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Modulatory Mechanism of the Endogenous Peptide Catestatin on Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Exocytosis

The catestatin fragment of chromogranin A is the first known endogenous compound able to inhibit catecholamine release elicited by the activation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) of different animal species and catecholaminergic cell types. However, how catestatin regulates the receptor activity, which subunit combination of the heteropentameric forms of receptor is better blocked by the peptide, or how it affects the different stages of the exocytotic process have not yet been evaluated. To address these questions, we have assayed the effects of catestatin: (first) on the inward currents elicited by ACh (IACh) in voltage-clamped oocytes expressing different combinations of nAChR subunits; and (second) on the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]c, and quantal release of catecholamines simultaneously monitored in single adrenal chromaffin cells stimulated with ACh. Catestatin potently blocks all the subtypes of nAChRs studied. Furthermore, it inhibits the α3β4 current in a reversible, noncompetitive, voltage-, and use-dependent manner, a behavior compatible with open-channel blockade. In fura-2-loaded single chromaffin cells, the peptide reduced the [Ca2+]c signal and the total release of catecholamines elicited by ACh; however, catestatin did not modify the kinetics or the last step of the exocytotic process. Our results suggest that catestatin might play an autocrine regulatory role in neuroendocrine secretion through its interaction with different native nAChR subtypes; the extent of receptor blockade by the peptide could be acutely regulated by the intensity and duration of the presynaptic stimulus.