Induction of choline acetyltransferase mRNA in human mononuclear leukocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, a T-cell activator

  • J Neuroimmunol. 1998 Feb;82(1):101-107. doi: 10.1016/S0165-5728(97)00195-1.
Takeshi Fujii  1 ,  Shin Yamada  1 ,  Yoshihiro Watanabe  1 ,  Hidemi Misawa  2 ,  Sonoko Tajima  1 ,  Kazuko Fujimoto  1 ,  Tadashi Kasahara  3 ,  Koichiro Kawashima  1
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Pharmacology, Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105, Japan.
  • 2. Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, 2-6 Musashidai, Fuchu-city, Tokyo 183, Japan.
  • 3. Department of Biochemistry, Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105, Japan.
PMID: 9526852 DOI: 10.1016/S0165-5728(97)00195-1
Abstract

The induction of mRNA for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which catalyzes acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis was investigated in human mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), a T-cell activator, using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Stimulation of MNL by PHA induced the expression of ChAT mRNA, and potentiated ACh synthesis. ChAT mRNA induction required more time than the induction of interleukin-2 mRNA. Expression of the gene encoding the vesicular ACh transporter, which mediates ACh transport in cholinergic neurons, was not observed in PHA-stimulated MNL, suggesting that the mechanisms controlling ACh release from T-lymphocytes differ from those in cholinergic neurons. These findings demonstrate that activation of T-lymphocytes up-regulates ACh synthesis in the blood, and suggest that ACh plays an important role as a neuroimmunomodulator besides its role as a neurotransmitter.

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