The muscarinic toxin 3 augments neuropeptide mRNA in rat striatum in vivo

Abstract

The selective M4 muscarinic receptor toxin, MT3, was used in vivo to evaluate the role of M4 receptors in cholinergic inhibition of neuropeptide mRNA expression in striatonigral neurons. Unilateral injection of the muscarinic toxin 3 (0.04-4 nmol) into the dorsal striatum of chronically-cannulated rats elevated basal levels of preprodynorphin, substance P and preproenkephalin mRNAs in the ipsilateral dorsal striatum as revealed by quantitative in situ hybridization. Pretreatment with muscarinic toxin 3 also augmented amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.)-stimulated preprodynorphin and substance P expression in the dorsal striatum in a manner similar to that observed after the muscarinic antagonist, scopolamine. Since muscarinic toxin 3 has a much greater affinity for muscarinic M4 receptors than for other subtypes, it is possible that muscarinic toxin 3, by interacting with the muscarinic M4 subtype, regulates basal and/or dopamine-stimulated striatal neuropeptide gene expression.