alpha 4 Nicotinic Receptors in preBoetzinger Complex Mediate Cholinergic/Nicotinic Modulation of Respiratory Rhythm

Acetylcholine and nicotine can modulate respiratory patterns by acting on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the preBoetzinger complex (preBoetC). To further explore the molecular composition of these nAChRs, we studied a knock-in mouse strain with a leucine-to-alanine mutation in the M2 pore-lining region (L9'A) of the nAChR alpha 4 subunit; this mutation renders alpha 4-containing receptors hypersensitive to agonists. We recorded respiratory-related rhythmic motor activity from hypoglossal nerve (XIIn) and patch-clamped preBoetC inspiratory neurons in an in vitro medullary slice preparation from neonatal mice. Nicotine affected respiratory rhythm at concentrations similar to 100-fold lower in the homozygous L9'A knock-in mice compared with wild-type mice. Bath application of 5 nM nicotine increased the excitability of preBoetC inspiratory neurons, increased respiratory frequency, and induced tonic/seizure-like activities in XIIn in L9'A mice, effects similar to those induced by 1 mu M nicotine in wild-type mice. In L9'A mice, microinjection of low nanomolar concentrations of nicotine into the preBoetC increased respiratory frequency, whereas injection into the ipsilateral hypoglossal (XII) nucleus induced tonic/seizure-like activity. The alpha 4*-selective nAChR antagonist dihydro- beta -erythroidine produced opposite effects and blocked the nicotinic responses. These data, showing that nAChRs in the preBoetC and XII nucleus in L9'A mice are hypersensitive to nicotine and endogenous ACh, suggest that functional alpha 4* nAChRs are present in the preBoetC. They mediate cholinergic/nicotinic modulation of the excitability of preBoetC inspiratory neurons and of respiratory rhythm. Furthermore, functional alpha 4* nAChRs are present in XII nucleus and mediate cholinergic/nicotinic modulation of tonic activity in XIIn.