Alterations in neocortical expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mRNAs following unilateral lesions of the rat nucleus basalis magnocellularis.

We investigated the effect of a unilateral lesion of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nbm) on the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the rat cerebral cortex. Cortical nAChR concentration as determined by [3H]nicotine binding was unaffected by the nbm lesion. Expression levels of nAChR subunit mRNAs were measured using cDNA clones coding for the receptor subunits, alpha-3, alpha-4, and beta-2. At 1 week postlesion, expression levels of alpha-4, and beta-2 were increased by an average of 82% and 19%, respectively. On the other hand, expression levels of these mRNAs on the lesioned side 4 weeks after lesioning did not differ from those on the control side. Expression of alpha-3 was not altered by the nbm lesion. These results imply regulation of nAChR transcripts by cell to cell interactions. Co-increase of alpha-4 and beta-2 transcripts may provide supporting evidence for the occurrence of supersensitivity in deafferentated cholinergic neurons.