2007 Volume 28 Issue 5 Pages 267-273
We evaluated the effects of N-hexacosanol, a cyclohexenonic long-chain fatty alcohol, on muscarinic receptors in diabetic rat ileal dysfunction. Eight-week-old male SD rats were divided into four groups. After induction of diabetes (streptozotocin 50 mg/kg, i.p.), three groups were maintained for eight weeks with treatment by N-hexacosanol (0, 2 or 8 mg/kg, s.c. every day). Ileum function was investigated by organ bath studies using carbachol and KCl, and the expression levels of muscarinic M2 and M3 receptors were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Various concentrations of subtype-selective muscarinic antagonists, i.e., atropine (non-selective), pirenzepine (M1 selective), methoctramine (M2 selective), and 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP, M1/M3 selective), were used in this study. In the presence and absence of these antagonists, contractile response curves to increasing concentrations of carbachol were investigated. Treatment with N-hexacosanol did not alter the diabetic status of the rats, but did significantly prevent the carbachol-induced hypercontractility in diabetic rat ileum. Estimation of the pA2 values for atropine, pirenzepine, methoctramine, and 4-DAMP indicated that the carbacholinduced contractile response in the ileum is mainly mediated through the muscarinic M3 receptor subtype in all groups. Furthermore, N-hexacosanol significantly prevented the diabetes-induced up-regulation of intestinal muscarinic M2 and M3 receptor mRNAs in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Our data indicated that N-hexacosanol exerts preventive effects with respect to carbachol-induced hypercontractility in the diabetic rat ileum without qualitative alteration of the muscarinic receptor system.
