Characterization of a muscarinic receptor controlling Cl- secretion in hen trachea.

We have attempted to characterize a muscarinic receptor subtype involved in Cl- secretion in isolated epithelium of hen trachea, taking advantage of drugs developed in the last 15 yr. Hen trachea can be stimulated to secrete Cl- equal to approximately 80-90 microA/cm2 by application of acetylcholine (ACh) to the serosal side. The process has an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) for ACh of 740 nM. The Cl- secretion is completely inhibited by 20 microM bumetanide at the serosal side. Of five selective antagonists for muscarinic receptors, pirenzepine, hexahydrosiladifenidol, dicyclomine, 11-([2-[(diethylamino)-methyl]-1-piperidinyl]acetyl)-5,11- dihydro-6H-pyrido(2,3-b)(1,4)benzodiazepine-6-one, and 4 diphenyl acetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methobromide, only the latter had a high affinity for the functional receptor with an apparent Kd of 3 nM. The receptor may be classified as an M4-muscarinic receptor subtype and probably belongs to a group of muscarinic receptors on exocrine glands and mucosal cells involved in ion transport. All the functional responses caused by muscarinic agonists and antagonists tested exhibited exponents (apparent Hill coefficients) in the range from 1.3 to 2.4, indicating a gain in the stimulus secretion coupling mechanism, an aspect of muscarinic receptor function that is not revealed in radioligand binding studies.