Brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Biochemical characterization by neosurugatoxin.

Specific [3H]nicotine binding to rat forebrain membranes was saturable and of high affinity, and it exhibited pharmacological specificity as well as stereoselectivity for nicotinic agents. There was a regional variation of specific [3H]nicotine binding in rat brain. Low concentrations of neosurugatoxin markedly inhibited specific [3H]nicotine binding in rat forebrain (IC50 = 78 nM) and the competition curve by the toxin was biphasic (pseudo-Hill slope, 0.44). Approximately 50% of [3H]nicotine binding in rat forebrain was inhibited by low concentrations (0.3-100 nM) of neosurugatoxin and the residual binding was inhibited by higher concentrations (0.3-10 microM). In the presence of 3 nM, 100 nM, and 1 microM neosurugatoxin, there was a concentration-dependent (28, 54, and 71%, respectively) loss of [3H]nicotine-binding sites (Bmax) in rat forebrain with little change in the dissociation constant (Kd). The blockade of brain [3H]nicotine-binding sites induced by neosurugatoxin was not reversed by washing. Further, the toxin (10 microM) considerably accelerated the dissociation of [3H]nicotine from its receptor sites initiated by nonlabeled (-)nicotine. These observations suggest that neosurugatoxin may allosterically regulate [3H]nicotine binding rather than competing directly. In contrast to a marked inhibition of [3H]nicotine binding, neosurugatoxin (100 nM-10 microM) had no effect on brain [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding. In conclusion, the present study has shown that [3H]nicotine selectively labels nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain and that neosurugatoxin is a potent noncompetitive antagonist of these receptors.