Identification of G protein-regulated inwardly rectifying K+ channels in rat brain oligodendrocytes

Therapeutic potential of targeting G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in the central nervous system

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir3/GirK) are important for maintaining resting membrane potential, cell excitability and inhibitory neurotransmission. Coupled to numerous G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), they mediate the effects of many neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and hormones contributing to the general homeostasis and particular synaptic plasticity processes, learning, memory and pain signaling. A growing number of behavioral and genetic studies suggest a critical role for the appropriate functioning of the central nervous system, as well as their involvement in many neurologic and psychiatric conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, alcoholism and drug addiction. Hence, GirK channels emerge as a very promising tool to be targeted in the current scenario where these conditions already are or will become a global public health problem. This review examines recent findings on the physiology, function, dysfunction, and pharmacology of GirK channels in the central nervous system and highlights the relevance of GirK channels as a worthful potential target to improve therapies for related diseases.

K(V)7/KCNQ channels are functionally expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

Background

K_V7/KCNQ channels are widely expressed in neurons and they have multiple important functions, including control of excitability, spike afterpotentials, adaptation, and theta resonance. Mutations in KCNQ genes have been demonstrated to associate with human neurological pathologies. However, little is known about whether K_V7/KCNQ channels are expressed in oligodendrocyte lineage cells (OLCs) and what their functions in OLCs.

Methods and Findings

In this study, we characterized K_V7/KCNQ channels expression in rat primary cultured OLCs by RT-PCR, immunostaining and electrophysiology. KCNQ2-5 mRNAs existed in all three developmental stages of rat primary cultured OLCs. K_V7/KCNQ proteins were also detected in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs, early developmental stages of OLCs) of rat primary cultures and cortex slices. Voltage-clamp recording revealed that the I_M antagonist XE991 significantly reduced K_V7/KCNQ channel current (I_K(Q)) in OPCs but not in differentiated oligodendrocytes. In addition, inhibition of K_V7/KCNQ channels promoted OPCs motility in vitro.

Conclusions

These findings showed that K_V7/KCNQ channels were functionally expressed in rat primary cultured OLCs and might play an important role in OPCs functioning in physiological or pathological conditions.

Diazoxide promotes oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation and myelination

Background

Several clinical conditions are associated with white matter injury, including periventricular white matter injury (PWMI), which is a form of brain injury sustained by preterm infants. It has been suggested that white matter injury in this condition is due to altered oligodendrocyte (OL) development or death, resulting in OL loss and hypomyelination. At present drugs are not available that stimulate OL proliferation and promote myelination. Evidence suggests that depolarizing stimuli reduces OL proliferation and differentiation, whereas agents that hyperpolarize OLs stimulate OL proliferation and differentiation. Considering that the drug diazoxide activates K_ATP channels to hyperpolarize cells, we tested if this compound could influence OL proliferation and myelination.

Methodology/Findings

Studies were performed using rat oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) cultures, cerebellar slice cultures, and an in vivo model of PWMI in which newborn mice were exposed to chronic sublethal hypoxia (10% O₂). We found that K_ATP channel components Kir 6.1 and 6.2 and SUR2 were expressed in oligodendrocytes. Additionally, diazoxide potently stimulated OPC proliferation, as did other K_ATP activators. Diazoxide also stimulated myelination in cerebellar slice cultures. We also found that diazoxide prevented hypomyelination and ventriculomegaly following chronic sublethal hypoxia.

Conclusions

These results identify KATP channel components in OLs and show that diazoxide can stimulate OL proliferation in vitro. Importantly we find that diazoxide can promote myelination in vivo and prevent hypoxia-induced PWMI.

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir) in central nervous system glia: a special role for Kir4.1 in glial functions

Glia in the central nervous system (CNS) express diverse inward rectifying potassium channels (Kir). The major function of Kir is in establishing the high potassium (K+) selectivity of the glial cell membrane and strongly negative resting membrane potential (RMP), which are characteristic physiological properties of glia. The classical property of Kir is that K+ flows inwards when the RMP is negative to the equilibrium potential for K+ (E(K)), but at more positive potentials outward currents are inhibited. This provides the driving force for glial uptake of K+ released during neuronal activity, by the processes of "K+ spatial buffering" and "K+ siphoning", considered a key function of astrocytes, the main glial cell type in the CNS. Glia express multiple Kir channel subtypes, which are likely to have distinct functional roles related to their differences in conductance, and sensitivity to intracellular and extracellular factors, including pH, ATP, G-proteins, neurotransmitters and hormones. A feature of CNS glia is their specific expression of the Kir4.1 subtype, which is a major K+ conductance in glial cell membranes and has a key role in setting the glial RMP. It is proposed that Kir4.1 have a primary function in K+ regulation, both as homomeric channels and as heteromeric channels by co-assembly with Kir5.1 and probably Kir2.0 subtypes. Significantly, Kir4.1 are also expressed by oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells of the CNS, and the genetic ablation of Kir4.1 results in severe hypomyelination. Hence, Kir, and in particular Kir4.1, are key regulators of glial functions, which in turn determine neuronal excitability and axonal conduction.

Functional expression of TREK-2 K+ channel in cultured rat brain astrocytes

Background K+ channels whose subunit contains four transmembrane segments and two pore-forming domains (4TM/2P) have been cloned recently. We studied whether 4TM/2P K+ channels are functionally expressed in astrocytes that are known to have a large background (resting) K+ conductance and a large resting membrane potential. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis showed that, among five 4TM/2P K+ channels examined, TASK-1, TASK-3 and TREK-2 mRNAs were expressed in cultured astrocytes from rat cortex. In cell-attached patches, we mainly observed three K+ channels with single-channel conductances of 30, 117 and 176 pS (-40 mV) in symmetrical 140 mM KCl. The 30 pS channel was the inward rectifying K+ channel that has been previously described in astrocytes. The 117 pS K+ channel also showed inward rectification and was insensitive to 1 mM tetraethylammonium and 1 mM 4-aminopyridine. The 176 pS channel was the Ca2+-activated K+ channel. The 117 pS K+ channel was determined to be TREK-2, as judged by its electrophysiological properties and activation by membrane stretch, free fatty acids and intracellular acidosis. In approximately 50% of astrocytes in culture, whole-cell K+ current increased markedly following application of arachidonic acid. The number of TREK-2 channels in these cells was estimated to be approximately 500-1000/cell. Our results show that TREK-2 is functionally expressed in cortical astrocytes in culture, and suggest that TREK-2 may be involved in K+ homeostasis of astrocytes during pathological states.

Ion channels in glial cells

Functional and molecular analysis of glial voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels underwent tremendous boost over the last 15 years. The traditional image of the glial cell as a passive, structural element of the nervous system was transformed into the concept of a plastic cell, capable of expressing a large variety of ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. These molecules might enable glial cells to sense neuronal activity and to integrate it within glial networks, e.g., by means of spreading calcium waves. In this review we shall give a comprehensive summary of the main functional properties of ion channels and ionotropic receptors expressed by macroglial cells, i.e., by astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. In particular we will discuss in detail glial sodium, potassium and anion channels, as well as glutamate, GABA and ATP activated ionotropic receptors. A majority of available data was obtained from primary cell culture, these results have been compared with corresponding studies that used acute tissue slices or freshly isolated cells. In view of these data, an active glial participation in information processing seems increasingly likely and a physiological role for some of the glial channels and receptors is gradually emerging.

Ceramide inhibits inwardly rectifying K+ currents via a Ras- and Raf-1-dependent pathway in cultured oligodendrocytes

Ceramide is a lipid mediator implicated in apoptosis induced by proinflammatory cytokines in many cell types, including oligodendrocytes (OLGs). To determine whether ceramide modulates transmembrane signaling events in OLGs, we studied its effect on intracellular Ca2+ (Cai), resting membrane potential and inwardly rectifying K+ currents (IKir) in cultured neonatal rat OLGs. We report here that (1) exposure to C2-ceramide (cer) rarely increases OLG Cai, whereas sphingosine elicits sustained increase in Cai; (2) cer causes OLG depolarization, an effect mimicked by sphingosine-1-phosphate but not by sphingosine; and (3) cer, but not its inactive analog dihydroceramide, inhibits OLG IKir. The cer effect is attenuated by Ras antibody Y13-259, by protein kinase C inhibitory peptide (19-36), and by suppression of c-Raf-1 expression with antisense raf-1 oligonucleotides. We conclude that cer-induced OLG depolarization is mediated via inhibition of IKir by a Ras- and raf-1-dependent pathway, which results in the phosphorylation of the inward rectifier K+ channel protein.

A rat G protein-coupled receptor selectively expressed in myelin-forming cells

By screening an olfactory bulb cDNA library using dopamine receptor probes, we isolated the cDNA coding for the rat counterpart of an orphan receptor known as Edg-2, homologous to G protein-coupled receptors. In situ hybridization analysis showed that Edg-2 mRNA expression is restricted to myelinated structures, e.g. corpus callosum or peripheral nerves. A weaker expression in various peripheral organs was also detected in newborns. A 3.8-kb transcript was found at high levels in highly myelinated brain structures and sciatic nerve, and, at lower levels, in poorly myelinated peripheral organs, consistent with its occurrence in Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. One hundred percent of Edg-2 mRNA-containing cells in the brain also expressed mRNA encoding myelin-basic-protein, a marker of oligodendrocytes. This restricted olygodendrocytes localization was confirmed by the absence of cellular colocalization of Edg-2 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, an astrocytic marker. During prenatal development, Edg-2 mRNA expression was high in the cortical neuroepithelium and meningeal layer at E16, extended later to other neuroepithelia, and disappeared shortly after birth. During brain postnatal development, Edg-2 mRNA expression in myelinated structures followed a caudo-rostral gradient, similar to that of myelination. Thus, Edg-2 is the first G protein-coupled receptor found to be selectively expressed in myelin-forming cells in the nervous system and its temporal expression pattern is consistent with a dual role (i) in neurogenesis, during embryonic development, and (ii) in myelination and myelin maintenance, during postnatal life.

Signalling via the G protein-activated K+ channels

The inwardly rectifying K+ channels of the GIRK (Kir3) family, members of the superfamily of inwardly rectifying K+ channels (Kir), are important physiological tools to regulate excitability in heart and brain by neurotransmitters, and the only ion channels conclusively shown to be activated by a direct interaction with heterotrimeric G protein subunits. During the last decade, especially since their cloning in 1993, remarkable progress has been made in understanding the structure, mechanisms of gating, activation by G proteins, and modulation of these channels. However, much of the molecular details of structure and of gating by G protein subunits and other factors, mechanisms of modulation and desensitization, and determinants of specificity of coupling to G proteins, remain unknown. This review summarizes both the recent advances and the unresolved questions now on the agenda in GIRK studies.

Characterization of delayed rectifier Kv channels in oligodendrocytes and progenitor cells

We examined the molecular identity of K+ channel genes underlying the delayed rectifier (IK) in differentiated cultured oligodendrocytes (OLGs) and oligodendrocyte progenitor (OP) cells. Using reverse transcription-PCR cloning, we found that OP cells and OLGs expressed multiple Kv transcripts, namely Kv1.2, Kv1.4, Kv.1.5, and Kv1.6. Immunocytochemical and Western blot analyses revealed that Kv1.5 and Kv1.6 as well as Kv1.2 and Kv1.4 channel proteins could be detected in these cells, but definitive evidence for functional K+ channel expression was obtained only for the Kv1.5 channel. In addition, mRNA and immunoreactive protein levels of both Kv1.5 and Kv1.6 channels were significantly lower in differentiated OLGs when compared with levels in OP cells. Proliferation of OP cells was inhibited by K+ channel blockers, but not by incubation with either Kv1.5 or Kv1.6 antisense oligonucleotides. We conclude that (1) IK in OP cells and OLGs is encoded partly by Kv1.5 subunits, possibly forming heteromultimeric channels with Kv1.6 or other Kv subunits; and (2) inhibition of Kv1.5 or Kv1.6 channel expression alone does not prevent mitogenesis. Concomitant inhibition of other Kv channels underlying IK may be necessary for OP cells to exit from cell cycle.

Astrocytes, not neurons, show most prominent staining for spermidine/spermine-like immunoreactivity in adult rat brain

Polyamines are involved in a variety of basic cellular functions including proliferation and differentiation. Recent in vitro evidence suggests a role for spermidine or spermine as possible modulators of ionotropic glutamate receptors and inwardly rectifying potassium channels. However, before a functional role of spermidine or spermine in vivo can be considered, the presence of these polyamines in the mammalian central nervous system must be demonstrated. Here we report the localization of spermine/spermidine-like immunoreactivity in the major cell types of the adult rat brain, using polyclonal antibodies raised against glutaraldehyde-conjugated spermine. Neuronal staining was restricted to several discrete brain nuclei and was generally weak. In the hippocampus, immunoreactivity was found in the area of perforant path terminals and in the CA2/CA3 subfields. The CA1 region and the area of the mossy fiber terminals was largely negative. Throughout the brain, the most prominent staining was displayed by astrocytes, as confirmed by comparison with astrocyte and microglial markers, but immunolabel was also detected in oligodendrocytes and pericytes. Their intense staining for spermidine/spermine-like immunoreactivity suggests that astrocytes are the most likely source for extracellular polyamines in the rat brain.

IRK(1-3) and GIRK(1-4) inwardly rectifying K+ channel mRNAs are differentially expressed in the adult rat brain

Molecular cloning together with functional characterization has shown that the newly identified family of inwardly rectifying K+ channels consists of several closely related members encoded by separate genes. In this report we demonstrate the differential mRNA expression and detailed cellular localization in the adult rat brain of seven members of the IRK and GIRK subfamilies. Using both radiolabeled cRNA riboprobes and specific oligonucleotide probes directed to nonconserved regions of both known and newly isolated rat brain cDNAs, in situ hybridization revealed wide distribution with partly overlapping expression of the mRNAs of IRK1-3 and GIRK1-4. Except for the low levels of GIRK4 transcripts observed, the overall distribution patterns of the other GIRK subunits were rather similar, with high levels of expression in the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cortex, thalamus, and cerebellum. Marked differences in expression levels existed only in some thalamic, brainstem, and midbrain nuclei, e.g., the substantial nigra, superior colliculus, or inferior olive. In contrast, IRK subunits were expressed more differentially: all mRNAs were abundant in dentate gyrus, olfactory bulb, caudate putamen, and piriform cortex. IRK1 and IRK3 were restricted to these regions, but they were absent from most parts of the thalamus, cerebellum, and brainstem, where IRK2 was expressed predominantly. Because channel subunits may assemble as heteromultimers, additional functional characterization based on overlapping expression patterns may help to decipher the native K+ channels in neurons and glial cells.