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Steinert JR, Amal H. The contribution of an imbalanced redox signalling to neurological and neurodegenerative conditions. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 194:71-83. [PMID: 36435368 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide and other redox active molecules such as oxygen free radicals provide essential signalling in diverse neuronal functions, but their excess production and insufficient scavenging induces cytotoxic redox stress which is associated with numerous neurodegenerative and neurological conditions. A further component of redox signalling is mediated by a homeostatic regulation of divalent metal ions, the imbalance of which contributes to neuronal dysfunction. Additional antioxidant molecules such as glutathione and enzymes such as super oxide dismutase are involved in maintaining a physiological redox status within neurons. When cellular processes are perturbed and generation of free radicals overwhelms the antioxidants capacity of the neurons, a resulting redox damage leads to neuronal dysfunction and cell death. Cellular sources for production of redox-active molecules may include NADPH oxidases, mitochondria, cytochrome P450 and nitric oxide (NO)-generating enzymes, such as endothelial, neuronal and inducible NO synthases. Several neurodegenerative and developmental neurological conditions are associated with an imbalanced redox state as a result of neuroinflammatory processes leading to nitrosative and oxidative stress. Ongoing research aims at understanding the causes and consequences of such imbalanced redox homeostasis and its role in neuronal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joern R Steinert
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, School of Life Sciences, Nottingham, NG7 2NR, UK.
| | - Haitham Amal
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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2
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Döhne N, Falck A, Janach GMS, Byvaltcev E, Strauss U. Interferon-γ augments GABA release in the developing neocortex via nitric oxide synthase/soluble guanylate cyclase and constrains network activity. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:913299. [PMID: 36035261 PMCID: PMC9401097 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.913299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a cytokine with neuromodulatory properties, has been shown to enhance inhibitory transmission. Because early inhibitory neurotransmission sculpts functional neuronal circuits, its developmental alteration may have grave consequences. Here, we investigated the acute effects of IFN-γ on γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA)ergic currents in layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex of rats at the end of the first postnatal week, a period of GABA-dependent cortical maturation. IFN-γ acutely increased the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous/miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (s/mIPSC), and this could not be reversed within 30 min. Neither the increase in amplitude nor frequency of IPSCs was due to upregulated interneuron excitability as revealed by current clamp recordings of layer 5 interneurons labeled with VGAT-Venus in transgenic rats. As we previously reported in more mature animals, IPSC amplitude increase upon IFN-γ activity was dependent on postsynaptic protein kinase C (PKC), indicating a similar activating mechanism. Unlike augmented IPSC amplitude, however, we did not consistently observe an increased IPSC frequency in our previous studies on more mature animals. Focusing on increased IPSC frequency, we have now identified a different activating mechanism-one that is independent of postsynaptic PKC but is dependent on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). In addition, IFN-γ shifted short-term synaptic plasticity toward facilitation as revealed by a paired-pulse paradigm. The latter change in presynaptic function was not reproduced by the application of a nitric oxide donor. Functionally, IFN-γ-mediated alterations in GABAergic transmission overall constrained early neocortical activity in a partly nitric oxide-dependent manner as revealed by microelectrode array field recordings in brain slices analyzed with a spike-sorting algorithm. In summary, with IFN-γ-induced, NO-dependent augmentation of spontaneous GABA release, we have here identified a mechanism by which inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) plausibly modulates neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Döhne
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alice Falck
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriel M. S. Janach
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Egor Byvaltcev
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky State, University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Ulf Strauss
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Spiers JG, Steinert JR. Nitrergic modulation of ion channel function in regulating neuronal excitability. Channels (Austin) 2021; 15:666-679. [PMID: 34802368 PMCID: PMC8632290 DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2021.2002594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the brain provides a wide range of functional properties in response to neuronal activity. NO exerts its effects through different signaling pathways, namely, through the canonical soluble guanylyl cyclase-mediated cGMP production route and via post-translational protein modifications. The latter pathways comprise cysteine S-nitrosylation and 3-nitrotyrosination of distinct tyrosine residues. Many ion channels are targeted by one or more of these signaling routes, which leads to their functional regulation under physiological conditions or facilities their dysfunction leading to channelopathies in many pathologies. The resulting alterations in ion channel function changes neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and action potential propagation. Transient and activity-dependent NO production mediates reversible ion channel modifications via cGMP and S-nitrosylation signaling, whereas more pronounced and longer-term NO production during conditions of elevated oxidative stress leads to increasingly cumulative and irreversible protein 3-nitrotyrosination. The complexity of this regulation and vast variety of target ion channels and their associated functional alterations presents a challenging task in assessing and understanding the role of NO signaling in physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jereme G Spiers
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joern R Steinert
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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4
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Kourosh-Arami M, Hosseini N, Mohsenzadegan M, Komaki A, Joghataei MT. Neurophysiologic implications of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Rev Neurosci 2021; 31:617-636. [PMID: 32739909 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2019-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The molecular and chemical properties of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) have made it a key mediator in many physiological functions and signaling transduction. The NOS monomer is inactive, but the dimer form is active. There are three forms of NOS, which are neuronal (nNOS), inducible (iNOS), and endothelial (eNOS) nitric oxide synthase. nNOS regulates nitric oxide (NO) synthesis which is the mechanism used mostly by neurons to produce NO. nNOS expression and activation is regulated by some important signaling proteins, such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB), calmodulin (CaM), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)/HSP70. nNOS-derived NO has been implicated in modulating many physiological functions, such as synaptic plasticity, learning, memory, neurogenesis, etc. In this review, we have summarized recent studies that have characterized structural features, subcellular localization, and factors that regulate nNOS function. Finally, we have discussed the role of nNOS in the developing brain under a wide range of physiological conditions, especially long-term potentiation and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Kourosh-Arami
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Nasrin Hosseini
- Neuroscience Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Monireh Mohsenzadegan
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Allied Medical College, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Alireza Komaki
- Department of Physiology, Medical College, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Mohammad Taghi Joghataei
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
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5
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Inhibition of neuroinflammatory nitric oxide signaling suppresses glycation and prevents neuronal dysfunction in mouse prion disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2009579118. [PMID: 33653950 PMCID: PMC7958397 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009579118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein misfolding (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease) exhibit oxidative and nitrergic stress following initiation of neuroinflammatory pathways. Associated nitric oxide (NO)-mediated posttranslational modifications impact upon protein functions that can exacerbate pathology. Nonenzymatic and irreversible glycation signaling has been implicated as an underlying pathway that promotes protein misfolding, but the direct interactions between both pathways are poorly understood. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of pharmacologically suppressing neuroinflammatory NO signaling during early disease progression of prion-infected mice. Mice were injected daily with an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor at early disease stages, hippocampal gene and protein expression levels of oxidative and nitrergic stress markers were analyzed, and electrophysiological characterization of pyramidal CA1 neurons was performed. Increased neuroinflammatory signaling was observed in mice between 6 and 10 wk postinoculation (w.p.i.) with scrapie prion protein. Their hippocampi were characterized by enhanced nitrergic stress associated with a decline in neuronal function by 9 w.p.i. Daily in vivo administration of the NOS inhibitor L-NAME between 6 and 9 w.p.i. at 20 mg/kg prevented the functional degeneration of hippocampal neurons in prion-diseased mice. We further found that this intervention in diseased mice reduced 3-nitrotyrosination of triose-phosphate isomerase, an enzyme involved in the formation of disease-associated glycation. Furthermore, L-NAME application led to a reduced expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products and the diminished accumulation of hippocampal prion misfolding. Our data suggest that suppressing neuroinflammatory NO signaling slows functional neurodegeneration and reduces nitrergic and glycation-associated cellular stress.
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Scheiblich H, Steinert JR. Nitrergic modulation of neuronal excitability in the mouse hippocampus is mediated via regulation of Kv2 and voltage-gated sodium channels. Hippocampus 2021; 31:1020-1038. [PMID: 34047430 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of neuronal activity is a necessity for communication and information transmission. Many regulatory processes which have been studied provide a complex picture of how neurons can respond to permanently changing functional requirements. One such activity-dependent mechanism involves signaling mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Within the brain, NO is generated in response to neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) activation but NO-dependent pathways regulating neuronal excitability in the hippocampus remain to be fully elucidated. This study was set out to systematically assess the effects of NO on ion channel activities and intrinsic excitabilities of pyramidal neurons within the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. We characterized whole-cell potassium and sodium currents, both involved in action potential (AP) shaping and propagation and determined NO-mediated changes in excitabilities and AP waveforms. Our data describe a novel signaling by which NO, in a cGMP-independent manner, suppresses voltage-gated Kv2 potassium and voltage-gated sodium channel activities, thereby widening AP waveforms and reducing depolarization-induced AP firing rates. Our data show that glutathione, which possesses denitrosylating activity, is sufficient to prevent the observed nitrergic effects on potassium and sodium channels, whereas inhibition of cGMP signaling is also sufficient to abolish NO modulation of sodium currents. We propose that NO suppresses both ion channel activities via redox signaling and that an additional cGMP-mediated component is required to exert effects on sodium currents. Both mechanisms result in a dampened excitability and firing ability providing new data on nitrergic activities in the context of activity-dependent regulation of neuronal function following nNOS activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Scheiblich
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry/Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Joern R Steinert
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
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7
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Kopp-Scheinpflug C, Forsythe ID. Nitric Oxide Signaling in the Auditory Pathway. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:759342. [PMID: 34712124 PMCID: PMC8546346 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.759342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is of fundamental importance in regulating immune, cardiovascular, reproductive, neuromuscular, and nervous system function. It is rapidly synthesized and cannot be confined, it is highly reactive, so its lifetime is measured in seconds. These distinctive properties (contrasting with classical neurotransmitters and neuromodulators) give rise to the concept of NO as a "volume transmitter," where it is generated from an active source, diffuses to interact with proteins and receptors within a sphere of influence or volume, but limited in distance and time by its short half-life. In the auditory system, the neuronal NO-synthetizing enzyme, nNOS, is highly expressed and tightly coupled to postsynaptic calcium influx at excitatory synapses. This provides a powerful activity-dependent control of postsynaptic intrinsic excitability via cGMP generation, protein kinase G activation and modulation of voltage-gated conductances. NO may also regulate vesicle mobility via retrograde signaling. This Mini Review focuses on the auditory system, but highlights general mechanisms by which NO mediates neuronal intrinsic plasticity and synaptic transmission. The dependence of NO generation on synaptic and sound-evoked activity has important local modulatory actions and NO serves as a "volume transmitter" in the auditory brainstem. It also has potentially destructive consequences during intense activity or on spill-over from other NO sources during pathological conditions, when aberrant signaling may interfere with the precisely timed and tonotopically organized auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ian D Forsythe
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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8
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Choudhury N, Linley D, Richardson A, Anderson M, Robinson SW, Marra V, Ciampani V, Walter SM, Kopp‐Scheinpflug C, Steinert JR, Forsythe ID. Kv3.1 and Kv3.3 subunits differentially contribute to Kv3 channels and action potential repolarization in principal neurons of the auditory brainstem. J Physiol 2020; 598:2199-2222. [DOI: 10.1113/jp279668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nasreen Choudhury
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Deborah Linley
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Amy Richardson
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Michelle Anderson
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Susan W. Robinson
- Neurotoxicity at the Synaptic Interface MRC Toxicology Unit University of Leicester, UK
| | - Vincenzo Marra
- Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Victoria Ciampani
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Sophie M. Walter
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Conny Kopp‐Scheinpflug
- Division of Neurobiology Department Biology II Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich Großhaderner Strasse 2 Planegg‐Martinsried D‐82152 Germany
| | - Joern R. Steinert
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
| | - Ian D. Forsythe
- Auditory Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Psychology & Behaviour College of Life Sciences University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH UK
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9
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McCullagh EA, Rotschafer SE, Auerbach BD, Klug A, Kaczmarek LK, Cramer KS, Kulesza RJ, Razak KA, Lovelace JW, Lu Y, Koch U, Wang Y. Mechanisms underlying auditory processing deficits in Fragile X syndrome. FASEB J 2020; 34:3501-3518. [PMID: 32039504 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902435r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are strongly associated with auditory hypersensitivity or hyperacusis (difficulty tolerating sounds). Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common monogenetic cause of ASD, has emerged as a powerful gateway for exploring underlying mechanisms of hyperacusis and auditory dysfunction in ASD. This review discusses examples of disruption of the auditory pathways in FXS at molecular, synaptic, and circuit levels in animal models as well as in FXS individuals. These examples highlight the involvement of multiple mechanisms, from aberrant synaptic development and ion channel deregulation of auditory brainstem circuits, to impaired neuronal plasticity and network hyperexcitability in the auditory cortex. Though a relatively new area of research, recent discoveries have increased interest in auditory dysfunction and mechanisms underlying hyperacusis in this disorder. This rapidly growing body of data has yielded novel research directions addressing critical questions regarding the timing and possible outcomes of human therapies for auditory dysfunction in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McCullagh
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Sarah E Rotschafer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Benjamin D Auerbach
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders & Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Achim Klug
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Leonard K Kaczmarek
- Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Karina S Cramer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Randy J Kulesza
- Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, USA
| | - Khaleel A Razak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | | | - Yong Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
| | - Ursula Koch
- Institute of Biology, Neurophysiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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10
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Chong PS, Poon CH, Fung ML, Guan L, Steinbusch HWM, Chan YS, Lim WL, Lim LW. Distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in adult male Sprague-Dawley rat brain. Acta Histochem 2019; 121:151437. [PMID: 31492421 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal NOS (nNOS) accounts for most of the NO production in the nervous system that modulates synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Although previous studies have selectively described the localisation of nNOS in specific brain regions, a comprehensive distribution profile of nNOS in the brain is lacking. Here we provided a detailed morphological characterization on the rostro-caudal distribution of neurons and fibres exhibiting positive nNOS-immunoreactivity in adult Sprague-Dawley rat brain. Our results demonstrated that neurons and fibres in the brain regions that exhibited high nNOS immunoreactivity include the olfactory-related areas, intermediate endopiriform nucleus, Islands of Calleja, subfornical organ, ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, parafascicular thalamic nucleus, superior colliculus, lateral terminal nucleus, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, periaqueductal gray, dorsal raphe nucleus, supragenual nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, and the cerebellum. Moderate nNOS immunoreactivity was detected in the cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and the spinal cord. Finally, low NOS immunoreactivity were found in the corpus callosum, fornix, globus pallidus, anterior commissure, and the dorsal hippocampal commissure. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive view of the morphology and localisation of nNOS immunoreactivity in the brain that would contribute to a better understanding of the role played by nNOS in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pit Shan Chong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Chi Him Poon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Man Lung Fung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Li Guan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Harry W M Steinbusch
- Department of Neuroscience and European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ying-Shing Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Wei Ling Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Lee Wei Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Selangor, Malaysia.
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11
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Robinson SW, Bourgognon JM, Spiers JG, Breda C, Campesan S, Butcher A, Mallucci GR, Dinsdale D, Morone N, Mistry R, Smith TM, Guerra-Martin M, Challiss RAJ, Giorgini F, Steinert JR. Nitric oxide-mediated posttranslational modifications control neurotransmitter release by modulating complexin farnesylation and enhancing its clamping ability. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2003611. [PMID: 29630591 PMCID: PMC5890968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) regulates neuronal function and thus is critical for tuning neuronal communication. Mechanisms by which NO modulates protein function and interaction include posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as S-nitrosylation. Importantly, cross signaling between S-nitrosylation and prenylation can have major regulatory potential. However, the exact protein targets and resulting changes in function remain elusive. Here, we interrogated the role of NO-dependent PTMs and farnesylation in synaptic transmission. We found that NO compromises synaptic function at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in a cGMP-independent manner. NO suppressed release and reduced the size of available vesicle pools, which was reversed by glutathione (GSH) and occluded by genetic up-regulation of GSH-generating and de-nitrosylating glutamate-cysteine-ligase and S-nitroso-glutathione reductase activities. Enhanced nitrergic activity led to S-nitrosylation of the fusion-clamp protein complexin (cpx) and altered its membrane association and interactions with active zone (AZ) and soluble N-ethyl-maleimide-sensitive fusion protein Attachment Protein Receptor (SNARE) proteins. Furthermore, genetic and pharmacological suppression of farnesylation and a nitrosylation mimetic mutant of cpx induced identical physiological and localization phenotypes as caused by NO. Together, our data provide evidence for a novel physiological nitrergic molecular switch involving S-nitrosylation, which reversibly suppresses farnesylation and thereby enhances the net-clamping function of cpx. These data illustrate a new mechanistic signaling pathway by which regulation of farnesylation can fine-tune synaptic release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan W. Robinson
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jereme G. Spiers
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Carlo Breda
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Susanna Campesan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Butcher
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna R. Mallucci
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Dinsdale
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Nobuhiro Morone
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Raj Mistry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Tim M. Smith
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | | | - R. A. John Challiss
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Joern R. Steinert
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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12
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Sandoval A, Duran P, Gandini MA, Andrade A, Almanza A, Kaja S, Felix R. Regulation of L-type Ca V1.3 channel activity and insulin secretion by the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. Cell Calcium 2017; 66:1-9. [PMID: 28807144 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
cGMP is a second messenger widely used in the nervous system and other tissues. One of the major effectors for cGMP is the serine/threonine protein kinase, cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), which catalyzes the phosphorylation of a variety of proteins including ion channels. Previously, it has been shown that the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway inhibits Ca2+ currents in rat vestibular hair cells and chromaffin cells. This current allegedly flow through voltage-gated CaV1.3L-type Ca2+ channels, and is important for controlling vestibular hair cell sensory function and catecholamine secretion, respectively. Here, we show that native L-type channels in the insulin-secreting RIN-m5F cell line, and recombinant CaV1.3 channels heterologously expressed in HEK-293 cells, are regulatory targets of the cGMP-PKG signaling cascade. Our results indicate that the CaVα1 ion-conducting subunit of the CaV1.3 channels is highly expressed in RIN-m5F cells and that the application of 8-Br-cGMP, a membrane-permeable analogue of cGMP, significantly inhibits Ca2+ macroscopic currents and impair insulin release stimulated with high K+. In addition, KT-5823, a specific inhibitor of PKG, prevents the current inhibition generated by 8-Br-cGMP in the heterologous expression system. Interestingly, mutating the putative phosphorylation sites to residues resistant to phosphorylation showed that the relevant PKG sites for CaV1.3 L-type channel regulation centers on two amino acid residues, Ser793 and Ser860, located in the intracellular loop connecting the II and III repeats of the CaVα1 pore-forming subunit of the channel. These findings unveil a novel mechanism for how the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway may regulate CaV1.3 channels and contribute to regulate insulin secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paz Duran
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Cinvestav-IPN, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - María A Gandini
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Arturo Andrade
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Angélica Almanza
- Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Simon Kaja
- Department of Ophtalmology and Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Loyola University, Chicago, Strich School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Ricardo Felix
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Cinvestav-IPN, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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13
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Maddox JW, Gleason E. Nitric oxide promotes GABA release by activating a voltage-independent Ca 2+ influx pathway in retinal amacrine cells. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:1185-1199. [PMID: 28053242 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00803.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal amacrine cells express nitric oxide (NO) synthase and produce NO, making NO available to regulate the function of amacrine cells. Here we test the hypothesis that NO can alter the GABAergic synaptic output of amacrine cells. We investigate this using whole cell voltage clamp recordings and Ca2+ imaging of cultured chick retinal amacrine cells. When recording from amacrine cells receiving synaptic input from other amacrine cells, we find that NO increases GABAergic spontaneous postsynaptic current (sPSC) frequency. This increase in sPSC frequency does not require the canonical NO receptor, soluble guanylate cyclase, or presynaptic action potentials. However, removal of extracellular Ca2+ and buffering of cytosolic Ca2+ both inhibit the response to NO. In Ca2+ imaging experiments, we confirm that NO increases cytosolic Ca2+ in amacrine cell processes by activating a Ca2+ influx pathway. Neither the increase in sPSC frequency nor the cytosolic Ca2+ elevations are dependent upon Ca2+ release from stores. NO also enhances evoked GABAergic responses. Because voltage-gated Ca2+ channel function is not altered by NO, the increased evoked response is likely due to the combined effect of voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx adding to the NO-dependent, voltage-independent, Ca2+ influx. Insight into the identity of the Ca2+ influx pathway is provided by the transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channel inhibitor clemizole, which prevents the NO-dependent increase in sPSC frequency and cytosolic Ca2+ elevations. These data suggest that NO production in the inner retina will enhance Ca2+-dependent GABA release from amacrine cells by activating TRPC channel(s).NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our research provides evidence that nitric oxide (NO) promotes GABAergic output from retinal amacrine cells by activating a likely transient receptor potential canonical-mediated Ca2+ influx pathway. This NO-dependent mechanism promoting GABA release can be voltage independent, suggesting that, in the retina, local NO production can bypass the formal retinal circuitry and increase local inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Wesley Maddox
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Evanna Gleason
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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14
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Nitric Oxide-Mediated Posttranslational Modifications: Impacts at the Synapse. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2015; 2016:5681036. [PMID: 26635909 PMCID: PMC4655263 DOI: 10.1155/2016/5681036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is an important gasotransmitter molecule that is involved in numerous physiological processes throughout the nervous system. In addition to its involvement in physiological plasticity processes (long-term potentiation, LTP; long-term depression, LTD) which can include NMDAR-mediated calcium-dependent activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), new insights into physiological and pathological consequences of nitrergic signalling have recently emerged. In addition to the canonical cGMP-mediated signalling, NO is also implicated in numerous pathways involving posttranslational modifications. In this review we discuss the multiple effects of S-nitrosylation and 3-nitrotyrosination on proteins with potential modulation of function but limit the analyses to signalling involved in synaptic transmission and vesicular release. Here, crucial proteins which mediate synaptic transmission can undergo posttranslational modifications with either pre- or postsynaptic origin. During normal brain function, both pathways serve as important cellular signalling cascades that modulate a diverse array of physiological processes, including synaptic plasticity, transcriptional activity, and neuronal survival. In contrast, evidence suggests that aging and disease can induce nitrosative stress via excessive NO production. Consequently, uncontrolled S-nitrosylation/3-nitrotyrosination can occur and represent pathological features that contribute to the onset and progression of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's.
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15
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Zhong LR, Estes S, Artinian L, Rehder V. Cell-specific regulation of neuronal activity by endogenous production of nitric oxide. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 41:1013-24. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ray Zhong
- Biology Department; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA 30302 USA
| | - Stephen Estes
- Biology Department; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA 30302 USA
| | - Liana Artinian
- Biology Department; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA 30302 USA
| | - Vincent Rehder
- Biology Department; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA 30302 USA
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16
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Bradley SA, Steinert JR. Characterisation and comparison of temporal release profiles of nitric oxide generating donors. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 245:116-24. [PMID: 25749567 PMCID: PMC4401449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide release profiles were characterised for commonly used donors. Released NO differs greatly between donors and depends on storage conditions. High release donors (NOC-5, PAPA NONOate) decay quickly. SNP and GSNO show greater stability releasing consistent lower NO levels. This comprehensive characterisation provides knowledge to define NO concentrations released in vitro.
Background Nitric oxide (NO) is a vital signalling molecule in a variety of tissues including the neuronal, vascular and reproductive system. However, its high diffusibility and inactivation make characterisation of nitrergic signalling difficult. The use of NO donors is essential to characterise downstream signalling pathways but knowledge of donor release capacities is lacking, thus making comparisons of donor responses difficult. New method This study characterises NO profiles of commonly used NO donors. Donors were stored under defined conditions and temporal release profiles detected to allow determination of released NO concentrations. Results Using NO-sensitive microsensors we assessed release profiles of NO donors following different storage times and conditions. We found that donors such as NOC-5 and PAPA-NONOate decayed substantially within days, whereas SNP and GSNO showed greater stability releasing consistent levels of NO over days. In all donors tested, the amount of released NO differs between frozen and unfrozen stocks. Comparison with existing method(s) Fluorescent and amperometric approaches to measure NO concentrations yield a wide range of levels. However, due to a lack of characterisation of the release profiles, inconsistent effects on NO signalling have been widely documented. Our systematic assessment of release profiles of a range of NO donors therefore provides new essential data allowing for improved and defined investigations of nitrergic signalling. Conclusions This is the first systematic comparison of temporal release profiles of different NO donors allowing researchers to compare conditions across different studies and the use of defined NO levels by choosing specific donors and concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie A Bradley
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Joern R Steinert
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
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17
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González-Forero D, Moreno-López B. Retrograde response in axotomized motoneurons: nitric oxide as a key player in triggering reversion toward a dedifferentiated phenotype. Neuroscience 2014; 283:138-65. [PMID: 25168733 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The adult brain retains a considerable capacity to functionally reorganize its circuits, which mainly relies on the prevalence of three basic processes that confer plastic potential: synaptic plasticity, plastic changes in intrinsic excitability and, in certain central nervous system (CNS) regions, also neurogenesis. Experimental models of peripheral nerve injury have provided a useful paradigm for studying injury-induced mechanisms of central plasticity. In particular, axotomy of somatic motoneurons triggers a robust retrograde reaction in the CNS, characterized by the expression of plastic changes affecting motoneurons, their synaptic inputs and surrounding glia. Axotomized motoneurons undergo a reprograming of their gene expression and biosynthetic machineries which produce cell components required for axonal regrowth and lead them to resume a functionally dedifferentiated phenotype characterized by the removal of afferent synaptic contacts, atrophy of dendritic arbors and an enhanced somato-dendritic excitability. Although experimental research has provided valuable clues to unravel many basic aspects of this central response, we are still lacking detailed information on the cellular/molecular mechanisms underlying its expression. It becomes clear, however, that the state-switch must be orchestrated by motoneuron-derived signals produced under the direction of the re-activated growth program. Our group has identified the highly reactive gas nitric oxide (NO) as one of these signals, by providing robust evidence for its key role to induce synapse elimination and increases in intrinsic excitability following motor axon damage. We have elucidated operational principles of the NO-triggered downstream transduction pathways mediating each of these changes. Our findings further demonstrate that de novo NO synthesis is not only "necessary" but also "sufficient" to promote the expression of at least some of the features that reflect reversion toward a dedifferentiated state in axotomized adult motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- D González-Forero
- Grupo de Neurodegeneración y Neuroreparación (GRUNEDERE), Área de Fisiología, Instituto de Biomoléculas (INBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.
| | - B Moreno-López
- Grupo de Neurodegeneración y Neuroreparación (GRUNEDERE), Área de Fisiología, Instituto de Biomoléculas (INBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.
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18
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Merino JJ, Arce C, Naddaf A, Bellver-Landete V, Oset-Gasque MJ, González MP. The nitric oxide donor SNAP-induced amino acid neurotransmitter release in cortical neurons. Effects of blockers of voltage-dependent sodium and calcium channels. PLoS One 2014; 9:e90703. [PMID: 24598811 PMCID: PMC3944624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery that nitric oxide (NO) functions as a signalling molecule in the nervous system has radically changed the concept of neuronal communication. NO induces the release of amino acid neurotransmitters but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. FINDINGS The aim of this work was to study the effect of NO on amino acid neurotransmitter release (Asp, Glu, Gly and GABA) in cortical neurons as well as the mechanism underlying the release of these neurotransmitters. Cortical neurons were stimulated with SNAP, a NO donor, and the release of different amino acid neurotransmitters was measured by HPLC. The involvement of voltage dependent Na+ and Ca2+ channels as well as cGMP in its mechanism of action was evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that NO induces release of aspartate, glutamate, glycine and GABA in cortical neurons and that this release is inhibited by ODQ, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase. Thus, the NO effect on amino acid neurotransmission could be mediated by cGMP formation in cortical neurons. Our data also demonstrate that the Na+ and Ca2+ voltage- dependent calcium channels are involved in the NO effects on cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Joaquín Merino
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN). Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Arce
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN). Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ahmad Naddaf
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Isra University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Victor Bellver-Landete
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN). Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Jesús Oset-Gasque
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN). Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Pilar González
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN). Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
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Endogenous nitric oxide but not exogenous no-donor S-nitroprussiate facilitates NMDA excitation in spontaneous rhythmic neonatal rat brainstem slice. Brain Res 2014; 1543:9-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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20
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Zhong LR, Estes S, Artinian L, Rehder V. Nitric oxide regulates neuronal activity via calcium-activated potassium channels. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78727. [PMID: 24236040 PMCID: PMC3827272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 09/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is an unconventional membrane-permeable messenger molecule that has been shown to play various roles in the nervous system. How NO modulates ion channels to affect neuronal functions is not well understood. In gastropods, NO has been implicated in regulating the feeding motor program. The buccal motoneuron, B19, of the freshwater pond snail Helisoma trivolvis is active during the hyper-retraction phase of the feeding motor program and is located in the vicinity of NO-producing neurons in the buccal ganglion. Here, we asked whether B19 neurons might serve as direct targets of NO signaling. Previous work established NO as a key regulator of growth cone motility and neuronal excitability in another buccal neuron involved in feeding, the B5 neuron. This raised the question whether NO might modulate the electrical activity and neuronal excitability of B19 neurons as well, and if so whether NO acted on the same or a different set of ion channels in both neurons. To study specific responses of NO on B19 neurons and to eliminate indirect effects contributed by other cells, the majority of experiments were performed on single cultured B19 neurons. Addition of NO donors caused a prolonged depolarization of the membrane potential and an increase in neuronal excitability. The effects of NO could mainly be attributed to the inhibition of two types of calcium-activated potassium channels, apamin-sensitive and iberiotoxin-sensitive potassium channels. NO was found to also cause a depolarization in B19 neurons in situ, but only after NO synthase activity in buccal ganglia had been blocked. The results suggest that NO acts as a critical modulator of neuronal excitability in B19 neurons, and that calcium-activated potassium channels may serve as a common target of NO in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ray Zhong
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Stephen Estes
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Liana Artinian
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Vincent Rehder
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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