Regulation of acetylcholine receptor function by the phorbol ester TPA in rat skeletal muscle.

(1) The effect of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a specific activator of the protein kinase C (PrkC), on the function of junctional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) was examined on muscle fibres isolated from the M. flexor digitorum brevis of the rat. (2) In the presence of TPA the sensitivity of the whole endplates to iontophoretically applied ACh exhibited multiphasic oscillations: an early decrease followed by a delayed increase and, at the end again, a decrease to below pretreatment levels. This effect was more pronounced as the TPA concentration was increased in the range of 0.1-1 microM and was blocked by the PrkC-inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinyl-sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7). (3) TPA (0.1-0.5 microM) shortly applied to patch-clamped fibres caused a slight decrease in nAChR-channel slope conductance without affecting the mean lifetime. In a patch the opening frequency increased over time, after an initial decrease. (4) It is concluded that specific activation of the PrkC may be of regulatory significance on nAChR function.