Blood-cell-specific acetylcholinesterase splice variations under changing stimuli

Int J Dev Neurosci. 2004 Nov;22(7):523-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.07.016.

Abstract

Developmental and trauma-induced mechanism(s) that modify inflammation and immune responses in blood cells were recently found to be regulated by acetylcholine. Here, we report corresponding blood cell-specific changes in acetylcholinesterase splice variants. Plasmon resonance and flow cytometry using acetylcholinesterase variant-specific antibody probes, revealed a progressive increase in myeloid cell fractions expressing the apoptosis-related acetylcholinesterase-S variant from newborns to adult controls and post-delivery mothers. Hematopoietic cell fractions positive for the myeloproliferative acetylcholinesterase-R variant, were similarly high in post-partum blood, both intracellular and on the cell surface. Moreover, intracellular acetylcholinesterase-S protein amounts as reflected by fluorescence intensity measurements remained unchanged in myeloid cells from post-partum mothers as compared with matched controls. Unlike brain neurons, which over-express intracellular acetylcholinesterase-R under stress, lymphocytes from post-partum mothers presented increased surface acetylcholinesterase-S and pronounced decreases in both the expression and contents of surface acetylcholinesterase-R. Peripheral stimuli-induced modulations in acetylcholine regulation may hence reflect blood cell lineage-dependent acetylcholinesterase splice variations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / blood
  • Acetylcholine / genetics
  • Acetylcholine / immunology
  • Acetylcholinesterase / blood*
  • Acetylcholinesterase / classification
  • Acetylcholinesterase / genetics
  • Acetylcholinesterase / immunology*
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Blood Cells / enzymology*
  • Blood Cells / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Oxidative Stress / immunology*
  • Protein Splicing / genetics

Substances

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Acetylcholine