Cholinergic muscarinic and nicotinic binding by human lymphocytes: differences between peripheral blood cells and cultivated cell lines.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of [3H]QNB and [3H]nicotine binding to human peripheral blood lymphocytes have been performed. The calculated number of muscarinic binding sites is 6 x 10(4) per cell, and of nicotinic binding sites is 2 x 10(3) per cell. The conditions for routine estimations of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors on human lymphocytes have been established. Significant differences in the distribution of muscarinic and nicotinic binding sites among normal PBL and malignant cell lines have been described.