Cholinergic chemosensory cells in the trachea regulate breathing

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1019418108
• Publication Date: 2011-05-24T04:31:06Z
• Authors: Gabriela Krasteva; Brendan J. Canning; Petra Hartmann; Tibor Z. Veres; Tamara Papadakis; Christian Mühlfeld; Kirstin Schliecker; Yvonne N. Tallini; Armin Braun; Holger Hackstein; Nelli Baal; Eberhard Weihe; Burkhard Schütz; Michael Kotlikoff; Ines Ibanez-Tallon; Wolfgang Kummer
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Microscopy, Confocal; Microvilli; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Respiration; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Microfilament Proteins; Phospholipase C beta; Receptors, Nicotinic; Flow Cytometry; Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins; Immunohistochemistry; Chemoreceptor Cells; Choline O-Acetyltransferase; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; Microscopy, Electron; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Female

In the epithelium of lower airways, a cell type unknown function has been termed “brush cell” because distinctive ultrastructural feature, an apical tuft microvilli. Morphologically similar cells in nose have identified as solitary chemosensory responding to taste stimuli and triggering trigeminal reflexes. Here we show that brush mouse trachea express receptors (Tas2R105, Tas2R108), downstream signaling molecules (α-gustducin, phospholipase C β2 ) bitter transduction, synthesis packaging machinery for acetylcholine, are addressed by vagal sensory nerve fibers carrying nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Tracheal application nAChR agonist caused reduction breathing frequency. Similarly, cycloheximide, Tas2R108 agonist, evoked drop respiratory rate, being sensitive receptor blockade removal. This identifies cholinergic sensors chemical composition airway luminal microenvironment directly linked regulation respiration.