Characterization of a decrease in muscarinic m2 mRNA in cerebellar granule cells by carbachol

Studies involving carbachol (100 microM) treatment of cerebellar granule cells for 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 hr show a decrease in the mRNA encoding for the muscarinic m2 receptor. The response was transient, decreasing m2 mRNA by 25 to 50% in 6 and 9 hr, respectively. The data presented in this work were quantified by ribonuclease protection assay, using a [32P]-cRNA probe corresponding to nucleotide +1138 to 1650 of the rat m2 muscarinic receptor. Because cerebellar granule cells express muscarinic m2 and m3 receptors, we tested whether the carbachol-mediated decrease in m2 mRNA resulted from a homologous or heterologous activation of muscarinic receptors. At a 1 microM concentration, methoctramine specifically blocked the muscarinic m2 receptor and reversed carbachol's action. These data suggested that carbachol acts via a possible homologous activation of muscarinic m2 receptors. The half-life of the receptor mRNA measured in the presence of actinomycin D with and without carbachol were similar. Because carbachol treatments decrease the steady-state levels of m2 mRNA without changing the half-life of the message, we suggest that a carbachol treatment induces a decrease in the transcription of the gene for the muscarinic m2 receptor.