Adaptive changes in acetylcholinesterase gene expression as mediators of recovery from chemical and biological insults

Toxicology. 2007 Apr 20;233(1-3):97-107. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2006.08.018. Epub 2006 Aug 22.

Abstract

Both organophosphate (OP) exposure and bacterial infection notably induce short- and long-term cholinergic responses. These span the central and peripheral nervous system, neuromuscular pathway and hematopoietic cells and involve over-expression of the "readthrough" variant of acetylcholinesterase, AChE-R, and its naturally cleavable C-terminal peptide ARP. However, the causal involvement of these changes with post-exposure recovery as opposed to apoptotic events remained to be demonstrated. Here, we report the establishment of stably transfected cell lines expressing catalytically active human "synaptic" AChE-S or AChE-R which are fully viable and non-apoptotic. In addition, intraperitoneally injected synthetic mouse ARP (mARP) elevated serum AChE levels post-paraoxon exposure. Moreover, mARP treatment ameliorated post-exposure increases in corticosterone and decreases in AChE gene expression and facilitated earlier retrieval of motor activity following both paraoxon and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposures. Our findings suggest a potential physiological role for overproduction of AChE-R and the ARP peptide following exposure to both chemical warfare agents and bacterial LPS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • CHO Cells
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / toxicity*
  • Cholinesterases / blood
  • Cholinesterases / genetics*
  • Corticosterone / blood
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Motor Activity / genetics
  • Paraoxon / toxicity*
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Cholinesterases
  • Paraoxon
  • Corticosterone