Fast Excitatory Nicotinic Transmission in the Chick Lateral Spiriform Nucleus

The lateral spiriform nucleus (SpL) in the chick mesencephalon contains functional nicotinic receptors and receives a cholinergic fiber projection. We now use double-label immunohistochemistry to demonstrate that choline acetyltransferase-immunopositive fibers in the SpL and in the cholinergic fiber tract lateral to the nucleus are associated with fibers expressing the alpha5 and/or alpha3 nicotinic receptor subunits as determined by mAb35 immunoreactivity. This morphological evidence suggests that there might be synapses between the cholinergic fibers and the dendrites of SpL neurons. Whole-cell recordings from SpL neurons in current-clamp mode revealed EPSPs evoked by stimulation of the cholinergic fiber tract lateral to the SpL. These EPSPs increased in amplitude in the presence of bicuculline. Further addition of the nicotinic antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHbetaE) to the buffer significantly attenuated them. Almost all of the remaining EPSP was blocked by 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. In the presence of an antagonist cocktail that isolated the nicotinic responses, a fast, monosynaptic nicotinic EPSP or EPSC was evoked. In some neurons, the nicotinic EPSP resulted in the generation of an action potential. The nicotinic nature of the evoked response was confirmed by blockade of the EPSPs or EPSCs with nicotinic antagonists, including DHbetaE, D-tubocurare, and mecamylamine. The nicotinic response was insensitive to low concentrations (10-100 nM) of methyllycaconitine, indicating that typical alpha7-containing receptors were not involved. The results demonstrate that endogenously released acetylcholine generates EPSPs that can elicit action potentials by acting at postsynaptic nicotinic receptors on SpL neurons.