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Regulation of the acetylcholine receptor functional pool via caveolin‐1‐positive domains
Author(s) -
BaezPagan Carlos Alberto,
Martinez Yaiza,
OteroCruz Jose David,
SalgadoVillanueva Iris K,
Velazquez Guermarie,
OrtizAcevedo Alejandro,
Quesada Orestes,
Silva Walter I,
LasaldeDominicci Jose A
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a611
Subject(s) - lipid raft , acetylcholine receptor , acetylcholine , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , lipid microdomain , caveolin , cholinergic , chemistry , biology , mutation , membrane , biophysics , caveolae , biochemistry , signal transduction , neuroscience , endocrinology , gene
Cholesterol modulates the biophysical properties of cell membranes and influences the function and trafficking of membrane proteins. A fundamental phenomenon that remains obscure is the regulation of the functional pool of membrane receptors. We examined this phenomenon in an acetylcholine receptor, lipid‐exposed, mutation that produces congenital myasthenic syndrome. A large fraction of this mutation is located in caveolin‐1‐positive membrane domains, trapped in a nonfunctional state. Lowering membrane cholesterol levels results in a transfer of these mutated receptors to the functional pool. The present data demonstrate that interactions at lipid‐exposed domains with lipid rafts microdomains regulate the functional pool of the acetylcholine receptor, and could provide a novel mechanism to fine‐tune cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system.