Modulation of spontaneous and stimulation-evoked transmitter release from rat sympathetic neurons by the cognition enhancer linopirdine: insights into its mechanisms of action.

The mechanisms by which the cognition enhancer linopirdine may affect transmitter release were investigated in cultures of rat superior cervical ganglion neurons. Overflow of previously incorporated [3H]noradrenaline evoked by 10 microM UTP or 0.1 microM bradykinin was enhanced by linopirdine at > or =3 microM, overflow evoked by 25 mM K(-), 100 microM nicotine, or 300 microM ATP was enhanced by linopirdine at > or =10 microM, and overflow due to 40 mM K+ or electrical field stimulation was not altered by linopirdine. Ba2+ (0.3 mM) augmented the same types of stimulation-evoked overflow to a similar extent as linopirdine. K+ (25 mM), nicotine (100 microM), and ATP (300 microM) triggered transmitter release in a partially tetrodotoxin-resistant manner, and the release-enhancing action of linopirdine was lost in the presence of tetrodotoxin (1 microM). Linopirdine (10 microM) raised spontaneous tritium outflow and reduced currents through muscarinic K+ (K(M)) channels with a similar time course. The secretagogue action of linopirdine was concentration- and Ca2(+)-dependent and abolished by tetrodotoxin (1 microM) or Cd2+ (100 microM). Linopirdine (10 microM) added to the partial inhibition of K(M) channels by 1 or 3 mM Ba2(+) but not to the complete inhibition by 10 mM Ba2(+). Likewise, the secretagogue action of 1 and 3 mM, but not that of 10 mM, Ba2+ was enhanced by linopirdine. These results indicate that linopirdine facilitates and triggers transmitter release via blockade of K(M) channels and suggest that these K+ channels are located at neuronal somata rather than at presynaptic sites.

Alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated inhibition of electrically evoked [3H]noradrenaline release from chick sympathetic neurons: role of cyclic AMP.

This study explores the role of cyclic AMP in electrically evoked [3H]noradrenaline release and in the alpha 2-adrenergic modulation of this release in chick sympathetic neurons. Along with an increase in stimulation-evoked tritium overflow, applications of forskolin enhanced the formation of intracellular cyclic AMP. Both effects of forskolin were potentiated by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. The forskolin-induced increase in overflow was abolished by the Rp-diastereomer of cyclic AMP-thioate, an antagonist at cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases, and 1,9-dideoxy-forskolin, an inactive analogue at adenylyl cyclase, had no effect on the evoked overflow. A 24-h pretreatment with either cholera toxin or forskolin reduced the subsequent forskolin-induced accumulation of cyclic AMP and inhibited the stimulation-evoked release. Basal cyclic AMP production, however, remained unaltered after forskolin treatment and was enhanced after 24 h of cholera toxin exposure. The alpha 2-adrenergic agonist bromoxidine did not affect the formation of cyclic AMP stimulated by forskolin but reduced electrically evoked release. However, effects of bromoxidine on 3H overflow were attenuated by forskolin as well as by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. Effects of bromoxidine on [3H]noradrenaline release were paralleled by an inhibition of voltage-activated Ca2+ currents, primarily through a delayed time course of current activation. This effect was abolished when either forskolin or 8-bromo-cyclic AMP was included in the pipette solution. Both substances, however, failed to affect Ca2+ currents in the absence of bromoxidine. These results suggest that the signaling cascade of the alpha 2-adrenergic inhibition of noradrenaline release involves voltage-activated Ca2+ channels but not cyclic AMP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)