Induction of Cholinergic Expression in Developing Spinal Cord Cultures

: The induction of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) by cAMP derivatives was studied in dissociated spinal cord cultures. Dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and 8‐bromo cAMP (1 mM) produced a 2–3‐fold stimulation of ChAT activity in developing cultures whereas 8‐bromo cGMP had no effect. A phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine, also increased (2‐fold) ChAT activity in immature cultures. Significant elevations in ChAT were detected after 2 h incubation with dbcAMP. Maximum enzyme induction was observed 24 h after dbcAMP supplementation to the culture medium. Developmental studies revealed that ChAT could be induced on days 2–16 in culture. The largest induction of ChAT activity was observed on day 7 in culture. After day 19, when control enzyme activity attained levels of mature cultures, cAMP‐mediated ChAT induction was no longer observed. Cycloheximide and actinomycin D blocked ChAT induction whereas basal enzyme activity remained unaffected. Culture protein content was not changed after 1‐day exposure to dbcAMP. 125I‐Tetanus toxin fixation after dbcAMP treatment revealed a 20% decrease from control in neuronal surface during days 7–9 in culture. These data indicated that cAMP derivatives produced a rapid increase in cholinergic expression during a specific period of development in spinal cord cultures. There appears to be specificity to this effect, as total neuronal surface does not respond in the same manner as ChAT activity. The ChAT induction mediated by dbcAMP appears to be regulated at the transcriptional level.