Synaptic inhibition by glycine acting at a metabotropic receptor in tiger salamander retina

Glycine-induced activation of GPR158 increases the intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens

It has been recently established that GPR158, a class C orphan G protein-coupled receptor, serves as a metabotropic glycine receptor. GPR158 is highly expressed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a major input structure of the basal ganglia that integrates information from cortical and subcortical structures to mediate goal-directed behaviors. However, whether glycine modulates neuronal activity in the NAc through GPR158 activation has not been investigated yet. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we found that glycine-dependent activation of GPR158 increased the firing rate of NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) while it failed to significantly affect the excitability of cholinergic interneurons (CIN). In MSNs GPR158 activation reduced the latency to fire, increased the action potential half-width, and reduced action potential afterhyperpolarization, effects that are all consistent with negative modulation of potassium M-currents, that in the central nervous system are mainly carried out by Kv7/KCNQ-channels. Indeed, we found that the GPR158-induced increase in MSN excitability was associated with decreased M-current amplitude, and selective pharmacological inhibition of the M-current mimicked and occluded the effects of GPR158 activation. In addition, when the protein kinase A (PKA) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling was pharmacologically blocked, modulation of MSN excitability by GPR158 activation was suppressed. Moreover, GPR158 activation increased the phosphorylation of ERK and Kv7.2 serine residues. Collectively, our findings suggest that GPR158/PKA/ERK signaling controls MSN excitability via Kv7.2 modulation. Glycine-dependent activation of GPR158 may significantly affect MSN firing in vivo, thus potentially mediating specific aspects of goal-induced behaviors.

The Interplay between Neurotransmitters and Calcium Dynamics in Retinal Synapses during Development, Health, and Disease

The intricate functionality of the vertebrate retina relies on the interplay between neurotransmitter activity and calcium (Ca2+) dynamics, offering important insights into developmental processes, physiological functioning, and disease progression. Neurotransmitters orchestrate cellular processes to shape the behavior of the retina under diverse circumstances. Despite research to elucidate the roles of individual neurotransmitters in the visual system, there remains a gap in our understanding of the holistic integration of their interplay with Ca2+ dynamics in the broader context of neuronal development, health, and disease. To address this gap, the present review explores the mechanisms used by the neurotransmitters glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, dopamine, and acetylcholine (ACh) and their interplay with Ca2+ dynamics. This conceptual outline is intended to inform and guide future research, underpinning novel therapeutic avenues for retinal-associated disorders.

Orphan receptor GPR158 serves as a metabotropic glycine receptor: mGlyR

Glycine is a major neurotransmitter involved in several fundamental neuronal processes. The identity of the metabotropic receptor mediating slow neuromodulatory effects of glycine is unknown. We identified an orphan G protein-coupled receptor, GPR158, as a metabotropic glycine receptor (mGlyR). Glycine and a related modulator, taurine, directly bind to a Cache domain of GPR158, and this event inhibits the activity of the intracellular signaling complex regulator of G protein signaling 7-G protein β5 (RGS7-Gβ5), which is associated with the receptor. Glycine signals through mGlyR to inhibit production of the second messenger adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. We further show that glycine, but not taurine, acts through mGlyR to regulate neuronal excitability in cortical neurons. These results identify a major neuromodulatory system involved in mediating metabotropic effects of glycine, with implications for understanding cognition and affective states.

Glycinergic feedback enhances synaptic gain in the distal retina

Glycine input originates with interplexiform cells, a group of neurons situated within the inner retina that transmit signals centrifugally to the distal retina. The effect on visual function of this novel mechanism is largely unknown. Using gramicidin-perforated patch whole cell recordings, intracellular recordings and specific antibody labelling techniques, we examined the effects of the synaptic connections between glycinergic interplexiform cells, photoreceptors and bipolar cells. To confirm that interplexiform cells make centrifugal feedback on bipolar cell dendrites, we recorded the postsynaptic glycine currents from axon-detached bipolar cells while stimulating presynaptic interplexiform cells. The results show that glycinergic interplexiform cells activate bipolar cell dendrites that express the α3 subunit of the glycine receptor, as well as a subclass of unidentified receptors on photoreceptors. By virtue of their synaptic contacts, glycine centrifugal feedback increases glutamate release from photoreceptors and suppresses the uptake of glutamate by the type 2A excitatory amino acid transporter on photoreceptors. The net effect is a significant increase in synaptic gain between photoreceptors and their second-order neurons.

Neurotranmission systems as targets for toxicants: a review

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit impulses from one nerve to another or from nerves to effector organs. Numerous neurotransmitters have been described in mammals, amongst them acetylcholine, amino acids, amines, peptides and gases. Toxicants may interact with various parts of neurotransmission systems, including synthetic and degradative enzymes, presynaptic vesicles and the specialized receptors that characterize neurotransmission systems. Important toxicants acting on the cholinergic system include the anticholinesterases (organophosphates and carbamates) and substances that act on receptors such as nicotine and the neonicotinoid insecticides, including imidacloprid. An important substance acting on the glutamatergic system is domoic acid, responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning. 4-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine are inhibitory neurotransmitters and their antagonists, fipronil (an insecticide) and strychnine respectively, are excitatory. Abnormalities of dopamine neurotransmission occur in Parkinson's disease, and a number of substances that interfere with this system produce Parkinsonian symptoms and clinical signs, including notably 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, which is the precursor of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium. Fewer substances are known that interfere with adrenergic, histaminergic or seroninergic neurotransmission, but there are some examples. Among peptide neurotransmission systems, agonists of opioids are the only well-known toxic compounds.

Receptor targets of amacrine cells

Amacrine cells are a morphologically and functionally diverse group of inhibitory interneurons. Morphologically, they have been divided into approximately 30 types. Although this diversity is probably important to the fine structure and function of the retinal circuit, the amacrine cells have been more generally divided into two subclasses. Glycinergic narrow-field amacrine cells have dendrites that ramify close to their somas, cross the sublaminae of the inner plexiform layer, and create cross talk between its parallel ON and OFF pathways. GABAergic wide-field amacrine cells have dendrites that stretch long distances from their soma but ramify narrowly within an inner plexiform layer sublamina. These wide-field cells are thought to mediate inhibition within a sublamina and thus within the ON or OFF pathway. The postsynaptic targets of all amacrine cell types include bipolar, ganglion, and other amacrine cells. Almost all amacrine cells use GABA or glycine as their primary neurotransmitter, and their postsynaptic receptor targets include the most common GABA(A), GABA(C), and glycine subunit receptor configurations. This review addresses the diversity of amacrine cells, the postsynaptic receptors on their target cells in the inner plexiform layer of the retina, and some of the inhibitory mechanisms that arise as a result. When possible, the effects of GABAergic and glycinergic inputs on the visually evoked responses of their postsynaptic targets are discussed.

Ethanol alters the physiology of neuron-glia communication

In the central nervous system (CNS), both neurones and astrocytes play crucial roles. On a cellular level, brain activity involves continuous interactions within complex cellular circuits established between neural cells and glia. Although it was initially considered that neurones were the major cell type in cerebral function, nowadays astrocytes are considered to contribute to cerebral function too. Astrocytes support normal neuronal activity, including synaptic function, by regulating the extracellular environment with respect to ions and neurotransmitters. There is a plethora of noxious agents which can lead to the development of alterations in organs and functional systems, and that will end in a chronic prognosis. Among the potentially harmful external agents we can find ethanol consumption, whose consequences have been recognized as a major public health concern. Deregulation of cell cycle has devastating effects on the integrity of cells, and has been closely associated with the development of pathologies which can lead to dysfunction and cell death. An alteration of normal neuronal-glial physiology could represent the basis of neurodegenerative processes. In this review we will pay attention on to the recent findings in astrocyte function and their role toward neurons under ethanol consumption.