Muscarinic M2 receptor promotes vasopressin synthesis in mice supraoptic nuclei

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have been suggested to be implicated in arginine–vasopressin secretion because intracerebroventricular muscarinic agonist administration induces arginine–vasopressin release into the circulation. Although which subtype is involved in the regulation of arginine–vasopressin secretion is unclear, M2 receptors have been reported to be highly expressed in the hypothalamus. In the present study, M2 receptor-knockout mice were used to elucidate whether M2 receptor regulates arginine–vasopressin synthesis in the paraventricular nuclei and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. The number of arginine–vasopressin-immunoreactive neurons in M2 receptor-knockout mice was significantly decreased in the supraoptic nuclei, but not in the paraventricular nuclei compared with wild-type mice. Plasma arginine–vasopressin level in M2 receptor-knockout mice was also significantly lower than in the wild-type mice. Urinary volume and frequency as well as water intake in M2 receptor-knockout mice were significantly higher than those in wild-type mice. The V2 vasopressin receptor expression in kidneys of M2 receptor-knockout mice was comparable with that of wild-type mice, and increased urination in M2 receptor-knockout mice was significantly decreased by administration of desmopressin, a specific V2 receptor agonist, suggesting that V2 receptors in the kidneys of M2 receptor-knockout mice are intact. These results suggest that M2 receptors promote arginine–vasopressin synthesis in the supraoptic nuclei and play a role in the regulation and maintenance of body fluid.