Messenger RNA from bovine retina induces kainate and glycine receptors in Xenopus oocytes

Redefining the classification of AMPA-selective ionotropic glutamate receptors

AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) represent the major excitatory neurotransmitter receptor in the developing and adult vertebrate CNS. They are crucial for the normal hardwiring of glutamatergic circuits but also fine tune synaptic strength by cycling into and out of synapses during periods of sustained patterned activity or altered homeostasis. AMPARs are grouped into two functionally distinct tetrameric assemblies based on the inclusion or exclusion of the GluA2 receptor subunit. GluA2-containing receptors are thought to be the most abundant AMPAR in the CNS, typified by their small unitary events, Ca(2+) impermeability and insensitivity to polyamine block. In contrast, GluA2-lacking AMPARs exhibit large unitary conductance, marked divalent permeability and nano- to micromolar polyamine affinity. Here, I review evidence for the existence of a third class of AMPAR which, though similarly Ca(2+) permeable, is characterized by its near-insensitivity to internal and external channel block by polyamines. This novel class of AMPAR is most notably found at multivesicular release synapses found in the avian auditory brainstem and mammalian retina. Curiously, these synapses lack NMDA-type iGluRs, which are conventionally associated with controlling AMPAR insertion. The lack of NMDARs suggests that a different set of rules may govern AMPAR cycling at these synapses. AMPARs with similar functional profiles are also found on some glial cells suggesting they may have a more widespread distribution in the mammalian CNS. I conclude by noting that modest changes to the ion-permeation pathway might be sufficient to retain divalent permeability whilst eliminating polyamine sensitivity. Consequently, this emerging AMPAR subclass need not be assembled from novel subunits, yet to be cloned, but could simply occur by varying the stoichiometry of existing proteins.

Characteristics of glycine receptors expressed by embryonic rat brain mRNAs

A study was made of glycine (Gly) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes injected with rat mRNAs isolated from the encephalon, midbrain, and brainstem of 18-day-old rat embryos. In oocytes injected with encephalon, midbrain, or brainstem mRNAs, the Gly-current amplitudes (membrane current elicited by Gly; 1 mM Gly) were respectively 115 +/- 35, 346 +/- 28, and 389 +/- 22 nA, whereas the GABA-currents (1 mM GABA) were all < or =40 nA. Moreover, the Gly-currents desensitized faster in oocytes injected with encephalon or brainstem mRNAs. The EC(50) for Gly was 611 +/- 77 microM for encephalon, 661 +/- 28 microM for midbrain, and 506 +/- 18 microM for brainstem mRNA-injected oocytes, and the corresponding Hill coefficients were all approximately 2. Strychnine inhibited all of the Gly-currents, with an IC(50) of 56 +/- 3 nM for encephalon, 97 +/- 4 nM for midbrain, and 72 +/- 4 nM for brainstem mRNAs. During repetitive Gly applications, the Gly-currents were potentiated by 1.6-fold for encephalon, 2.1-fold for midbrain, and 1.3-fold for brainstem RNA-injected oocytes. Raising the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration significantly increased the Gly-currents in oocytes injected with midbrain and brainstem mRNAs. Reverse transcription-PCR studies showed differences in the Gly receptor (GlyR) alpha-subunits expressed, whereas the beta-subunit was present in all three types of mRNA. These results indicate differential expression of GlyR mRNAs in the brain areas examined, and these mRNAs lead to the expression of GlyRs that have different properties. The modulation of GlyRs by Ca(2+) could play important functions during brain development.

mRNAs coding for neurotransmitter receptors in rabbit and rat visual areas

Levels of mRNAs encoding neurotransmitter receptors in the visual cortex, lateral geniculate nucleus, and superior colliculus of the rabbit and rat, and properties of the receptors expressed, were studied using Xenopus laevis oocytes. mRNA extracted from these areas was injected into the oocytes, which then acquired functional receptors. Electrical recordings of neurotransmitter-induced membrane currents reflect the relative amounts of mRNAs encoding the corresponding receptors. Receptors to gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), kainate, glutamate, and serotonin exhibited uniformly high levels of expression, whereas expression of receptors to glycine and N-methyl-D-aspartate was uniformly low. In contrast, the expression of receptors to acetylcholine and substance P was highly non-uniform. Expression of acetylcholine receptors was high in oocytes injected with mRNA from the visual cortex, low for the lateral geniculate nucleus, and very low or absent for the superior colliculus. Conversely, the currents elicited by substance P were large in oocytes injected with superior colliculus mRNA, but were small or absent in oocytes injected with mRNAs from the other regions. Immunohistochemical analysis, at the light and electron microscopic levels, was used to localize choline acetyltransferase, the acetylcholine-synthesizing enzyme, and substance P-containing synaptic boutons in the three visual areas. Their presence closely paralleled the potency of mRNAs coding for acetylcholine and substance P receptors. The ability of rat mRNA, from each visual area, to induce neurotransmitter receptors was similar to that observed in the corresponding rabbit mRNAs. In addition to the marked differential distribution of mRNA encoding neurotransmitter receptors in the visual system, our findings reveal the probable existence of as yet uncharacterized receptors, whose new molecular forms may be revealed by further study. Our results also provide the basic information required for subsequent studies on the effect of monocular deprivation on the expression of neurotransmitter receptors in the visual system.

Neurotransmitter receptors and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels encoded by mRNA from the adult corpus callosum

The presence of mRNAs encoding neurotransmitter receptors and voltage-gated channels in the adult human and bovine corpus callosum was investigated using Xenopus oocytes. Oocytes injected with mRNA extracted from the corpus callosum expressed functional receptors to glutamate, acetylcholine, and serotonin, and also voltage-operated Ca2+ channels, all with similar properties in the two species studied. Acetylcholine and serotonin elicited oscillatory Cl- currents due to activation of the inositol phosphate-Ca2+ receptor-channel coupling system. Glutamate and its analogs N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, quisqualate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) induced smooth currents. The non-NMDA responses showed a strong inward rectification at positive potentials and were potently blocked by 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, as observed for the AMPA/kainate glutamate receptors GLUR1 and GLUR3. Furthermore, in situ hybridization experiments showed that GLUR1 and GLUR3 mRNAs are present in corpus callosum cells that were labeled with antiserum to glial fibrillary acid protein and that, in primary cell cultures, had the morphology of type 2 astrocytes. These results indicate that glial cells in the adult corpus callosum possess mRNA encoding functional neurotransmitter receptors and Ca2+ channels. These molecules may provide a mechanism for glial-neuronal interactions.

Expression of neurotransmitter receptors by mRNAs from neurons developing in vitro: a Xenopus oocyte expression study

Poly(A)+ mRNA was extracted from cultures of neurons isolated from mouse embryonic day 14 cerebral cortex and injected into Xenopus oocytes. This led to the expression of receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, acetylcholine, serotonin, glutamate, kainate, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and quisqualate. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ mRNA from the cultured neurons with a GluR1 cDNA probe revealed the presence of three hybridization bands with estimated mRNA sizes of 5.1, 4.0, and 3.1 kb, respectively. The development of mRNAs coding for neurotransmitter receptors was investigated by isolating mRNA from neurons cultured for 2, 8, and 14 days in vitro and injecting it into Xenopus oocytes. The amplitude of membrane currents elicited by the transmitters gave a measure of the relative amounts of the different mRNAs. The size of the responses to kainate, aspartate (together with glycine), glutamate, acetylcholine, GABA, serotonin, and glycine increased with the time of culture in vitro. However, in contrast to all other agonist-induced currents, the current induced by glycine failed to increase further from 8 to 14 days in culture. It is concluded that the time course of receptor development in cortical neurons in vitro is similar to the development in vivo.

mRNA coding for neurotransmitter receptors in a human astrocytoma

Electrophysiological techniques and Xenopus oocytes were used to study the expression of neurotransmitter receptors encoded by mRNAs isolated from three human glioma cell lines. Oocytes injected with mRNAs from two glioblastoma cell lines did not show electrical responses to the various neurotransmitters tested. In contrast, oocytes injected with mRNA from an astrocytoma cell line (R-111) acquired acetylcholine and glutamate receptors as well as a small number of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Acetylcholine elicited oscillatory Cl- currents that were abolished by muscarinic antagonists. The muscarinic receptors are coupled to the inositol phosphate-Ca2+ receptor-channel coupling system. Glutamate and its analogs kainate, quisqualate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid induced smooth currents. The non-NMDA responses were potently blocked by 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3 dione. Our results show that human astrocytoma cells contain mRNAs coding for functional acetylcholine and glutamate receptors that have properties similar to those of neurons. In contrast, human glioblastoma cells lacked those mRNAs. These differences might be useful for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Expression of mammalian gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors with distinct pharmacology in Xenopus oocytes

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in mammalian brain, is known to interact with two classes of GABA receptors denoted GABAA and GABAB. Using Xenopus oocytes, we compared the electrical and pharmacological properties of GABA receptors expressed by poly(A)+ RNA isolated from mammalian brain and retina. RNA from cerebral cortex expressed GABA responses with features characteristic of currents mediated by GABAA receptors. In contrast, RNA from retina expressed responses mediated by GABAA receptors and, in addition, GABA responses that were insensitive to the GABAA antagonist bicuculline and the GABAB agonist baclofen and showed no modulation by barbiturates or benzodiazepines. The bicuculline/baclofen-insensitive GABA response was a Cl- current that was blocked by picrotoxin but showed little desensitization or outward rectification. Our results suggest that mammalian retina contains RNAs encoding GABA receptors with distinct pharmacology.

Expression of rat brain excitatory amino acid receptors in Xenopus oocytes

Xenopus laevis oocytes when injected with rat brain mRNA synthesize neuronal receptors that can be analyzed electrophysiologically. After a post-injection incubation period of 24-72 hours, L-glutamic acid, kainic acid and quisqualic acid caused a dose dependent (10-100 microM) depolarization of the oocyte membrane. The voltage and conductance changes associated with kainate activation were distinguishable from those seen for L-glutamate or quisqualate. There was no response to L-aspartate application and an inconsistent response to N-methyl-D-aspartate. Upon fractionation of the mRNA on sucrose gradients, transcripts greater than 2 Kb in length were obligatory for the synthesis of excitatory amino acid receptors. The electrophysiological response of injected oocytes exposed to L-glutamate was similar to that of native oocytes when exposed to muscarinic agents. This similarity may reflect the activation of the same ionophore and suggests that the active mRNA fraction for glutamate responsiveness either encodes for a binding protein that can be assembled along with native ion channels into the oocyte membrane or encodes for a glutamate binding site with a similar channel.

The use of Xenopus oocytes for the study of ion channels

Recently, in addition to the "traditional" research on meiotic reinitiation and fertilization mechanisms, the oocytes of the African frog Xenopus laevis have been exploited for the study of numerous aspects of ion channel function and regulation, such as the properties of several endogenous voltage-dependent channels and the involvement of second messengers in mediation of neurotransmitter-evoked membrane responses. In addition, injection of these cells with exogenous messenger RNA results in production and functional expression of foreign membranal proteins, including various voltage- and neurotransmitter-operated ion channels originating from brain, heart, and other excitable tissues. This method provides unique opportunities for the study of the structure, function, and regulation of these channels. A multidisciplinary approach is required, involving molecular biology, electrophysiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and cytology.