Relation between the content of acetyl-coenzyme A and acetylcholine in brain slices

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Slices of rat caudate nuclei were incubated in vitro in media containing, among other constituents, 3 different concentrations of glucose (0.5, 2 and 10 mM), 0.2 mM choline, paraoxon as an inhibitor of cholinesterase and 5 mM or 30 mM K+. After 30 and 60 min of incubation, the concentrations of acetyl-CoA, acetylcholine and choline in the tissue and of acetylcholine in the incubation medium were measured. The content of acetyl-CoA in the slices varied in direct relation to the concentration of glucose in the incubation medium. The content of acetylcholine in the slices, in mixtures with high K+, and the amount of acetylcholine released into the incubation medium varied in direct relation to the concentration of glucose in the incubation medium, and to the concentration of acetyl-CoA in the slices; the relation between the concentrations of acetyl-CoA and of acetylcholine in the slices was linear. The availability of acetyl-CoA apparently had a decisive influence on the rate of acetylcholine synthesis and its steady-state concentration. At the ultimate level the synthesis of acetylcholine is apparently controlled by the Law of Mass Action.