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Acetylcholine receptor density in human cricopharyngeal muscle and pharyngeal constrictor muscle

Sundman, E ; Yost, CS ; Margolin, G ; Kuylenstierna, R ; Ekberg, Olle LU and Eriksson, LI (2002) In Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 46(8). p.999-1002
Abstract
Background: Upper esophageal sphincter resting tone is reduced during partial neuromuscular block, whereas contraction of the pharyngeal constrictor muscle is only slightly affected. We hypothesized that this difference may arise from differential nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density, the density supposedly being lower in the more sensitive cricopharyngeal muscle than in the resistant pharyngeal constrictor muscle. The aim of this study was to determine the density of nAChR in the main component of the upper esophageal sphincter, the cricopharyngeal muscle, and in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Methods: After approval by the institutional ethics committee and informed consent, muscle specimens were obtained from five... (More)
Background: Upper esophageal sphincter resting tone is reduced during partial neuromuscular block, whereas contraction of the pharyngeal constrictor muscle is only slightly affected. We hypothesized that this difference may arise from differential nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density, the density supposedly being lower in the more sensitive cricopharyngeal muscle than in the resistant pharyngeal constrictor muscle. The aim of this study was to determine the density of nAChR in the main component of the upper esophageal sphincter, the cricopharyngeal muscle, and in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Methods: After approval by the institutional ethics committee and informed consent, muscle specimens were obtained from five patients undergoing surgery with laryngectomy for malignancies of the larynx or thyroid gland. None had received radiation therapy to the affected area. The nAChR from these tissue specimens were solubilized and incubated with I-125-alpha-bungarotoxin. The quantity of radioligand-receptor complex was measured by radioactive decay in a liquid scintillation counter. The receptor density was expressed as femtomoles per milligram of protein (fmol/mg protein). Results: The nAChR density was determined to 6.8 (3.5) fmol/mg protein (mean (SD)) in the cricopharyngeal muscle and 5.6 (2.1) fmol/mg protein in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle (P = 0.22). Although we could not find any difference in mean nAChR density, contrary to our hypothesis, the density in four of the five patients was higher in the cricopharyngeal muscle than in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the density of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is similar in the cricopharyngeal muscle and in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density, as determined by I-125-alpha-bungarotoxin assay, cannot explain the difference in response to neuromuscular blocking drugs between the investigated muscles. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
residual neuromuscular block, difficulties, swallowing, pharyngeal dysfunction
in
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
volume
46
issue
8
pages
999 - 1002
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000177547900012
  • pmid:12190802
  • scopus:0036724079
ISSN
0001-5172
DOI
10.1034/j.1399-6576.2002.460812.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
29e56331-4c49-49b4-be39-3616d574ad4f (old id 892747)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:13:33
date last changed
2022-01-27 00:38:40
@article{29e56331-4c49-49b4-be39-3616d574ad4f,
  abstract     = {{Background: Upper esophageal sphincter resting tone is reduced during partial neuromuscular block, whereas contraction of the pharyngeal constrictor muscle is only slightly affected. We hypothesized that this difference may arise from differential nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density, the density supposedly being lower in the more sensitive cricopharyngeal muscle than in the resistant pharyngeal constrictor muscle. The aim of this study was to determine the density of nAChR in the main component of the upper esophageal sphincter, the cricopharyngeal muscle, and in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Methods: After approval by the institutional ethics committee and informed consent, muscle specimens were obtained from five patients undergoing surgery with laryngectomy for malignancies of the larynx or thyroid gland. None had received radiation therapy to the affected area. The nAChR from these tissue specimens were solubilized and incubated with I-125-alpha-bungarotoxin. The quantity of radioligand-receptor complex was measured by radioactive decay in a liquid scintillation counter. The receptor density was expressed as femtomoles per milligram of protein (fmol/mg protein). Results: The nAChR density was determined to 6.8 (3.5) fmol/mg protein (mean (SD)) in the cricopharyngeal muscle and 5.6 (2.1) fmol/mg protein in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle (P = 0.22). Although we could not find any difference in mean nAChR density, contrary to our hypothesis, the density in four of the five patients was higher in the cricopharyngeal muscle than in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the density of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is similar in the cricopharyngeal muscle and in the pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density, as determined by I-125-alpha-bungarotoxin assay, cannot explain the difference in response to neuromuscular blocking drugs between the investigated muscles.}},
  author       = {{Sundman, E and Yost, CS and Margolin, G and Kuylenstierna, R and Ekberg, Olle and Eriksson, LI}},
  issn         = {{0001-5172}},
  keywords     = {{residual neuromuscular block; difficulties; swallowing; pharyngeal dysfunction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{999--1002}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Acetylcholine receptor density in human cricopharyngeal muscle and pharyngeal constrictor muscle}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-6576.2002.460812.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1034/j.1399-6576.2002.460812.x}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}