Differential expression and regulation of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1 and choline acetyltransferase in neurons of superior cervical ganglia

Marie-José Lecomte; Stéphanie De Gois; Aline Guerci; Philippe Ravassard; Nicole Faucon Biguet; Jacques Mallet; Sylvie Berrard

doi:10.1016/j.mcn.2004.09.014

Differential expression and regulation of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1 and choline acetyltransferase in neurons of superior cervical ganglia

Mol Cell Neurosci. 2005 Feb;28(2):303-13. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2004.09.014.

Authors

Marie-José Lecomte¹, Stéphanie De Gois, Aline Guerci, Philippe Ravassard, Nicole Faucon Biguet, Jacques Mallet, Sylvie Berrard

Affiliation

¹ Laboratoire de la Neurotransmission et des Processus Neurodégénératifs, CNRS, UMR 7091, Bâtiment CERVI, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.

PMID: 15691711
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2004.09.014

Abstract

Previous studies revealed that leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and retinoic acid (RA) induce a noradrenergic to cholinergic switch in cultured sympathetic neurons of superior cervical ganglia (SCG) by up-regulating the coordinate expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Here, we examined the effect of both factors on high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) and on expression of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1. We found that HACU and CHT1-mRNA levels are up-regulated by LIF and down-regulated by RA in these neurons. Thus, in contrast to LIF, RA differentially regulates the expression of the presynaptic cholinergic proteins. Moreover, we showed that untreated SCG neurons express HACU and CHT1-mRNAs at much higher levels than ChAT activity and transcripts. In intact SCG, CHT1-mRNAs are abundant and synthesized by the noradrenergic neurons themselves. This study provides the first example of CHT1 expression in neurons which do not use acetylcholine as neurotransmitter.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acetylcholine / biosynthesis*
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Cation Transport Proteins / genetics*
Cell Differentiation / drug effects
Cell Differentiation / physiology*
Cells, Cultured
Choline / metabolism
Choline O-Acetyltransferase / genetics*
Down-Regulation / drug effects
Down-Regulation / physiology
Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
Interleukin-6 / metabolism
Interleukin-6 / pharmacology
Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
Neurons / cytology
Neurons / drug effects
Neurons / metabolism*
Norepinephrine / metabolism
Phenotype
RNA, Messenger / drug effects
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Superior Cervical Ganglion / cytology
Superior Cervical Ganglion / growth & development
Superior Cervical Ganglion / metabolism*
Tretinoin / metabolism
Tretinoin / pharmacology
Up-Regulation / drug effects
Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

CHT1 protein, rat
Cation Transport Proteins
Interleukin-6
Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
RNA, Messenger
Tretinoin
Choline O-Acetyltransferase
Choline
Acetylcholine
Norepinephrine