Studies of receptor-mediated inhibition of 45Ca accumulation into synaptosomes

Tyrosine dephosphorylation underlies DHPG-induced LTD

A form of long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission can be induced by bath application of the group I metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor agonist (RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG). The mechanisms responsible for the induction and expression of DHPG-induced LTD in the CA1 region of the hippocampus are currently the subject of intense investigation. Here we show that two protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors (10 microM lavendustin A or 30 microM genistein) have little effect on DHPG-induced LTD. In contrast two protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitors (1 mM orthovanadate or 15 microM phenyl-arsine oxide) significantly inhibited DHPG-induced LTD. These data suggest that DHPG-induced LTD involves activation of a protein tyrosine phosphatase.

Tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of hippocampal synaptic plasticity

We examined the effects of two protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors on the induction of synaptic plasticity in CA1 slices of rat hippocampus. Field potential recordings were made in stratum radiatum in response to stimulation of the Schaffer collateral afferents. Bath application of the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors sodium orthovanadate or phenylarsine oxide for 30 min had little effect on basal synaptic transmission but blocked the induction of both long-term potentiation (LTP) and homosynaptic long-term depression (LTD). LTP could be partially recovered, and LTD fully recovered, when conditioning stimulation was given in conditions of reduced synaptic inhibition. The block of both forms of synaptic plasticity by the phosphatase inhibitors correlated with a concurrent depression of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated potential, as measured both extracellularly and intracellularly. This depression, which was also induced by peroxyvanadate, required synaptic stimulation to be induced, and was tyrosine kinase-dependent. Our results suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of as yet unidentified proteins is responsible for a novel activity-dependent depression of NMDA receptor function that inhibits synaptic plasticity.

Omega-conotoxin GVIA-resistant neurotransmitter release from postganglionic sympathetic nerves in the guinea-pig vas deferens and its modulation by presynaptic receptors

1 Intracellular recording techniques were used to study neurotransmitter release mechanisms in postganglionic sympathetic nerve terminals in the guinea-pig isolated vas deferens. 2 Recently, a component of action potential-evoked release which is insensitive to high concentrations of the selective N-type calcium channel blocker omega-conotoxin GVIA termed 'residual release' has been described. Under these conditions, release of the neurotransmitter ATP evoked by trains of low frequency stimuli is abolished, but at higher frequencies a substantial component of release is revealed. 3 'Residual release' was studied with trains of 5 or 10 stimuli at stimulation frequencies of 10, 20 and 50 Hz. The alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine (30-100 nM) inhibited 'residual release', the degree of inhibition being most marked at the beginning of a train. 4 The alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (1 microM) induced a marked increase in 'residual release' which was dependent on both the frequency of stimulation and the number of stimuli in a train. 5 Prostaglandin E2 (30 nM) and neuropeptide Y (100 nM) caused a rapid inhibition of 'residual release' at all stimulation frequencies examined. 6 4-Aminopyridine (100 microM) induced a powerful potential of 'residual release' and could reverse the inhibition of omega-conotoxin GVIA. 7 'Residual release' was modulated through presynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptors suggesting that (i) residual release of ATP is subject to alpha-autoinhibition through the co-release of noradrenaline, (ii) noradrenaline release can be triggered by calcium channels other than the N-type and (iii) when presynaptic receptors are activated, inhibition of transmitter release can occur by mechanisms other than modulation of calcium-entry through N-type calcium channels in postganglionic sympathetic nerves. Prostaglandin E2 and neuropeptide Y also modulated neurotransmitter release.

Long-term action of lithium: a role for transcriptional and posttranscriptional factors regulated by protein kinase C

Lithium, a simple monovalent cation, represents one of psychiatry's most important treatments and is the most effective treatment for reducing both the frequency and severity of recurrent affective episodes. Despite extensive research, the underlying biologic basis for the therapeutic efficacy this drug remains unknown, and in recent years, research has focused on signal transduction pathways to explain lithium's efficacy in treating both poles of manic-depressive illness. Critical to attributions of therapeutic relevance to any observed biochemical effect, however, is the observation that the characteristic prophylactic action of lithium in stabilizing the profound mood cycling of bipolar disorder requires a lag period for onset and is not immediately reversed upon discontinuation of treatment. Biochemical changes requiring such prolonged administration of a drug suggest alterations at the genomic level but, until recently, little has been known about the transcriptional and posttranscriptional factors regulated by chronic drug treatment, although long-term changes in neuronal synaptic function are known to be dependent upon the selective regulation of gene expression. In this paper, we will present evidence to show that chronic lithium exerts significant transcriptional and posttranscriptional effects, and that these actions of lithium may be mediated via protein kinase C (PKC)-induced alterations in nuclear transcription regulatory factors responsible for modulating the expression of proteins involved in long-term neural plasticity and cellular response. Such target sites for chronic lithium may help unravel the processes by which a simple monovalent cation can produce a long-term stabilization of mood in individuals vulnerable to bipolar illness.

The control of intracellular calcium and neurotransmitter release in guinea pig-derived cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes

Synaptoneurosomes are a simply derived brain vesicular preparation which are believed to contain elements of both presynaptic and postsynaptic material. Inositol phosphates production and neurotransmitter release in the synaptoneurosome have previously been shown to be under the control of a number of receptor agonists. However, there have been few investigations of the role of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in these events. In this study we report that potassium (K+; 50 mM) was able to increase [Ca2+]i and subsequently release [3H]noradrenaline in guinea pig cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes via activation of dihydropyridine-insensitive, voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Veratridine (30 microM) produced similar effects but these involved activation of sodium channels which could be blocked by pre-incubation with tetrodotoxin (0.15 microM). A number of agonists were used to investigate possible modulation of these events and to look for agonist-stimulated mobilization of [Ca2+]i. No evidence was found for either receptor-mediated release of calcium from intracellular stores or for modulation of K(+)-induced neurotransmitter release. This might be related to the observed passive entry of calcium through the synaptoneurosomal membrane and the subsequently high levels of [Ca2+]i.

Phorbol ester pretreatment desensitizes the inhibition of Ca2+ channels induced by kappa-opiate, alpha 2-adrenergic, and muscarinic receptor agonists

Acute treatment of rat spinal cord-dorsal root ganglion cocultured neurons with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a known activator of protein kinase C, inhibited the dihydropyridine-sensitive voltage-dependent 45Ca2+ influx measured in these cells (IC50 of approximately 100 nM, 66% inhibition at 1 microM TPA). However, prolonged preincubation (24 h) of the cells with 100 nM TPA followed by extensive washing completely abolished, i.e., desensitized, the capacity of a second application of TPA to inhibit the activity of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Moreover, this treatment also abolished the inhibition of Ca2+ influx produced by kappa-opiate as well as by alpha 2-adrenergic and muscarinic receptor agonists. Substantial desensitization was already observed following a 1-h pretreatment with 100 nM TPA. In contrast to TPA, an inactive phorbol ester (4 beta-phorbol 13-acetate) did not affect the inhibition of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx by these receptor agonists. These results suggest that protein kinase C may have a role in the modulation of Ca2+ channels by kappa-opiate, alpha 2-adrenergic, and muscarinic receptor agonists.

Kainate and quisqualate effects on rat presynaptic cortical receptors are metabotropic and non-additive

The effects of quisqualate and kainate on synaptosomal inositol phosphate (InsP) labelling, 45Ca influx and intrasynaptosomal free calcium ([Ca2+]i) were investigated. Each agonist caused a concentration-dependent increase in both [Ca2+]i and InsP labelling: quisqualate, however, produced significantly larger responses in both parameters and at lower EC50 values. Neither quisqualate or kainate significantly affected 45Ca influx into synaptosomes, indicating that the observed increases in [Ca2+]i were due to mobilisation from intracellular stores. The concentration-dependent increases in [Ca2+]i promoted by quisqualate and kainate were monophasic, whereas the increases in InsP formation fitted well to a biphasic curve. The EC50 values suggest that both kainate and quisqualate initially mobilise calcium from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins 1,4,5-P3)-sensitive stores and that the resultant increases in [Ca2+]i will, above a certain threshold, promote further increases in InsP production by stimulation of Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipase C. When saturating concentrations of kainate and quisqualate were used in combination, the effects on both InsP labelling and [Ca2+]i were not additive but were slightly higher than those produced by kainate alone: combined administration of the two agonists had no effect on 45Ca influx. These results suggest that kainate acts as a partial agonist at the presynaptic quisqualate metabotropic glutamatergic receptor.