Cholinergic activation of a population of corneal afferent nerves.

The in vivo rabbit cornea was used to investigate the effect of acetylcholine on "free" nerve endings from A-delta and C-fibers in the long-ciliary (corneal) nerve. Extracellular electrophysiologic recordings were obtained from 67 corneal nerve fibers. Acetylcholine in concentrations of 10(-5) to 10(-3) M stimulated a specific population of these corneal afferents that were not activated by mechanical or thermal stimuli. Their conduction velocity was determined to be 1.14 +/- 0.34 m/s (mean +/- SD). The other three previously characterized corneal nerve populations (mechanical, mechano-heat, and cold) were not stimulated by the cholinergic agonists or antagonists. Acetylcholine sensitive afferents were also stimulated by carbachol (10(-5) to 10(-3) M) and nicotine (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) but not by bethanecol (10(-5) to 10(-3) M). Acetylcholine-induced activity was abolished by d-tubocurare (10(-4) M) and kappa-bungarotoxin (10(-6) M). The cAMP analog 8-bromoadenosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate activated the same population of chemosensitive C-fibers as acetylcholine. It is concluded that a specific population of C-fiber afferents exist in the rabbit cornea which are stimulated by acetylcholine possibly acting via a neuronal nicotinic receptor. Physiologically, these nerves may be involved in the production of pain following tissue injury or ischemia.