Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 9, 2776-2791, Copyright © 1989 by Society for Neuroscience
Regulation of muscarinic receptors in hippocampus following cholinergic denervation and reinnervation by septal and striatal transplants
JN Joyce, RB Gibbs, CW Cotman and JF Marshall
Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104.
The regulation of hippocampal muscarinic M1 and M2 receptors was studied by
autoradiographic methods following cholinergic denervation and
reinnervation from embryonic septal transplant. In young adult male rats
the density of M1 sites, labeled either with 3H-pirenzepine (PZ) or
3H-N-methylscopolamine (NMS, in the presence of excess carbachol), exceeded
by 4- to 5-fold the density of M2 sites, labeled with 3H-NMS in the
presence of excess PZ. Both receptors appeared to be densest in hippocampal
regions lowest in acetylcholinesterase or 3H-hemicholinium- 3 binding. The
distribution of M1 receptors did differ from the distribution of M2
receptors within subregions of the hippocampus. Along the mediolateral axis
from the subiculum to the lateral CA 1, the density of M1 receptors is
uniform, but the density of M2 receptors decreases. Also apparent is the
relatively small difference in density between the CA1 and dentate gyrus
for M1 receptors but a significantly greater difference for M2 receptors.
However, the response of M1 and M2 receptors to long-term cholinergic
denervation following fimbriafornix transection of the septal cholinergic
input and to cholinergic innervation by embryonic septal transplants was
similar. Long-term denervation (40-60 d) resulted in a 30-60% increase in
both M1 and M2 receptors within regions of the hippocampal formation.
Receptor levels were reduced to normal in regions innervated by septal
transplants. For both receptors, the changes in the density of sites were
due to alterations in the Bmax and not the Kd for the radioligands. The
specificity of this regulation is supported by the evidence that (1) the
degree and topography of the normalization of muscarinic receptor density
was entirely dependent on the degree and pattern of cholinergic
reinnervation by the fibers of the septal transplant, (2) cholinergic fiber
reinnervation by embryonic striatal grafts also down-regulated the density
of M1 and M2 receptors, and (3) successfully surviving transplants (e.g.,
cerebellar and striatal) that did not provide innervation to the
hippocampus did not induce down-regulation of muscarinic receptors. Changes
in the density of sites were not related to changes in the width of the
hippocampus following denervation and reinnervation. The data support the
view that the majority of M1 and M2 receptors are located postsynaptically
on neurons within the hippocampus and not presynaptically on cholinergic
fibers.