CO-induced K(+) currents in rat glomus cells are insensitive to light unlike carotid body neural discharge and Vo(O(2))

Rat carotid body chemosensory discharge and glomus cell HIF-1α expression in vitro: regulation by a common oxygen sensor

Addition of Pco (∼350 Torr) to a normoxic medium (Po2 of ∼130 Torr) was used to investigate the relationship between carotid body (CB) sensory discharge and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in glomus cells. Afferent electrical activity measured for in vitro -perfused rat CB increased rapidly (1–2 s) with addition of high CO (Pco of ∼350 Torr; Po2 of ∼130 Torr), and this increase was fully reversed by white light. At submaximal light intensities, the extent of reversal was much greater for monochromatic light at 430 and 590 nm than for light at 450, 550, and 610 nm. This wavelength dependence is consistent with the action spectrum of the CO compound of mitochondrial cytochrome a3. Interestingly, when isolated glomus cells cultured for 45 min in the presence of high CO (Pco of ∼350 Torr; Po2 of ∼130 Torr) in the dark, the levels of HIF-1α, which turn over slowly (many minutes), increased. This increase was not observed if the cells were illuminated with white light during the incubation. Monochromatic light at 430- and 590-nm light was much more effective than that at 450, 550, and 610 nm in blocking the CO-induced increase in HIF-1α, as was the case for chemoreceptor discharge. Although the changes in HIF-1α take minutes and those for CB neural activity occur in 1–2 s, the similar responses to CO and light suggest that the oxygen sensor is the same (mitochondrial cytochrome a3).

Oxygen sensing in the body

This review is divided into three parts: (a) The primary site of oxygen sensing is the carotid body which instantaneously respond to hypoxia without involving new protein synthesis, and is historically known as the first oxygen sensor and is therefore placed in the first section (Lahiri, Roy, Baby and Hoshi). The carotid body senses oxygen in acute hypoxia, and produces appropriate responses such as increases in breathing, replenishing oxygen from air. How this oxygen is sensed at a relatively high level (arterial PO2 approximately 50 Torr) which would not be perceptible by other cells in the body, is a mystery. This response is seen in afferent nerves which are connected synaptically to type I or glomus cells of the carotid body. The major effect of oxygen sensing is the increase in cytosolic calcium, ultimately by influx from extracellular calcium whose concentration is 2 x 10(4) times greater. There are several contesting hypotheses for this response: one, the mitochondrial hypothesis which states that the electron transport from the substrate to oxygen through the respiratory chain is retarded as the oxygen pressure falls, and the mitochondrial membrane is depolarized leading to the calcium release from the complex of mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum. This is followed by influx of calcium. Also, the inhibitors of the respiratory chain result in mitochondrial depolarization and calcium release. The other hypothesis (membrane model) states that K(+) channels are suppressed by hypoxia which depolarizes the membrane leading to calcium influx and cytosolic calcium increase. Evidence supports both the hypotheses. Hypoxia also inhibits prolyl hydroxylases which are present in all the cells. This inhibition results in membrane K(+) current suppression which is followed by cell depolarization. The theme of this section covers first what and where the oxygen sensors are; second, what are the effectors; third, what couples oxygen sensors and the effectors. (b) All oxygen consuming cells have a built-in mechanism, the transcription factor HIF-1, the discovery of which has led to the delineation of oxygen-regulated gene expression. This response to chronic hypoxia needs new protein synthesis, and the proteins of these genes mediate the adaptive physiological responses. HIF-1alpha, which is a part of HIF-1, has come to be known as master regulator for oxygen homeostasis, and is precisely regulated by the cellular oxygen concentration. Thus, the HIF-1 encompasses the chronic responses (gene expression in all cells of the body). The molecular biology of oxygen sensing is reviewed in this section (Semenza). (c) Once oxygen is sensed and Ca(2+) is released, the neurotransmittesr will be elaborated from the glomus cells of the carotid body. Currently it is believed that hypoxia facilitates release of one or more excitatory transmitters from glomus cells, which by depolarizing the nearby afferent terminals, leads to increases in the sensory discharge. The transmitters expressed in the carotid body can be classified into two major categories: conventional and unconventional. The conventional neurotransmitters include those stored in synaptic vesicles and mediate their action via activation of specific membrane bound receptors often coupled to G-proteins. Unconventional neurotransmitters are those that are not stored in synaptic vesicles, but spontaneously generated by enzymatic reactions and exert their biological responses either by interacting with cytosolic enzymes or by direct modifications of proteins. The gas molecules such as NO and CO belong to this latter category of neurotransmitters and have unique functions. Co-localization and co-release of neurotransmitters have also been described. Often interactions between excitatory and inhibitory messenger molecules also occur. Carotid body contains all kinds of transmitters, and an interplay between them must occur. But very little has come to be known as yet. Glimpses of these interactions are evident in the discussion in the last section (Prabhakar).

Effects of iron-chelators on ion-channels and HIF-1α in the carotid body

Acute hypoxia instantaneously increases the chemosensory discharge from the carotid body, increasing ventilation mostly by inhibiting the oxygen sensitive ion channels and exciting the mitochondrial functions in the glomus cells. On the other hand, Fe2+-chelation mimics hypoxia by inhibiting the prolyl hydroxylases and the degradation of HIF-1alpha in non-excitable cells. Whether Fe2+-chelation can inhibit the ion channels giving rise to the sensory responses in excitable cells was the question. We characterized the responses to Fe2+-chelators on excitable glomus cells of the rat, and found that they instantaneously blocked the ion-channels, exciting the chemosensory discharge, and later causing a gradual accumulation of HIF-1alpha. Although initiated by the same stimuli, the two effects (on ion channels and cytosolic HIF-1alpha) possibly occurred by two different mechanisms.

ATP causes glomus cell [Ca2+]c increase without corresponding increases in CSN activity

The hypothesis that an increase in intracellular calcium [Ca(2+)](c) in carotid body (CB) glomus cells will cause enhanced afferent carotid sinus nerve (CSN) activities was tested in the rat CB in-vitro with the use of extracellular ATP. ATP caused a dose dependent [Ca(2+)](c) increase in identified glomus cells. A major part of total [Ca(2+)](c) increase (2/3) was due to the [Ca(2+)] influx. The rest of [Ca(2+)](c) increase (1/3) was due to the release of [Ca(2+)] from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) [Ca(2+)] stores, and it was inhibited by the pretreatment of cells with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), an intracellular Ca(2+)-ATPase blocker. Suramin, a purinergic P(2) receptor membrane blocker, blocked [Ca(2+)] influx due to ATP in the presence of extracellular [Ca(2+)]. Perfusion with 5 and 10 microM ATP stimulated CSN activities in both normoxia (Nx) and hypoxia (Hx). Above that level, 100 microM ATP induced slight initial stimulation in CSN activities which were subsided subsequently in Nx and partly diminished in Hx, while 500 microM ATP completely inhibited CSN activities in Nx and Hx after a slight initial stimulation. Electrophysiological measurements of the glomus cell membrane potential in the presence of ATP (100 microM) during Nx indicated cellular enhanced outward K(+) current and hyperpolarization, suggesting potential mechanism for the inhibition of CSN activities. Thus, ATP dependent linear increases in [Ca(2+)](c) did not give rise to a corresponding increase in CSN activities, contravening the normally expected increase in CSN activities following [Ca(2+)](c) rise.

Effect of acute hypoxia on glomus cell Em and psi m as measured by fluorescence imaging

We have reinvestigated the hypothesis of the relative importance of glomus cell plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials (E(m) and psi(m), respectively) in acute hypoxia by a noninvasive fluorescence microimaging technique using the voltage-sensitive dyes bis-oxonol and JC-1, respectively. Short-term (24 h)-cultured rat glomus cells and cultured PC-12 cells were used for the study. Glomus cell E(m) depolarization was indirectly confirmed by an increase in bis-oxonol (an anionic probe) fluorescence due to a graded increase in extracellular K(+). Fluorescence responses of glomus cell E(m) to acute hypoxia (approximately 10 Torr Po(2)) indicated depolarization in 20%, no response in 45%, and hyperpolarization in 35% of the cells tested, whereas all PC-12 cells consistently depolarized in response to hypoxia. Furthermore, glomus cell E(m) hyperpolarization was confirmed with high CO (approximately 500 Torr). Glomus cell psi(m) depolarization was indirectly assessed by a decrease in JC-1 (a cationic probe) fluorescence. Accordingly, 1 microM carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation), high CO (a metabolic inhibitor), and acute hypoxia (approximately 10 Torr Po(2)) consistently depolarized the mitochondria in all glomus cells tested. Likewise, all PC-12 cell mitochondria depolarized in response to FCCP and hypoxia. Thus, although bis-oxonol could not show glomus cell depolarization consistently, JC-1 monitored glomus cell mitochondrial depolarization as an inevitable phenomenon in hypoxia. Overall, these responses supported our "metabomembrane hypothesis" of chemoreception.