Effects of lobeline and dimethylphenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP) on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-evoked acetylcholine release in vitro: evidence for a lack of involvement of classical neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Biochemical, behavioral and electrophysiological evidence suggests interactions between pathways containing neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (NAChRs) and excitatory amino acid receptors. Recently, protective effects of nicotine against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced toxicity in primary cortical cultures were reported. To address possible interactions between NAChR and NMDA receptor containing pathways, several NAChR agonists were evaluated for their effects on NMDA-evoked [3H]acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) release from slices of rat striatum. Nicotine, cytisine and epibatidine had no effect on NMDA-evoked release or basal release of [3H]ACh over a wide range of concentrations. Lobeline and dimethylphenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP), however, decreased basal [3H]ACh release and attenuated NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh release with EC50 values of 35 and 155 microM, respectively. The NAChR antagonists, dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DH beta E) and d-tubocurarine had no effect on NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh release, whereas mecamylamine attenuated the NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh evoked release with an EC50 value of 144 microM. Methyllycaconitine (MLA), a highly selective and potent antagonist of the alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive alpha 7 NAChR subtype, also had no effect on NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh release at concentrations upto 10 microM. The inhibitory effects of DMPP and lobeline on NMDA-evoked [3H[ACh release were relatively insensitive to mecamylamine, d-tubocurarine, MLA and DH beta E. In addition, DMPP or lobeline-induced attenuation of basal [3H]ACh release was insensitive to blockade by sulpiride, a dopamine (D2) receptor antagonist. In contrast to their effects on NMDA-evoked striatal [3H]ACh release, both DMPP and lobeline increased basal release of striatal [3H]DA and hippocampal [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) and did not attenuate NMDA-evoked release of these two transmitters. Instead, DMPP and lobeline appeared to have an additive effect on both NMDA-evoked hippocampal [3H]NE release and striatal [3H]DA release. These pharmacological results suggest that the inhibitory effects on lobeline and DMPP on striatal [3H]ACh release are independent of their interactions with classical NAChRs or the NMDA receptor complex itself.