Bisquaternary pyridinium oximes as allosteric inhibitors of rat brain muscarinic receptors

The mode of interaction of bisquaternary pyridinium oximes with rat brain muscarinic receptors in cerebral cortex and brain stem preparations was studied by the use of the tritium-labeled antagonist N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilate ([³H]4NMPB). Binding of the labeled muscarinic antagonist was inhibited by these drugs, the most potent inhibitors being 1-(2-hydroxyiminoethylpyridinium)-1-(3 cyclohexylcarboxypyridinium)dimethyl-ether (HGG-42) and its 3-phenylcarboxypyridinium analog (HGG-12) (apparent K(I) = 1.3-1.7 and 1.8-2.2 μM, respectively). Analysis of the binding properties suggested that binding of the muscarinic antagonist and the bisquaternary pyridinium oximes was nonexclusive. Kinetic binding data provide evidence that the drugs inhibit binding of muscarinic antagonists in an allosteric manner, with a resulting decrease in the rates of both association of [³H]4NMPB to the receptor and its dissociation from it. These effects were observed both in brain stem and in cortical preparations even after pretreatment and washing out of the inhibitors. The selective natures of HGG-12 and HGG-42 were apparent from their irreversible effects on the number of muscarinic binding sites. In brain stem, the presence of these drugs resulted in a loss of about 30% of binding sites, which accounts in part for the apparent decrease in maximal binding capacity observed in the equilibrium binding of [³H]4NMPB. In the cortex, however, only ~10% of the muscarinic receptors were lost upon exposure to these drugs. The decrease in the muscarinic receptor population of the brain stem was dependent on both concentration and time and occurred both in vitro and in vivo following injection of HGG-12 into rats. Unlike the in vitro loss of receptor sites, which was irreversible, the in vivo effect was restored 2 hr after the injection. Taken together, the results suggest that the bisquaternary oximes are allosteric inhibitors of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and may be capable of distinguishing between receptor states and inducing specific irreversible effects. Because of these properties, the drugs may prove extremely useful as sensitive probes in studies on the nature of the agonist-receptor-effector relationship.