Serotonin, dopamine and intracellular cyclic AMP inhibit the responses of nicotinic cholinergic membrane in snail neurons

Intracellular ATP modulates desensitization of acetylcholine receptors controlling chloride current in Lymnaea neurons

Chloride current activated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) was examined in dialysed voltage-clamp neurons of Lymnaea stagnalis. Fast superfusion of acetylcholine (ACh) evoked an inward current rapidly rising to a peak followed by a decline due to desensitization. When adenosine triphosphate with Mg2+ (MgATP, 2-10 mM) was added intracellularly the peak of the ACh-induced current was increased and its decay was slowed down. ATP without Mg2+ did not affect desensitization. Mg2+ alone accelerated desensitization. Intracellular treatment with an inhibitor of ATP synthesis, sodium arsenate, increased the desensitization rate and decreased the peak current. MgATP after arsenate wash-out restored the initial characteristics of the response; a mixture of glycolytic substrates had a similar effect. A non-hydrolysable analogue of ATP, adenosine [gamma-thio]triphosphate mimicked ATP action after arsenate removal but was weaker; another non-hydrolysable analogue, adenylyl imidodiphosphate, did not affect desensitization at all. Intracellular treatment of the neurons with alkaline phosphatase accelerated current decay. The data suggest that a change in intracellular ATP concentration modulates AChR desensitization via an enzymatic process that might be phosphorylation of AChR or some associated protein(s). Involvement of Ca2+ homeostasis cannot be excluded. The results are compared with the data obtained on vertebrate tissues under conditions promoting phosphorylation.

The effects of cAMP, Ca2+, and phorbol esters on ouabain-induced depression of acetylcholine responses in Helix neurons

1. Using internal perfusion and concentration-clamp procedures applied to Helix neurons, the effects of cAMP, Ca2+, and phorbol esters on ouabain-induced depression of acetylcholine Cl-dependent responses were determined. 2. Intracellular cAMP (10(-4) M) depressed those acetylcholine responses which were blocked by ouabain but had no effect on ouabain-insensitive acetylcholine responses. In the presence of elevated intracellular cAMP, ouabain had no further depressant effect on these acetylcholine responses. Both elevated cAMP and ouabain reduced the acetylcholine response without altering the current-voltage curves. 3. An increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration depressed the amplitude of current induced by application of acetylcholine in neurons with ouabain-sensitive responses and shifted the dose-response relationship to the right. However, elevated Ca2+ did not reduce the maximal response induced by acetylcholine, nor did it prevent the reduction of that response by ouabain. 4. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a potent stimulator of protein kinase C activity, caused depression of both the ouabain-sensitive and the ouabain-insensitive acetylcholine responses. The inhibitory effect of TPA was markedly enhanced after addition of ATP to the intracellular medium and was greatly reduced by cooling to 5 degrees C. The blocking effect of ouabain, however, reexamined in the presence of TPA. 5. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the depression of acetylcholine induced Cl--responses in Helix neurons is a result of an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration but is unrelated to activation of protein kinase C or increases in intracellular Ca2+.

Alteration of the acetylcholine response by intra- and extracellular serotonin application in intracellularly perfused neurons of Lymnaea stagnalis

1. The effect of serotonin on the acetylcholine (ACh) response has been studied by means of voltage clamp and intracellular perfusion in unidentified isolated neurons from parietal and visceral ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis. 2. In most cells studied serotonin added to the internal or external solution decreases the response to ACh. 3. In other neurons serotonin added to the intracellular solution increases the response to ACh; when it is added extracellularly it produces the opposite effect on the same cells. 4. The decreasing effect of serotonin on ACh currents is mimicked by cyproheptadine, an antagonist of serotonin receptors, and by the intracellular application of cyclic AMP (cAMP) forskolin. 5. The enhancing effect of intracellularly applied serotonin on ACh currents is blocked by cyproheptadine and is not obtained by the intracellular administration of cAMP and forskolin. In some cells the enhancing effect of serotonin appears after forskolin. 6. The results suggest a modulating effect of serotonin on cholinergic synaptic transmission in the nervous system of mollusks. The possible existence of intracellular serotonin receptors is discussed.

Depression of neuron responses to acetylcholine by combined application of norepinephrine and substrates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle

The possible relationship between the function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in Lymnaea stagnalis neurons and energy metabolism was studied. Oxidative phosphorylation was activated by treatment of neurons with substrates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and norepinephrine. Transmembrane currents induced by acetylcholine in isolated neurons were measured by voltage clamp. Succinate dehydrogenase activity was determined histochemically in the same neurons. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentration in ganglia were assayed by the protein saturation method of Gilman (1970). When used alone, succinate depressed the responses of about 50% of neurons to acetylcholine. Norepinephrine did not affect the acetylcholine-induced currents but almost doubled the inhibitory action of succinate. The mixture of norepinephrine and isocitrate also diminished the responses to acetylcholine but to a lesser extent than norepinephrine with succinate. A short-term exposure of the ganglia to succinate with norepinephrine led to the activation of succinate dehydrogenase in neurons and a threefold increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations in ganglia. When used alone, norepinephrine doubled the cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentration. The results obtained suggest energy-dependent regulation of acetylcholine receptors.

Neurotransmitter-induced modulation of neuronal Ca current is not mediated by intracellular Ca2+ or cAMP

Dopamine (1 microM) inhibits the Ca component of action potential and corresponding electroexcitable Ca current (ICa) in isolated snail neurons. Adrenaline and serotonin also reduce ICa. The inhibition is not related to changes in intracellular Ca2+ or cAMP concentrations: internal application of 10 mM ethyleneglycoltetraacetic acid or 10 microM cAMP in the mixture with 1 mM Mg-ATP and 2 mM theophylline does not influence the action of neurotransmitters on ICa.

Modulatory effect of serotonin on the acetylcholine sensitivity of identified neurons in the brain of Helix pomatia L

Excitatory effect of acetylcholine (ACh) was modified by serotonin (5-HT) on identified neurons of intact brain with partially preserved functional connections at Helix pomatia L. Depolarization caused by ACh on neuron LPa3 and on several spontaneously active cells of the visceral ganglion was enhanced by brief application of 5-HT to the soma of these neurons. Guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and theophylline caused similar effects to the serotonin changes in ACh sensitivity of these cells. ACh sensitivity of neurons RPa3 and RPa2 was reduced following application of 5-HT, GTP and theophylline. Similarly, the effect of 5-HT tactile stimulation of the heart caused decrease in ACh sensitivity of neuron RPa2.

The pharmacology of molluscan neurons

It is commonly accepted that the basic physiological properties of the neurons as well as the nature of transmitter substances have remained relatively unchanged through evolution, while brain size and neuron number have greatly increased. Among invertebrates the molluscs, due to the large size of their neurons and lesser complexity of the neural networks controlling specific behavior, have proved to be especially useful for studying elementary properties of single neurons, network organization as well as various forms of learning and memory. The study of putative neurotransmitters has indicated that molluscs use the same low molecular-weight substances and peptides or their metabolites and cyclic nucleotides as transmitters and second messengers as the other species of various phyla. At the same time the receptors of neurotransmitters were found to have certain characteristic properties in the molluscs. The large molluscan neurons have permitted the isolation of individual identifiable nerve cells, and the subsequent analysis of quantities of the transmitters and their metabolic enzymes. These studies have demonstrated that single neurons frequently can contain more than one putative neurotransmitter. It can be expected that this model will contribute to an understanding of the role of multiple transmitters within a single neuron assuring the plasticity of the nervous system. The cellular mechanisms of plasticity have been demonstrated first in molluscan nervous systems. It was proved in identified Aplysia neurons that the same transmitter (ACh) can be released from an interneuron onto two or more follower neurons and can excite one and inhibit another or evoke a biphasic response on a third type of cell. The biphasic response of the molluscan neurons to neurotransmitters was the first demonstration of the plastic synaptic changes. The discovery of individual neurons with their groups of follower cells acting as chemical units has provided an insight into the organization of various behavioral acts. Study of the gastropod molluscs has also shown that the giant serotonergic cells can act as peripheral modulator neurons, as well as interneurons, and in this way they can affect their target organs at more than one level. The molluscan studies have provided more information on transmitter receptors as it was shown that molluscan neurons have at least six different 5HT receptors, three Ach receptors which can be separated pharmacologically. This type of study has led to the discovery of numerous new antagonists and poisons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)