinergic receptors ; Immunohistochemistry
• 刊名：Life Sciences
• 出版年：2003
• 出版时间：March 28, 2003
• 年：2003
• 卷：72
• 期：1
• 页码：2095-2099
• 全文大小：191 K

文摘

We investigated the occurrence and distribution of the ligand-binding α-subunits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the rat arterial system in situ by means of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Except the α9-subunit, all other mammalian non-muscular α-subunits were expressed in the arterial wall - either in endothelial or in smooth muscle cells - suggesting it as a direct target of nicotine and endogenous acetylcholine. The distribution pattern of α-subunits found in smooth muscle cells varied considerably among the individual elastic, muscular and intraparenchymal arteries investigated, suggesting that non-neuronal cholinergic signalling via nicotinic receptors in the vascular wall includes components that are highly specific for individual arteries.