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      Muscarinic M2 Receptors on Peripheral Nerve Endings: A Molecular Target of Antinociception

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          Abstract

          We recently described a novel endogenous mechanism of peripheral antinociception, possibly involving activation of muscarinic M2 acetylcholine receptors that are expressed on nociceptive nerve endings and decrease their sensitivity. In the present study, this mechanism was scrutinized in skin taken from mice with targeted deletions of the muscarinic M2 receptor gene and, for control purposes, of the M4 receptor gene. Two different approaches were taken. Electrophysiologically the effects of muscarine on nociceptive afferents were investigated using the mouse skin-saphenous nerve preparation, in vitro. Muscarine did not excite nociceptors in the wild-type littermates (WT) and M4 knock-out (M4 KO) mice, but almost all fibers exhibited marked desensitization to mechanical and heat stimuli. Surprisingly, in the M2 KO mice, muscarine was able to excite C-nociceptors and to induce a mild sensitization to heat but caused no alteration in mechanical responsiveness tested with von Frey hairs. In the second, neurochemical approach, the heat-induced cutaneous release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was investigated to gain comparative data on the neurosecretory (vasodilatory) functions of the primary afferent neurons. The substantial increase of CGRP release evoked by noxious heat (47 degrees C) was diminished under muscarine by >50% in the WT and M4 KO animals but remained unaltered in the M2 KO mice. Together, these data provide direct evidence that M2 receptors on cutaneous nerve endings mediate effective depression of nociceptive responsiveness. This observation should be of interest for the development of novel classes of analgesic agents.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          J Neurosci
          J. Neurosci
          jneuro
          jneurosci
          J. Neurosci
          The Journal of Neuroscience
          Society for Neuroscience
          0270-6474
          1529-2401
          15 June 2002
          : 22
          : 12
          : RC229
          Article
          PMC6757719 PMC6757719 6757719 6476
          10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-12-j0002.2002
          6757719
          12045234
          744bdfd4-bbee-47cc-9290-e7bbd9be024d
          Copyright © 2002 Society for Neuroscience
          History
          Categories
          Rapid Communication
          Custom metadata
          5.00

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