C. Boudreau-lariviere et Bj. Jasmin, Calcitonin gene-related peptide decreases expression of acetylcholinesterase in mammalian myotubes, FEBS LETTER, 444(1), 1999, pp. 22-26
Nerve-derived trophic factors are known to modulate expression of acetylcho
linesterase (AChE) in skeletal muscle fibers, yet the precise identity of t
hese factors remains elusive, In the present study, me treated mouse C2 myo
tubes with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Compared to non-treated
myotubes, cell-associated AChE activity levels ere decreased by similar to
60% after 48 h of treatment. A parallel reduction in AChE total protein lev
els was also observed as determined by Western blot analysis, The reduction
in AChE. activity was due to a decrease in the levels of the GI molecular
form and to an elimination of G(4). By contrast, levels of secreted AChE re
mained unchanged following CGRP treatment. Finally, the overall decrease in
AChE activity was accompanied by a reduction in AChE transcripts which cou
ld not be attributed to changes in the transcriptional rate of the ACHE gen
e. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.