Soluble guanylyl cyclase is localized at the neuromuscular junction in human skeletal muscle

Soluble guanlylyl cyclase (sGC) seems to be involved in mechanisms for rapi d translation of electrical and chemical signals at the neuromuscular junct ion. To explore the cellular localization of the alpha (2), alpha (1) and b eta (1) subunits of sGC, we studied normal and denervated human muscle biop sies immunohistochemically using antibodies directed against the alpha (2) and alpha (1)/beta (1) subunits of sGC and performed double labellings with alpha -bungarotoxin. Confocal imaging could localize the at and alpha (1)/ beta (1) subunits of sGC at neuromuscular junctions and vessels and the sub units remained concentrated at neuromuscular junctions following denervatio n. The presence of sGC at neuromuscular junctions and at vessels suggests s GC could serve as a postsynaptic second messenger for fine tuning of nerve- muscle interaction and dynamic regulation of intramuscular blood flow. Neur oReport 12:979-981 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.