IJPPP Copyright © 2009-All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711
Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol 2013;5(3):161-168

Original Article
Modulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in native sympathetic neurons by
ethanol

Zheman Xiao, Fan Zhu, Zuneng Lu, Songqing Pan, Jingjing Liang, Jiangquan Zheng, Zhongchun Liu

Department of Neurology, Institution of Neuropsychiatry Research, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan
430060, Hubei, PR China; School of Basic Medical Science, Wuhan University, Hubei, PR China 430071; Institute of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, PR China. These authors are contributed equally to the
work.

Received June 13, 2013; Accepted June 28, 2013; Epub September 10, 2013; Published September 15, 2013

Abstract: Objective: To determine whether actions on nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) contribute to ethanol’s depressant
effects on the autonomic nervous system. Methods: The acute effects of ethanol on nAChRs were examined in primary cultured
superior cervical ganglion (SCGs) by whole-cell patch clamp recordings. After the whole-cell configuration was formed, drugs diluted to
various concentrations with extracellular solution were applied directly to single neurons. Results: Held at -70 mV, ethanol significantly
and reversibly inhibited nicotine-evoked currents (INic) with a maximum inhibition rate of ~80% and an IC50 of 232.88±40.66 mM. At 50
mM, ethanol accelerated the slow decay, but did not affect the quick decay and rising time of INic. There was neither use-dependence
nor voltage-dependence of ethanol on suppressing INic in SCGs. Conclusion: Ethanol inhibited the whole-cell INic significantly,
probably through noncompetitive inhibition at the binding sites outside of the cell membrane. (IJPPP1306002).

Keywords: Ethanol, superior cervical ganglion, nicotine, desensitization, nicotine acetylcholine receptors

Address correspondence to: Zhongchun Liu or Zuneng Lu, Department of Neurology, Institution of Neuropsychiatry Research, Renmin
Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan 430060, Hubei, PR China. E-mail: zcliu6@whu.edu.cn (Zhongchun Liu);
13995672166@126.com (Zuneng Lu)