The endogenous, immunologically active peptide apelin inhibits lymphocytic cholinergic activity during immunological responses

We investigated the effects of apelin, an immunologically active peptide ligand for orphan receptor APJ, on acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis in MOLT-3 human leukemic T cells. We initially confirmed expression of APJ mRNA in several human T- and B-cell lines by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We also found that in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated MOLT-3 cells, an active apelin fragment, apelin-13, down-regulates expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA and significantly reduces ChAT activity and cellular ACh content and release. It thus appears that apelin inhibits lymphocytic cholinergic activity via APJ during immunological responses.