Ca. Hodgessavola et Hl. Fernandez, A ROLE FOR CALCITONIN-GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE IN THE REGULATION OF RAT SKELETAL-MUSCLE G(4) ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE, Neuroscience letters, 190(2), 1995, pp. 117-120
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) acts as an anterograde trophic
agent which regulates skeletal muscle acetylcholine receptor function.
We examined whether CGRP also influences other synaptic transmission-
related molecules, i.e. acetylcholinesterase (AChE) forms. Results sho
w that: (a) CGRP associated with rat anterior gracilis muscle endplate
s declines following obturator nerve transection; (b) exogenous CGRP t
reatment has a selective, innervation-like effect on the globular tetr
amer (G(4)) of AChE in gracilis motor endplates; and (c) this effect i
s reversed by the CGRP receptor antagonist hCGRP(8-37). We conclude th
at exogenous CGRP, and/or a biologically active CGRP fragment(s), infl
uences G(4) AChE levels through specific CGRP-CGRP receptor interactio
ns. This conclusion is consistent with the notion that motor nerve-der
ived CGRP participates in the trophic control of G(4) AChE at the neur
omuscular junction.