Functional properties of human nicotinic AChRs expressed by IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells resemble those of alpha3beta4 AChRs expressed in permanently transfected HEK cells.

We characterized the functional and molecular properties of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) expressed by IMR-32, a human neuroblastoma cell line, and compared them to human alpha3 AChRs expressed in stably transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. IMR-32 cells, like neurons of autonomic ganglia, have been shown to express alpha3, alpha5, alpha7, beta2, and beta4 AChR subunits. From these subunits, several types of alpha3 AChRs as well as homomeric alpha7 AChRs could be formed. However, as we show, the properties of functional AChRs in these cells overwhelmingly reflect alpha3beta4 AChRs. alpha7 AChR function was not detected, yet we estimate that there are 70% as many surface alpha7 AChRs in IMR-32 when compared with alpha3 AChRs. Agonist potencies (EC(50) values) followed the rank order of 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP; 16+/-1 microM) > nicotine (Nic; 48 +/- 7 microM) > or = cytisine (Cyt; 57 +/- 3 microM) = acetylcholine (ACh; 59 +/- 6 microM). All agonists exhibited efficacies of at least 80% relative to ACh. The currents showed strong inward rectification and desensitized at a rate of 3 s(-1) (300 microM ACh; -60 mV). Assays that used mAbs confirmed the predominance of alpha3- and beta4-containing AChRs in IMR-32 cells. Although 18% of total alpha3 AChRs contained beta2 subunits, no beta2 subunit was detected on the cell surface. Chronic Nic incubation increased the amount of total, but not surface alpha3beta2 AChRs in IMR-32 cells. Nic incubation and reduced culture temperature increased total and surface AChRs in alpha3beta2 transfected HEK cells. Characterization of various alpha3 AChRs expressed in HEK cell lines revealed that the functional properties of the alpha3beta4 cell line best matched those found for IMR-32 cells. The rank order of agonist potencies (EC(50) values) for this line was DMPP (14 +/- 1 microM) = Cyt (18 +/- 1 microM) > Nic (56 +/- 15 microM > ACh (79 +/- 8 microM). The efficacies of both Cyt and DMPP were approximately 80% when compared with ACh and the desensitization rate was 2 s(-1). These data show that even with the potential to express several human nicotinic AChR subtypes, the functional properties of AChRs expressed by IMR-32 are completely attributable to alpha3beta4 AChRs.