Muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) are typical members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family and exist in five subtypes from M1 to M5. Muscarinic receptor subtypes do not sufficiently differ in affinity to orthosteric antagonists or agonists; therefore, the analysis of receptor subtypes is complicated, and misinterpretations can occur. Usually, when researchers mainly specialized in CNS and peripheral functions aim to study mAChR involvement in behavior, learning, spinal locomotor networks, biological rhythms, cardiovascular physiology, bronchoconstriction, gastrointestinal tract functions, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease, they use orthosteric ligands and they do not use allosteric ligands. Moreover, they usually rely on manufacturers' claims that could be misleading. This review aimed to call the attention of researchers not deeply focused on mAChR pharmacology to this fact. Importantly, limited selective binding is not only a property of mAChRs but is a general attribute of most neurotransmitter receptors. In this review, we want to give an overview of the most common off-targets for established mAChR ligands. In this context, an important point is a mention the tremendous knowledge gap on off-targets for novel compounds compared to very well-established ligands. Therefore, we will summarize reported affinities and give an outline of strategies to investigate the subtype's function, thereby avoiding ambiguous results. Despite that, the multitargeting nature of drugs acting also on mAChR could be an advantage when treating such diseases as schizophrenia. Antipsychotics are a perfect example of a multitargeting advantage in treatment. A promising strategy is the use of allosteric ligands, although some of these ligands have also been shown to exhibit limited selectivity. Another new direction in the development of muscarinic selective ligands is functionally selective and biased agonists. The possible selective ligands, usually allosteric, will also be listed. To overcome the limited selectivity of orthosteric ligands, the recommended process is to carefully examine the presence of respective subtypes in specific tissues via knockout studies, carefully apply "specific" agonists/antagonists at appropriate concentrations and then calculate the probability of a specific subtype involvement in specific functions. This could help interested researchers aiming to study the central nervous system functions mediated by the muscarinic receptor.

• Keywords
• allosteric, multitarget, muscarinic agonist, muscarinic antagonist, muscarinic receptors, orthosteric,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

We studied the changes in the heart and the activity biorhythms in mice exposed to acute (one 120-minute session) and repeated (7 two-hour sessions) restraint stress in 129J1/CF1 mice (WT) and in mice without M2 muscarinic receptors (M2KO) during the prestress period, during stress (STR) and for five days after the last stress session (POST). There were changes in the mesor (a midline based on the distribution of values across the circadian cycles; decreased in M2KO by 6% over all POST), day means (inactive period of diurnal rhythm in mice; higher in M2KO and further increased on STR and on the second to the fifth POST) and night means (active period; lower by 13% in M2KO and remained decreased in STR and in POST). The total area under the curve was decreased both in the WT and M2KO on STR and in all POST. Repeated stress caused changes over all days of STR, but the initial values were restored in POST. The average night values were decreased, and the day means were increased by 16% over all STR in M2KO. The day means decreased by 14% in the 4 POST in WT. The activity biorhythm parameters were almost unchanged. We show here that stress can specifically affect heart biorhythm in M2KO mice, especially when the stress is acute. This implies the role of M2 muscarinic receptor in stress response.

• MeSH
• Restraint, Physical * MeSH
• Stress, Physiological * MeSH
• Mice, Knockout MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Periodicity * MeSH
• Receptor, Muscarinic M2 genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Heart Rate * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Receptor, Muscarinic M2 MeSH

Glucocorticoids act via glucocorticoid receptors (GR), typically localized in the cytosol (cGR). Rapid action is probably mediated via membrane receptors (mGR). In corticotropin-releasing hormone knockouts (CRH-KO), basal plasma glucocorticoid levels do differ from wild type levels (WT), but are approximately ten times lower during exposure to immobilization stress (IMMO) in comparison to WT. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) the mice lung tissue GR basal numbers would not be changed in CRH-KO (because of similar glucocorticoid levels), (2) the number of GR would be changed in WT but not in KO during short (30, 90, and 120 min) IMMO (because of higher increase of glucocorticoid levels in WT). The basal levels of cGR were not changed in CRH-KO (compared to WT), while mGR were significantly lower (62 %) in CRH-KO. In WT, there was the only decrease (to 32 %) in cGR after 120 min when we also found an increase in mGR in WT (to 201 %). In CRH-KO, IMMO caused gradual decrease in cGR (to 52 % after 30 min, to 46 % after 90 min, and to 32 % after 120 min). In CRH-KO, the only increase in mGR appeared already at 30 min of IMMO. These data suggest, on the contrary to our hypotheses, that CRH-KO are more susceptible to GR changes in early phases of stress.

• MeSH
• Cell Membrane metabolism   MeSH
• Cytosol metabolism   MeSH
• Dexamethasone metabolism   MeSH
• Stress, Physiological * MeSH
• Glucocorticoids metabolism   MeSH
• Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone metabolism   MeSH
• Immobilization * MeSH
• Kinetics MeSH
• Mice, Knockout MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Lung metabolism   MeSH
• Receptors, Glucocorticoid metabolism   MeSH
• Binding Sites MeSH
• Blotting, Western MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Dexamethasone MeSH
• Glucocorticoids MeSH
• Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone MeSH
• Receptors, Glucocorticoid MeSH

Muscarinic receptors (MR) are main cardioinhibitory receptors. We investigated the changes in gene expression, receptor number, echocardiography, muscarinic/adrenergic agonist/antagonist changes in heart rate (HR) and HR biorhythm in M(2) KO mice (mice lacking the main cardioinhibitory receptors) in the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV). We hypothesize that the disruption of M(2) MR, key players in parasympathetic bradycardia, would change the number of receptors with antagonistic effects on the heart (β(1)- and β(2)-adrenoceptors, BAR), while the function of the heart would be changed only marginally. We have found changes in LV, but not in RV: decrease in M(3) MR, β(1)- and β(2)-adrenoceptor gene expressions that were accompanied by a decrease in MR and BAR receptor binding. No changes were found both in LV systolic and diastolic function as assessed by echocardiography (e.g., similar LV end-systolic and end-diastolic diameter, fractional shortening, mitral flow characteristics, and maximal velocity in LV outflow tract). We have found only marginal changes in specific HR biorhythm parameters. The effects of isoprenaline and propranolol on HR were similar in WT and KO (but with lesser extent). Atropine was not able to increase HR in KO animals. Carbachol decreased the HR in WT but increased HR in KO, suggesting the presence of cardiostimulatory MR. Therefore, we can conclude that although the main cardioinhibitory receptors are not present in the heart, the function is not much affected. As possible mechanisms of almost normal cardiac function, the decreases of both β(1)- and β(2)-adrenoceptor gene expression and receptor binding should be considered.

• MeSH
• Atropine pharmacology   MeSH
• Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 metabolism   MeSH
• Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 metabolism   MeSH
• Bradycardia physiopathology   MeSH
• Ventricular Function, Left physiology   MeSH
• Isoproterenol pharmacology   MeSH
• Carbachol pharmacology   MeSH
• Mice, Knockout MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Propranolol pharmacology   MeSH
• Receptor, Muscarinic M2 genetics   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation * MeSH
• Heart Rate physiology   MeSH
• Heart Ventricles metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Atropine MeSH
• Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 MeSH
• Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 MeSH
• Isoproterenol MeSH
• Carbachol MeSH
• Propranolol MeSH
• Receptor, Muscarinic M2 MeSH