Role of myosins in depression of sensitivity of Helix neurons to acetylcholine in a cellular analog of habituation

: We investigated the involvement of cytoskeleton motor proteins, myosins, in the molecular mechanism of sensitivity depression to acetylcholine in Helix command neurons of defensive behavior in a cellular analog of habituation. There were analyzed the effects of several drugs disturbing myosin function: ML-7 and MLCK-IP-18--blockers of myosin light chain kinase, blebbistatin--an inhibitor of non-muscle myosin II, Y-27632--inhibitor of kinases ROCK-I and ROCK-II (activate mainly non-muscle myosin II) on the depression of acetylcholine-induced inward current. It was found that ML-7 and MLCK-IP- 18 weakened current depression; blebbistatin and Y-27632 did not change the depression. The results of experimental inhibitory analysis and mathematical modeling of the effects of inhibitors on the number of membrane-bound cholinergic receptors allow to suggest the involvement ofmyosins (excluding non-muscle myosin II) in the transports of acetylcholine receptors (endo- and exocytosis) that are responsible for sensitivity changes in neuron somatic membrane to acetylcholine in a cellular analog of habituation.