Ca2+ responses to acetylcholine and adenosine triphosphate in the otocyst of chick embryo

Purinergic signalling during development and ageing

Extracellular purines and pyrimidines play major roles during embryogenesis, organogenesis, postnatal development and ageing in vertebrates, including humans. Pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into three primary germ layers of the embryo but may also be involved in plasticity and repair of the adult brain. These cells express the molecular components necessary for purinergic signalling, and their developmental fates can be manipulated via this signalling pathway. Functional P1, P2Y and P2X receptor subtypes and ectonucleotidases are involved in the development of different organ systems, including heart, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, urinary bladder, central and peripheral neurons, retina, inner ear, gut, lung and vas deferens. The importance of purinergic signalling in the ageing process is suggested by changes in expression of A1 and A2 receptors in old rat brains and reduction of P2X receptor expression in ageing mouse brain. By contrast, in the periphery, increases in expression of P2X3 and P2X4 receptors are seen in bladder and pancreas.

Purinergic signaling in embryonic and stem cell development

Nucleotides are of crucial importance as carriers of energy in all organisms. However, the concept that in addition to their intracellular roles, nucleotides act as extracellular ligands specifically on receptors of the plasma membrane took longer to be accepted. Purinergic signaling exerted by purines and pyrimidines, principally ATP and adenosine, occurs throughout embryologic development in a wide variety of organisms, including amphibians, birds, and mammals. Cellular signaling, mediated by ATP, is present in development at very early stages, e.g., gastrulation of Xenopus and germ layer definition of chick embryo cells. Purinergic receptor expression and functions have been studied in the development of many organs, including the heart, eye, skeletal muscle and the nervous system. In vitro studies with stem cells revealed that purinergic receptors are involved in the processes of proliferation, differentiation, and phenotype determination of differentiated cells. Thus, nucleotides are able to induce various intracellular signaling pathways via crosstalk with other bioactive molecules acting on growth factor and neurotransmitter receptors. Since normal development is disturbed by dysfunction of purinergic signaling in animal models, further studies are needed to elucidate the functions of purinoceptor subtypes in developmental processes.

Physiological effects of extracellular nucleotides in the inner ear

1. Electrochemical homeostasis, sound transduction and auditory neurotransmission in the cochlea are influenced by extracellular purines and pyrimidines. 2. Evidence that ATP and related nucleotides influence inner ear function arises from a considerable number of cellular, molecular and physiological studies in vitro and in vivo. 3. With a full understanding of these processes, which include ionotropic (P2X receptor) and metabotropic (P2Y receptor) signal transduction pathways, signal termination involving ecto-nucleotidases and recycling via nucleoside transporters, exciting possibilities emerge for treating hearing disorders, such as Meniere's disease, tinnitus and sensorineural deafness.

Effects of catecholamines and purines on luminescence in the brittlestar Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata)

The effects of catecholamines (dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline and its derivatives), 5-hydroxytryptamine and purines (adenosine, ATP and their derivatives) on the acetylcholine-induced luminescence of isolated arms and dissociated photocytes of the luminescent ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata were tested. The results showed that catecholamines and 5-hydroxytryptamine (10(−)(5) to 10(−)(3)mol l(−)(1)) had a strong dose-dependent inhibitory effect on acetylcholine-induced luminescence. In contrast, purines (10(−)(4) and 10(−)(3)mol l(−)(1)) triggered luminescence in the absence of acetylcholine and/or potentiated acetylcholine-induced luminescence. The results with specific purinergic agonists and antagonists indicated the involvement of P(1)- and P(2)-like purinoceptors in the control of luminescence. Our study suggests that, in addition to the previously described cholinergic system in Amphipholis squamata, there may be a purinergic system, acting in synergy with acetylcholine, and an inhibitory neuromodulatory catecholaminergic system, all associated with the control of luminescence.

Two different P2Y receptors linked to steroidogenesis in bovine adrenocortical cells

Both extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) induced corticoid production (steroidogenesis) concentration-dependently in bovine adrenocortical cells (BA cells). Pertussis toxin (PTX, approx. 2 microg/ml) partially inhibited (approx. 55% inhibition) extracellular ATP (100 microM)-induced steroidogenesis in BA cells. However, PTX did not inhibit extracellular UTP (100 microM)-induced steroidogenesis. Both ATP- and UTP-induced steroidogeneses were significantly inhibited by suramin (50-200 microM). These effects were inhibited significantly by reactive blue-2 (more than 100 microM) and pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid (more than 100 microM). Both nucleotides (1-100 microM) induced inositol phosphates accumulation and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, but PTX did not inhibit them. The RT-PCR procedure identified only P2Y2-receptor mRNA in BA cells. These results suggest that extracellular ATP induces steroidogenesis via a unique P2 receptor linked to PTX-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G-protein), while extracellular UTP induces steroidogenesis via P2 receptor linked to PTX-insensitive G-protein. Thus, it was concluded that at least two different P2Y-like receptors linking to steroidogenesis exist in BA cells.

Calcium Mobilization Systems During Neurogenesis

Neuroepithelial cells have Ca(2+) mobilization systems that are activated by acetylcholine via muscarinic receptors and by extracellular ATP via P(2U) purinoceptors. The Ca(2+) mobilization occurs during neurogenesis and diminishes in parallel with the declining of mitotic activities of the neuroepithelial cells. Capacitative Ca(2+) influx also occurs with the Ca(2+) mobilization.

Early expression of a novel nucleotide receptor in the neural plate of Xenopus embryos

Extracellular ATP functions as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the adult nervous system, and a signaling molecule in non-neural tissue, acting either via ligand-gated ion channels (P2X) or G-protein-coupled receptors (P2Y). ATP can cause an increase in intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i) in embryonic cells and so regulate cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. We have isolated a Xenopus cDNA encoding a novel P2Y receptor, XlP2Y, which is expressed abundantly in developing embryos. Recombinant XlP2Y responds equally to all five naturally occurring nucleoside triphosphates (ATP, UTP, CTP, GTP, and ITP), which elicit a biphasic Ca2+-dependent Cl- current (ICl,Ca) where the second phase persists for up to 60 min. XlP2Y also causes a continuous release of Ca2+i and a low level persistent activation of ICl,Ca in Xenopus oocytes through the spontaneous efflux of ATP. mRNAs for XlP2Y are expressed transiently in the neural plate and tailbud during Xenopus development, coincident with neurogenesis. This restricted pattern of expression and novel pharmacological features confer unique properties to XlP2Y, which may play a key role in the early development of neural tissue.

Differential effects of diadenosine phosphates on purinoceptors in the rat isolated perfused kidney

1. The activation of various purinoceptors in rat renal vasculature by P1,P2-diadenosine pyrophosphate (Ap2A), P1,P3-diadenosine triphosphate (Ap3A), P1,P4-diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A), P1,P5-diadenosine pentaphosphate (Ap5A), P1,P6-diadenosine hexaphosphate (Ap6A) was studied by measuring their effects of perfusion pressure of a rat isolated perfused kidney. 2. The vasoconstrictive response to Ap5A was completely due to P2x purinoceptor activation, that to Ap4A and Ap6 was P2x purinoceptor mediated to a large extent, as evidenced by the inhibitory effects of suramin and pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid tetrasodium (PPADS). 3. The vasoconstrictive effects of Ap2A and Ap3A were mostly due to stimulation of A1-receptors, as shown by the inhibitory effect of 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX). 4. The vasoconstrictive response to Ap6A was partially insensitive to A1 and P2x purinoceptor blockers. 5. In raised tone preparations Ap2A and Ap3A evoked vasodilatation, which was blocked by the A2 receptor blocker, 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX). 6. In raised tone preparations Ap4A evoked vasodilatation when the P2-purinoceptors were blocked by suramin. 7. The activation of different purinoceptor subtypes by diadenosine phosphates critically depends on the number of phosphate groups.

Muscarinic and purinergic Ca2+ mobilizations in the neural retina of early embryonic chick

Acetylcholine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) raise intracellular Ca2+ concentration via muscarinic receptors and P2U purinoceptors by releasing Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores in the neural retina of early embryonic chick. The signal transduction mechanisms for the muscarinic and purinergic Ca2+ responses were studied with fura-2 fluorescence measurements. Li+ (1 mM), which inhibits phosphatidylinositol metabolism, enhanced both the Ca2+ rises to carbamylcholine (CCh. 30 microM) a muscarinic agonist and ATP (200 microM). Thapsigargin (250 nM), an inhibitor of Ca(2+)-ATPase of inositol trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive Ca2+ stores, abolished both the Ca2+ rises to CCh (100 microM) and ATP (500 microM). U-73122 (2 microM), an inhibitor of phospholipase C beta, suppressed the Ca2+ rise to ATP (500 microM), but its analog U-73343 (2 microM) did not suppress it. In contrast, both U-73122 and U-73343 suppressed the Ca2+ the Ca2+ rise to CCh (100 microM). Pertussis toxin (250 ng/ml) suppressed the ATP-induced Ca2+ rise at least partly, whereas no inhibition was observed on the CCh-induced Ca2+ rise. Cross-talk occurred between the muscarinic and purinergic Ca2+ mobilizations but they were not occlusive. This study suggests that the muscarinic and purinergic Ca2+ mobilizations utilize IP3-sensitive Ca2+, stores, but different signal transduction pathways are involved in between the muscarinic and purinergic Ca2+ responses.

Ca2+ responses to ATP via purinoceptors in the early embryonic chick retina

1. The action of adenosine triphosphate on cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was studied in the retinal cell of early embryonic chicks with fura-2 fluorescence measurements. The fluorescence was measured from the whole neural retina dissected from chick embryos at embryonic day three (E3). 2. Bath application of ATP (> or = 30 microM; EC50, 128 microM) raised [Ca2+]i by the release of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores, since the Ca2+ response to ATP occurred even in a Ca(2+)-free medium. 3. The Ca2+ response to ATP was mediated by P2U purinoceptors. An agonist for P2U purinoceptors, uridine triphosphate (UTP), evoked Ca2+ rises more potently (> or = 3 microM; EC50, 24 microM) than ATP. Agonists for P2X purinoceptors, alpha, beta-methylene ATP and beta, gamma-methylene ATP, or an agonist for P2Y purinoceptors, 2-methylthio ATP (500 microM each), caused no Ca2+ response. Suramin (100 microM) and Reactive Blue 2 (50 microM) almost completely blocked the Ca2+, responses to 500 microM ATP and 200 microM UTP. 4. The developmental profile of the Ca2+ response to ATP was studied from E3 to E13. The Ca2+ response to ATP was largest at E3, drastically declined towards E8 and decreased further until E11-13. 5. These results suggest that the Ca2+ mobilization by ATP via P2U purinoceptors is characteristic of early embryonic retinal cells.