Enhancement of agonist binding to 5-HT1A receptors in rat brain membranes by millimolar Mn2+

In vitro exposure to ambient fine and ultrafine particles alters dopamine uptake and release, and D2 receptor affinity and signaling

The exposure to environmental pollutants, such as fine and ultrafine particles (FP and UFP), has been associated with increased risk for Parkinson's disease, depression and schizophrenia, disorders related to altered dopaminergic transmission. The striatum, a neuronal nucleus with extensive dopaminergic afferents, is a target site for particle toxicity, which results in oxidative stress, inflammation, astrocyte activation and modifications in dopamine content and D₂ receptor (D₂R) density. In this study we assessed the in vitro effect of the exposure to FP and UFP on dopaminergic transmission, by evaluating [³H]-dopamine uptake and release by rat striatal isolated nerve terminals (synaptosomes), as well as modifications in the affinity and signaling of native and cloned D₂Rs. FP and UFP collected from the air of Mexico City inhibited [³H]-dopamine uptake and increased depolarization-evoked [³H]-dopamine release in striatal synaptosomes. FP and UFP also enhanced D₂R affinity for dopamine in membranes from either rat striatum or CHO-K1 cells transfected with the long isoform of the human D₂R (hD_2LR)2LR). In CHO-K1-hD2L In CHO-K1-hD_2LR cells or striatal slices, FP and UFP increased the potency of dopamine or the D₂R agonist quinpirole, respectively, to inhibit forskolin-induced cAMP formation. The effects were concentration-dependent, with UFP being more potent than FP. These results indicate that FP and UFP directly affect dopaminergic transmission.

Characterization of 5-HT₁A receptors and their complexes with G-proteins in budded baculovirus particles using fluorescence anisotropy of Bodipy-FL-NAN-190

Bodipy-FL-NAN-190 was found to be well suited for characterization of ligand binding to 5-HT1A receptors expressed in budded baculovirus particles, as binding is accompanied by large increases in fluorescence intensity and anisotropy. This ligand appears to bind rapidly (t1/2,ass<1 min), reversibly (t1/2,diss∼6 min) and has high affinity (Kd=0.30 ± 0.13 nM). This fluorescence anisotropy assay based on Bodipy-FL-NAN-190 binding to baculovirus particles was also a suitable assay system for the pharmacological characterization of non-labelled serotonergic ligands, as well as being sensitive to the presence of G-proteins and guanine nucleotides. Coexpression of αi subunits of human G-proteins in baculovirus particles resulted in the appearance of significantly greater proportion of nucleotide sensitive high affinity agonist binding sites. There were no significant differences between αi1 and αi3 subtypes, while ligand binding in the presence of αi2 had higher sensitivity to GDP and Mn(2+).

Characterization of heterotrimeric nucleotide-depleted Gα(i)-proteins by Bodipy-FL-GTPγS fluorescence anisotropy

Recombinant heterotrimeric G-protein α(i1), α(i2) and α(i3) subunits were purified in GDP-depleting conditions by affinity chromatography using StrepII-tagged β₁γ₂ subunits. Real-time monitoring of fluorescence anisotropy of Bodipy-FL-GTPγS was used for characterization of nucleotide binding properties and inactivation of the purified proteins. All GDP-depleted α(i) were unstable at room temperature and therefore nucleotide binding could be characterized only in a nonequilibrium state. In comparison to Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺ inhibited nucleotide binding to all α(i)-heterotrimers studied and accelerated nucleotide release. Mn²⁺ had stabilizing effect on the nucleotide free state of the α(i1) subunit, whereas both Mn²⁺ as well as G-protein activation by mastoparan destabilized the α(i2) subunit.

Millimolar Mn2+ influences agonist binding to 5-HT1A receptors by inhibiting guanosine nucleotide binding to receptor-coupled G-proteins

Manganese is an essential trace element but its overexposure causes poisoning (called manganism) that shares several symptoms with Parkinson's disease, but with a mechanism that is still not well understood: in addition to involvement of the dopaminergic system, both serotonergic and peptiergic systems have been implicated. In the present report we have studied the influence of Mn(2+) on 5-HT(1A) receptor signaling complexes in rat brain and found that Mn(2+) in millimolar concentration caused an increase of high-affinity agonist binding to rat hippocampal membranes in comparison with experiments in the presence of Mg(2+), but not in rat cortical membranes and in Sf9 cell membranes expressing 5-HT(1A) receptors and G(i1) heterotrimers. Activation of G proteins with 30μM GTPγS turned all 5-HT(1A) receptors in these preparations into a low-affinity state for agonist binding in the presence of 1mM Mg(2+), but not in the presence of 1mM Mn(2+) in rat hippocampal membranes. However, if 1μM GTPγS was used for G protein activation, a substantial amount of high affinity agonist binding was detected in the presence of Mn(2+) also in cortical membranes and Sf9 cells, but not with Mg(2+) or EDTA. Comparison of the abilities of GDP and GTPγS to modulate high affinity agonist binding to 5-HT(1A) receptors indicated that both nucleotides were almost 10-fold less potent in the presence of MnCl(2) compared to MgCl(2). This means that by inhibiting guanosine nucleotide binding to G proteins in complex with 5-HT(1A) receptors, Mn(2+) acts as an enhancer for agonist binding and signal transduction. As the influence of Mn(2+) resembles the hypersensitivity of dopaminergic system in Parkinsonial models, it can be proposed that at least some symptoms of manganism are connected with a change of signal transduction complex caused by manganese-nucleotide complexes.