Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are directly affected by agents used to study protein phosphorylation.

1. Messenger RNAs for the subunits of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) were expressed in Xenopus oocytes. A two-electrode voltage clamp was used to measure the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced macroscopic currents. In addition, patch-clamp techniques were used to study nAChR channels in whole cells and in outside-out patches excised from BC3H-1 cells and in patches from oocytes. The single-channel and macroscopic currents were modified by compounds that are usually used to study protein phosphorylation. 2. IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine) is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Because it elevates the intracellular concentration of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), IBMX is often used to indirectly activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase. H-7 [1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine] is mainly used as a rather nonspecific inhibitor of protein kinase activity. Both IBMX and H-7 directly inhibit ACh-induced currents independent of their action on phosphorylation. This direct effect of these compounds is similar to the previously reported inhibition of nAChRs and K+ channels by forskolin, which is commonly used to elevate intracellular cAMP. 3. Macroscopic currents induced in the oocytes by 50 microM ACh had an average peak current of 605 nA, and the currents decayed biexponentially with tau of 15 and 225 s. When 300 microM H-7 was added simultaneously with the ACh, the average peak current was 228 nA and the tau were 1 and 108 s. When 500 microM IBMX was added simultaneously with the ACh, the average peak current was 308 nA and the tau were 9 and 237 s. H-7 and IBMX decreased the peak current induced by ACh, and the compounds increased the decay rate of the current. Under these experimental conditions, the IC50 for reduction of peak amplitude at -30 mV was 160 microM for H-7 and 475 microM for IBMX. 4. H-7 preferentially inhibits the open conformation of the nAChR channel, but there is also some inhibition of the closed channel. The inhibition is voltage dependent: inhibition decreases e-fold per 34 mV depolarization. H-7 does not become trapped within the closed channel and does not significantly alter desensitization under our experimental conditions. 5. H-7 and IBMX interrupt or terminate single-channel openings in membrane patches excised from oocytes or BC3H-1 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)