Figure 5

Acetylcholine prevents mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release. LPS-primed peritoneal mouse macrophages from either WT (A) or a7 KO (B) mice were stimulated with ATP in the presence or the absence of acetylcholine for 15 min. DNA was isolated from the cytosolic fraction of macrophages. And then the levels of mtDNA were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Purified mitochondria were incubated with either 200 μmol/L CaCl₂ (C) or 0.5 mmol/L H₂O₂ (D) in the presence or absence of different dose of acetylcholine for 15 min and were immediately pelleted by centrifugation. Levels of mtDNA in the mitochondria-free supernatant were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Data shown are means ± SD. #p < 0.05 versus stimulated groups.