Involvement of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in regulation of kitten visual cortex plasticity.

Receptor autoradiographic methods specific for M3 and M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors were used to investigate the development and input-dependent laminar redistribution of these receptor populations during the critical period for kitten visual cortex plasticity. Analysis of the binding curves of [3H]4-diphenylacetyl-N-methyl-piperidine (4-DAMP) and [3H]pirenzepine (PZ) indicated that these two ligands bound heterogeneously to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with different affinities. While [3H]4-DAMP showed a high affinity for M3 receptors and much lower affinities for M1 and M2 receptors, [3H]PZ displayed higher affinity for M1 receptors. By carefully choosing concentrations of labelled and unlabeled ligands, the patterns of laminar distribution for both receptor subtypes within visual cortex were obtained. Both receptors were most concentrated in cortical layer IV immediately after birth and during the most sensitive period of visual cortex plasticity. The binding density for both receptor subtypes thinned out progressively in this layer to concentrate in more superficial layers as plasticity waned with age. Moreover, interruption of visual or spontaneous input to visual cortex induced either by lesion or by tetrodotoxin infusion into lateral geniculate nucleus prevented the developmental redistribution of these receptors from layer IV to superficial layers, that is, the pattern of laminar distribution remained that of the age at which the lesion or tetrodotoxin infusion into the lateral geniculate nucleus was performed. The results indicate that the developmental expression of M3 and M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in kitten visual cortex depends on cortical inputs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)