Binding of the nicotinic cholinergic antagonist, dihydro-beta-erythroidine, to rat brain tissue

The nicotinic cholinergic antagonist, dihydro-beta-erythroidine, binds to two sites in rat cortical membranes with dissociation constants of 4 and 22 nM and respective apparent Bmax values of 52 and 164 fmol/mg of protein. Binding to the higher affinity site, defined by the use of 2 nM [3H]dihydro-beta-erythroidine, was saturable, reversible, and susceptible to protein denaturation. Binding was highest in the thalamus and lowest in the spinal cord and showed preferential enrichment in a synaptosomal subfraction of rat brain. Nicotine displaced [3H]dihydro-beta-erythroidine in a stereospecific manner, the (-)-isomer being approximately 6 times more potent than the (+)-isomer. The alkaloid nicotinic agonists, cytisine and lobeline, were potent inhibitors of binding, while acetylcholine in the presence of the cholinesterase inhibitor di-isopropylfluorophosphate was equipotent with (+)-nicotine. Binding was also inhibited by the muscarinic ligands, arecoline, atropine, and oxotremorine. The nicotinic antagonists mecamylamine, hexamethonium, and pempidine were essentially inactive in displacing [3H]dihydro-beta-erythroidine. These findings indicate that dihydro-beta-erythroidine binds to a nicotinic recognition site in rat brain which is neuromuscular, rather than ganglionic, in nature and that such binding is similar in several respects to that seen with nicotinic agonists. Whether such binding is to a nicotinic, as opposed to nicotinic cholinergic, recognition site or to a "common" nicotinic/muscarinic site is an issue that requires further study.