Spike frequency decoding and autonomous activation of Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in dorsal root ganglion neurons

Electroacupuncture alleviates streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic pain via suppressing phosphorylated CaMKIIα in rats

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is a frequent complication of diabetes. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα), a multi-functional serine/threonine kinase subunit, is mainly located in the surface layer of the spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) and the primary sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Numerous studies have indicated electroacupuncture (EA) takes effect in various kinds of pain. In this research, we explored whether CaMKIIα on rats' SCDH and DRG participated in DNP and further explored the mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of EA. The DNP model in rats was successfully established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Certain DNP rats were treated with intrathecal injections of KN93, a CaMKII antagonist, and some of the DNP rats received EA intervention. The general conditions, behaviors, the expressions of CaMKIIα and phosphorylated CaMKIIα (p-CaMKIIα) were evaluated. DNP rats' paw withdrawal threshold was reduced and the expressions of p-CaMKIIα in SCDH and DRG were upregulated compared with the Normal group, while the level of CaMKIIα showed no significance. KN93 attenuated DNP rats' hyperalgesia and reduced the expressions of p-CaMKIIα. We also found EA attenuated the hyperalgesia of DNP rats and reduced the expressions of p-CaMKIIα. The above findings suggest that p-CaMKIIα in SCDH and DRG is involved in DNP. The analgesic effect of EA in DNP might be related to the downregulation of p-CaMKIIα expression level. Our study further supports that EA can be an effective clinical treatment for DNP.

In Situ Forming of Nitric Oxide and Electric Stimulus for Nerve Therapy by Wireless Chargeable Gold Yarn-Dynamos

Endogenous signals, namely nitric oxide (NO) and electrons, play a crucial role in regulating cell fate as well as the vascular and neuronal systems. Unfortunately, utilizing NO and electrical stimulation in clinical settings can be challenging due to NO's short half-life and the invasive electrodes required for electrical stimulation. Additionally, there is a lack of tools to spatiotemporally control gas release and electrical stimulation. To address these issues, an "electromagnetic messenger" approach that employs on-demand high-frequency magnetic field (HFMF) to trigger NO release and electrical stimulation for restoring brain function in cases of traumatic brain injury is introduced. The system comprises a NO donor (poly(S-nitrosoglutathione), pGSNO)-conjugated on a gold yarn-dynamos (GY) and embedded in an implantable silk in a microneedle. When subjected to HFMF, conductive GY induces eddy currents that stimulate the release of NO from pGSNO. This process significantly enhances neural stem cell (NSC) synapses' differentiation and growth. The combined strategy of using NO and electrical stimulation to inhibit inflammation, angiogenesis, and neuronal interrogation in traumatic brain injury is demonstrated in vivo.

Autonomous rhythmic activity in glioma networks drives brain tumour growth

Diffuse gliomas, particularly glioblastomas, are incurable brain tumours¹. They are characterized by networks of interconnected brain tumour cells that communicate via Ca²⁺ transients^2-6. However, the networks' architecture and communication strategy and how these influence tumour biology remain unknown. Here we describe how glioblastoma cell networks include a small, plastic population of highly active glioblastoma cells that display rhythmic Ca²⁺ oscillations and are particularly connected to others. Their autonomous periodic Ca²⁺ transients preceded Ca²⁺ transients of other network-connected cells, activating the frequency-dependent MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Mathematical network analysis revealed that glioblastoma network topology follows scale-free and small-world properties, with periodic tumour cells frequently located in network hubs. This network design enabled resistance against random damage but was vulnerable to losing its key hubs. Targeting of autonomous rhythmic activity by selective physical ablation of periodic tumour cells or by genetic or pharmacological interference with the potassium channel KCa3.1 (also known as IK1, SK4 or KCNN4) strongly compromised global network communication. This led to a marked reduction of tumour cell viability within the entire network, reduced tumour growth in mice and extended animal survival. The dependency of glioblastoma networks on periodic Ca²⁺ activity generates a vulnerability⁷ that can be exploited for the development of novel therapies, such as with KCa3.1-inhibiting drugs.

Implantable Electrical Stimulation at Dorsal Root Ganglions Accelerates Osteoporotic Fracture Healing via Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide

The neuronal engagement of the peripheral nerve system plays a crucial role in regulating fracture healing, but how to modulate the neuronal activity to enhance fracture healing remains unexploited. Here it is shown that electrical stimulation (ES) directly promotes the biosynthesis and release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by activating Ca2+ /CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway and action potential, respectively. To accelerate rat femoral osteoporotic fracture healing which presents with decline of CGRP, soft electrodes are engineered and they are implanted at L3 and L4 dorsal root ganglions (DRGs). ES delivered at DRGs for the first two weeks after fracture increases CGRP expression in both DRGs and fracture callus. It is also identified that CGRP is indispensable for type-H vessel formation, a biological event coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis, contributing to ES-enhanced osteoporotic fracture healing. This proof-of-concept study shows for the first time that ES at lumbar DRGs can effectively promote femoral fracture healing, offering an innovative strategy using bioelectronic device to enhance bone regeneration.

Activity-Dependent Gene Expression in Neurons

The function of the nervous system in conveying and processing information necessary to interact with the environment confers unique aspects on how the expression of genes in neurons is regulated. Three salient factors are that (1) neurons are the largest and among the most morphologically complex of all cells, with strict polarity, subcellular compartmentation, and long-distant transport of gene products, signaling molecules, and other materials; (2) information is coded in the temporal firing pattern of membrane depolarization; and (3) neurons must maintain a stable homeostatic level of activation to function so stimuli do not normally drive intracellular signaling to steady state. Each of these factors can require special methods of analysis differing from approaches used in non-neuronal cells. This review considers these three aspects of neuronal gene expression and the current approaches being used to analyze these special features of how the neuronal transcriptome is modulated by action potential firing.

Structural Insights into the Regulation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII)

Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that is ubiquitously expressed throughout the human body. Specialized isoforms of CaMKII play key roles in neuronal and cardiac signaling. The distinctive holoenzyme architecture of CaMKII, with 12-14 kinase domains attached by flexible linkers to a central hub, poses formidable challenges for structural characterization. Nevertheless, progress in determining the structural mechanisms underlying CaMKII functions has come from studying the kinase domain and the hub separately, as well as from a recent electron microscopic investigation of the intact holoenzyme. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the structure of CaMKII. We also discuss the intriguing finding that the CaMKII holoenzyme can undergo activation-triggered subunit exchange, a process that has implications for the potentiation and perpetuation of CaMKII activity.

Mending Fences: Na,K-ATPase signaling via Ca2+ in the maintenance of epithelium integrity

Na,K-ATPase is a ubiquitous multifunctional protein that acts both as an ion pump and as a signal transducer. The signaling function is activated by ouabain in non-toxic concentrations. In epithelial cells the ouabain-bound Na,K-ATPase connects with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor via a short linear motif to activate low frequency Ca2+ oscillations. Within a couple of minutes this ouabain mediated signal has resulted in phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of 2580 phospho-sites. Proteins that control cell proliferation and cell adhesion and calmodulin regulated proteins are enriched among the ouabain phosphor-regulated proteins. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor and the stromal interaction molecule, which are both essential for the initiation of Ca2+ oscillations, belong to the ouabain phosphor-regulated proteins. Downstream effects of the ouabain-evoked Ca2+ signal in epithelial cells include interference with the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic process and stimulation of embryonic growth processes. The dual function of Na,K-ATPase as an ion pump and a signal transducer is now well established and evaluation of the physiological and pathophysiological consequences of this universal signal emerges as an urgent topic for future studies.

The cardiac CaMKII-Nav1.5 relationship: From physiology to pathology

The SCN5A gene encodes Nav1.5, which, as the cardiac voltage-gated Na+ channel's pore-forming α subunit, is crucial for the initiation and propagation of atrial and ventricular action potentials. The arrhythmogenic propensity of inherited SCN5A mutations implicates the Na+ channel in determining cardiomyocyte excitability under normal conditions. Cytosolic kinases have long been known to alter the kinetic profile of Nav1.5 inactivation via phosphorylation of specific residues. Recent substantiation of both the role of calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) in modulating the properties of the Nav1.5 inactivation gate and the significant rise in oxidation-dependent autonomous CaMKII activity in structural heart disease has raised the possibility of a novel pathway for acquired arrhythmias - the CaMKII-Nav1.5 relationship. The aim of this review is to: (1) outline the relationship's translation from physiological adaptation to pathological vicious circle; and (2) discuss the relative merits of each of its components as pharmacological targets.

The neuronal stimulation-transcription coupling map

Neurons transcribe different genes in response to different extracellular stimuli, and these genes regulate neuronal plasticity. Thus, understanding how different stimuli regulate different stimulus-dependent gene modules would deepen our understanding of plasticity. To systematically dissect the coupling between stimulation and transcription, we propose creating a 'stimulation-transcription coupling map' that describes the transcription response to each possible extracellular stimulus. While we are currently far from having a complete map, recent genomic experiments have begun to facilitate its creation. Here, we describe the current state of the stimulation-transcription coupling map as well as the transcriptional regulation that enables this coupling.

Computational Modeling Reveals Frequency Modulation of Calcium-cAMP/PKA Pathway in Dendritic Spines

Dendritic spines are the primary excitatory postsynaptic sites that act as subcompartments of signaling. Ca²⁺ is often the first and most rapid signal in spines. Downstream of calcium, the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of spine formation, morphological modifications, and ultimately, learning and memory. Although the dynamics of calcium are reasonably well-studied, calcium-induced cAMP/PKA dynamics, particularly with respect to frequency modulation, are not fully explored. In this study, we present a well-mixed model for the dynamics of calcium-induced cAMP/PKA dynamics in dendritic spines. The model is constrained using experimental observations in the literature. Further, we measured the calcium oscillation frequency in dendritic spines of cultured hippocampal CA1 neurons and used these dynamics as model inputs. Our model predicts that the various steps in this pathway act as frequency modulators for calcium, and the high frequency of calcium input is filtered by adenylyl cyclase 1 and phosphodiesterases in this pathway such that cAMP/PKA only responds to lower frequencies. This prediction has important implications for noise filtering and long-timescale signal transduction in dendritic spines. A companion manuscript presents a three-dimensional spatial model for the same pathway.

Ca2+ -dependent and Ca2+ -independent somatic release from trigeminal neurons

Besides the nerve endings, the soma of trigeminal neurons also respond to membrane depolarizations with the release of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the extracellular space within the ganglion, a process potentially important for the cross-communication between neighboring sensory neurons. In this study, we addressed the dependence of somatic release on Ca²⁺ influx in trigeminal neurons and the involvement of the different types of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ (Cav) channels in the process. Similar to the closely related dorsal root ganglion neurons, we found two kinetically distinct components of somatic release, a faster component stimulated by voltage but independent of the Ca²⁺ influx, and a slower component triggered by Ca²⁺ influx. The Ca²⁺ -dependent component was inhibited 80% by ω-conotoxin-MVIIC, an inhibitor of both N- and P/Q-type Cav channels, and 55% by the P/Q-type selective inhibitor ω-agatoxin-IVA. The selective L-type Ca²⁺ channel inhibitor nimodipine was instead without effect. These results suggest a major involvement of N- and P/Q-, but not L-type Cav channels in the somatic release of trigeminal neurons. Thus antinociceptive Cav channel antagonists acting on the N- and P/Q-type channels may exert their function by also modulating the somatic release and cross-communication between sensory neurons.

Robustness of frequency vs. amplitude coding of calcium oscillations during changing temperatures

Intracellular calcium oscillations have been widely studied. It is assumed that information is conveyed in the frequency, amplitude and shape of these oscillations. In particular, calcium signalling in mammalian liver cells has repeatedly been reported to display frequency coding so that an increasing amount of stimulus is translated into an increasing frequency of the oscillations. However, recently, we have shown that calcium oscillations in fish liver cells rather exhibit amplitude coding with increasing stimuli being translated into increasing amplitudes. Practical consequences of this difference are unknown so far. Here we investigated advantages and disadvantages of frequency vs. amplitude coding, in particular in environments with substantially changing temperatures (e.g. 10-20 degrees). For this purpose, we use computational modelling and a new approach to generate a calcium model exactly displaying a specific frequency and/or amplitude. We conclude that despite the advantages in flexibility that frequencies might offer for the transmission of information in the cell, amplitude coding is obviously more robust with respect to changes in environmental temperatures. This potentially explains the observed differences between two classes of organisms, one operating at constant temperatures whereas the other is not.

Different Neuronal Activity Patterns Induce Different Gene Expression Programs

A vast number of different neuronal activity patterns could each induce a different set of activity-regulated genes. Mapping this coupling between activity pattern and gene induction would allow inference of a neuron's activity-pattern history from its gene expression and improve our understanding of activity-pattern-dependent synaptic plasticity. In genome-scale experiments comparing brief and sustained activity patterns, we reveal that activity-duration history can be inferred from gene expression profiles. Brief activity selectively induces a small subset of the activity-regulated gene program that corresponds to the first of three temporal waves of genes induced by sustained activity. Induction of these first-wave genes is mechanistically distinct from that of the later waves because it requires MAPK/ERK signaling but does not require de novo translation. Thus, the same mechanisms that establish the multi-wave temporal structure of gene induction also enable different gene sets to be induced by different activity durations.

Regulated transport of signaling proteins from synapse to nucleus

Synapse-to-nucleus communication is essential for neural development, plasticity, and repair. In addition to fast electrochemical signaling, neurons employ a slower mechanism of protein transport from synapse-to-nucleus. This mechanism provides potential advantages, including the encoding of spatial information. Many synaptonuclear signaling proteins are transported from the postsynaptic compartment to the nucleus in an activity-dependent manner. The phosphorylation state of two such proteins, CRTC1 and Jacob, is dependent on the stimulus type. While most studies have focused on postsynaptic synaptonuclear communication, a transcriptional co-repressor, CtBP1, was recently discovered to undergo activity-dependent translocation from the presynaptic compartment to the nucleus. Recent evidence indicates that synapse-to-nucleus communication could be cell type-specific, including the identification of a distinct mechanism of excitation-transcription coupling in inhibitory neurons.

Gene networks activated by specific patterns of action potentials in dorsal root ganglia neurons

Gene regulatory networks underlie the long-term changes in cell specification, growth of synaptic connections, and adaptation that occur throughout neonatal and postnatal life. Here we show that the transcriptional response in neurons is exquisitely sensitive to the temporal nature of action potential firing patterns. Neurons were electrically stimulated with the same number of action potentials, but with different inter-burst intervals. We found that these subtle alterations in the timing of action potential firing differentially regulates hundreds of genes, across many functional categories, through the activation or repression of distinct transcriptional networks. Our results demonstrate that the transcriptional response in neurons to environmental stimuli, coded in the pattern of action potential firing, can be very sensitive to the temporal nature of action potential delivery rather than the intensity of stimulation or the total number of action potentials delivered. These data identify temporal kinetics of action potential firing as critical components regulating intracellular signalling pathways and gene expression in neurons to extracellular cues during early development and throughout life.

CaMKII as a target for arrhythmia suppression

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has emerged as key enzyme in many cardiac pathologies, especially heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathies, thus leading to contractile dysfunction and malignant arrhythmias. While many pathways leading to CaMKII activation have been elucidated in recent years, hardly any clinically viable compounds affecting CaMKII activity have progressed from basic in vitro science to in vivo studies. This review focuses on recent advances in anti-arrhythmic strategies involving CaMKII. Specifically, both inhibition of CaMKII itself to prevent arrhythmias, as well as anti-arrhythmic approaches affecting CaMKII activity via alterations in signaling cascades upstream and downstream of CaMKII will be discussed.

Endothelial mitochondria regulate the intracellular Ca2+ response to fluid shear stress

Shear stress is known to stimulate an intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) response in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). [Ca(2+)]i is a key second messenger for signaling that leads to vasodilation and EC survival. Although it is accepted that the shear-induced [Ca(2+)]i response is, in part, due to Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the role of mitochondria (second largest Ca(2+) store) is unknown. We hypothesized that the mitochondria play a role in regulating [Ca(2+)]i in sheared ECs. Cultured ECs, loaded with a Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorophore, were exposed to physiological levels of shear stress. Shear stress elicited [Ca(2+)]i transients in a percentage of cells with a fraction of them displaying oscillations. Peak magnitudes, percentage of oscillating ECs, and oscillation frequencies depended on the shear level. [Ca(2+)]i transients/oscillations were present when experiments were conducted in Ca(2+)-free solution (plus lanthanum) but absent when ECs were treated with a phospholipase C inhibitor, suggesting that the ER inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is responsible for the [Ca(2+)]i response. Either a mitochondrial uncoupler or an electron transport chain inhibitor, but not a mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitor, prevented the occurrence of transients and especially inhibited the oscillations. Knockdown of the mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter also inhibited the shear-induced [Ca(2+)]i transients/oscillations compared with controls. Hence, EC mitochondria, through Ca(2+) uptake/release, regulate the temporal profile of shear-induced ER Ca(2+) release. [Ca(2+)]i oscillation frequencies detected were within the range for activation of mechanoresponsive kinases and transcription factors, suggesting that dysfunctional EC mitochondria may contribute to cardiovascular disease by deregulating the shear-induced [Ca(2+)]i response.

Differential CaMKII regulation by voltage-gated calcium channels in the striatum

Calcium signaling regulates synaptic plasticity and many other functions in striatal medium spiny neurons to modulate basal ganglia function. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major calcium-dependent signaling protein that couples calcium entry to diverse cellular changes. CaMKII activation results in autophosphorylation at Thr286 and sustained calcium-independent CaMKII activity after calcium signals dissipate. However, little is known about the mechanisms regulating striatal CaMKII. To address this, mouse brain slices were treated with pharmacological modulators of calcium channels and punches of dorsal striatum were immunoblotted for CaMKII Thr286 autophosphorylation as an index of CaMKII activation. KCl depolarization increased levels of CaMKII autophosphorylation ~2-fold; this increase was blocked by an LTCC antagonist and was mimicked by treatment with pharmacological LTCC activators. The chelation of extracellular calcium robustly decreased basal CaMKII autophosphorylation within 5min and increased levels of total CaMKII in cytosolic fractions, in addition to decreasing the phosphorylation of CaMKII sites in the GluN2B subunit of NMDA receptors and the GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors. We also found that the maintenance of basal levels of CaMKII autophosphorylation requires low-voltage gated T-type calcium channels, but not LTCCs or R-type calcium channels. Our findings indicate that CaMKII activity is dynamically regulated by multiple calcium channels in the striatum thus coupling calcium entry to key downstream substrates.

CaMKII regulates intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics in native endothelial cells

Localized endothelial Ca(2+) signalling, such as Ca(2+) pulsars, can modulate the contractile state of the underlying vascular smooth muscle cell through specific endothelial targets. In addition to K(Ca)3.1 as a target, Ca(2+) pulsars, an IP3R-dependent pulsatile Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) could activate a frequency-sensitive Ca(2+)-dependent kinase such as CaMKII. In the absence of extracellular Ca(2+), acetylcholine increased endothelial CaMKII phosphorylation and activation, thereby suggesting CaMKII activation independently of Ca(2+) influx. Herein, a reciprocal relation where CaMKII controls endothelial Ca(2+) dynamics has been investigated in mesenteric arteries. Both CaMKIIα and β isoforms have been identified in endothelial cells and close proximity (<40 nm) suggests their association in heteromultimers. Intracellular Ca(2+) monitoring with high speed confocal microscopy then showed that inhibition of CaMKII with KN-93 significantly increased the population of Ca(2+) pulsars active sites (+89%), suggesting CaMKII as a major regulator of Ca(2+) pulsars in native endothelium. Mechanistic insights were then sought through the elucidation of the impact of CaMKII on ER Ca(2+) store. ER Ca(2+) emptying was accelerated by CaMKII inhibition and ER Ca(2+) content was assessed using ionomycin. Exposure to KN-93 strongly diminished ER Ca(2+) content (-61%) by relieving CaMKII-dependent inhibition of IP3 receptors (IP3R). Moreover, in situ proximity ligation assay suggested CaMKII-IP3R promiscuity, essential condition for a protein-protein interaction. Interestingly, segregation of IP3R within myoendothelial projection (MEP) appears to be isoform-specific. Hence, only IP3R type 1 and type 2 are detected within fenestrations of the internal elastic lamina, sites of MEP, whilst type 3 is absent from these structures. In summary, CaMKII seems to act as a Ca(2+)-sensitive switch of a negative feedback loop regulating endothelial Ca(2+) homeostasis, including Ca(2+) pulsars.

Differential expression of CaMKII isoforms and overall kinase activity in rat dorsal root ganglia after injury

Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) decodes neuronal activity by translating cytoplasmic Ca(2+) signals into kinase activity that regulates neuronal functions including excitability, gene expression, and synaptic transmission. Four genes lead to developmental and differential expression of CaMKII isoforms (α, β, γ, δ). We determined mRNA levels of these isoforms in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of adult rats with and without nerve injury in order to determine if differential expression of CaMKII isoforms may contribute to functional differences that follow injury. DRG neurons express mRNA for all four isoforms, and the relative abundance of CaMKII isoforms was γ>α>β=δ, based on the CT values. Following ligation of the 5th lumbar (L5) spinal nerve (SNL), the β isoform did not change, but mRNA levels of both the γ and α isoforms were reduced in the directly injured L5 neurons, and the α isoform was reduced in L4 neurons, compared to their contemporary controls. In contrast, expression of the δ isoform mRNA increased in L5 neurons. CaMKII protein decreased following nerve injury in both L4 and L5 populations. Total CaMKII activity measured under saturating Ca(2+)/CaM conditions was decreased in both L4 and L5 populations, while autonomous CaMKII activity determined in the absence of Ca(2+) was selectively reduced in axotomized L5 neurons 21days after injury. Thus, loss of CaMKII signaling in sensory neurons after peripheral nerve injury may contribute to neuronal dysfunction and pain.

A novel human R25C-phospholamban mutation is associated with super-inhibition of calcium cycling and ventricular arrhythmia

AIMS

Depressed sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) cycling, a universal characteristic of human and experimental heart failure, may be associated with genetic alterations in key Ca(2+)-handling proteins. In this study, we identified a novel PLN mutation (R25C) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and investigated its functional significance in cardiomyocyte Ca(2+)-handling and contractility.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Exome sequencing identified a C73T substitution in the coding region of PLN in a family with DCM. The four heterozygous family members had implantable cardiac defibrillators, and three developed prominent ventricular arrhythmias. Overexpression of R25C-PLN in adult rat cardiomyocytes significantly suppressed the Ca(2+) affinity of SR Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2a), resulting in decreased SR Ca(2+) content, Ca(2+) transients, and impaired contractile function, compared with WT-PLN. These inhibitory effects were associated with enhanced interaction of R25C-PLN with SERCA2, which was prevented by PKA phosphorylation. Accordingly, isoproterenol stimulation relieved the depressive effects of R25C-PLN in cardiomyocytes. However, R25C-PLN also elicited increases in the frequency of Ca(2+) sparks and waves as well as stress-induced aftercontractions. This was accompanied by increased Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity and hyper-phosphorylation of RyR2 at serine 2814.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrate that human R25C-PLN is associated with super-inhibition of SERCA2a and Ca(2+) transport as well as increased SR Ca(2+) leak, promoting arrhythmogenesis under stress conditions. This is the first mechanistic evidence that increased PLN inhibition may impact both SR Ca(2+) uptake and Ca(2+) release activities and suggests that the human R25C-PLN may be a prognostic factor for increased ventricular arrhythmia risk in DCM carriers.

Genetic Dissection of the Physiological Role of Skeletal Muscle in Metabolic Syndrome

The primary deficiency underlying metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance, in which insulin-responsive peripheral tissues fail to maintain glucose homeostasis. Because skeletal muscle is the major site for insulin-induced glucose uptake, impairments in skeletal muscle’s insulin responsiveness play a major role in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. For example, skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetes patients and their offspring exhibit reduced ratios of slow oxidative muscle. These observations suggest the possibility of applying muscle remodeling to recover insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome. Skeletal muscle is highly adaptive to external stimulations such as exercise; however, in practice it is often not practical or possible to enforce the necessary intensity to obtain measurable benefits to the metabolic syndrome patient population. Therefore, identifying molecular targets for inducing muscle remodeling would provide new approaches to treat metabolic syndrome. In this review, the physiological properties of skeletal muscle, genetic analysis of metabolic syndrome in human populations and model organisms, and genetically engineered mouse models will be discussed in regard to the prospect of applying skeletal muscle remodeling as possible therapy for metabolic syndrome.

Splitting hares and tortoises: a classification of neuronal immediate early gene transcription based on poised RNA polymerase II

Immediate early transcription is an integral part of the neuronal response to environmental stimulation and serves many brain processes including development, learning, triggers of programmed cell death, and reaction to injury and drugs. Following a stimulus, neurons express a select few genes within a short period of time without undergoing de novo protein translation. Referred to as the 'gateway to genetic response', these immediate early genes (IEGs) are either expressed within a few minutes of stimulation or later within the hour. In neuronal IEGs that are expressed rapidly, productive elongation in response to neuronal activity is jump-started by constitutive transcription initiation together with RNA polymerase II stalling in the vicinity of the promoter. IEGs expressed later in the hour do not depend on this mechanism. On the basis of this Polymerase II poising, we propose that the immediate early genes can be grouped in two distinct classes: the rapid and the delayed IEGs. The possible biological relevance of these classes in neurons is discussed.

Sex differences in pain-related behavior and expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in dorsal root ganglia of rats with diabetes type 1 and type 2

Sex differences in pain-related behavior and expression of calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in dorsal root ganglia were studied in rat models of Diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2). DM1 was induced with 55mg/kg streptozotocin, and DM2 with a combination of high-fat diet and 35mg/kg of streptozotocin. Pain-related behavior was analyzed using thermal and mechanical stimuli. The expression of CaMKII was analyzed with immunofluorescence. Sexual dimorphism in glycemia, and expression of CaMKII was observed in the rat model of DM1, but not in DM2 animals. Increased expression of total CaMKII (tCaMKII) in small-diameter dorsal root ganglia neurons, which are associated with nociception, was found only in male DM1 rats. None of the animals showed increased expression of the phosphorylated alpha CaMKII isoform in small-diameter neurons. The expression of gamma and delta isoforms of CaMKII remained unchanged in all analyzed animal groups. Different patterns of glycemia and tCaMKII expression in male and female model of DM1 were not associated with sexual dimorphism in pain-related behavior. The present findings do not suggest sex-related differences in diabetic painful peripheral neuropathy in male and female diabetic rats.

Structural studies on the regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II

Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a broadly distributed metazoan Ser/Thr protein kinase that is important in neuronal and cardiac signaling. CaMKII forms oligomeric assemblies, typically dodecameric, in which the calcium-responsive kinase domains are organized around a central hub. We review the results of crystallographic analyses of CaMKII, including the recently determined structure of a full-length and autoinhibited form of the holoenzyme. These structures, when combined with other data, allow informed speculation about how CaMKII escapes calcium-dependence when calcium spikes exceed threshold frequencies.

Role of voltage gated Ca2+ channels in rat visceral hypersensitivity change induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid

Background

Visceral pain is common symptom involved in many gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. We investigated the molecular mechanisms and the role for voltage gated calcium channel (VGCC) in the pathogenesis in a rat model of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) induced visceral inflammatory hypersensitivity.

Results

Using Agilent cDNA arrays, we found 172 genes changed significantly in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of TNBS treated rats. Among these changed genes, Cav1.2 and Cav2.3 were significantly up-regulated. Then the RT-PCR and Western blot further confirmed the up-regulation of Cav1.2 and Cav2.3. The whole cell patch clamp recording of acutely dissociated colonic specific DRG neurons showed that the peak I_Ba density was significantly increased in colonic neurons of TNBS treated rats compared with control rats (−127.82 ± 20.82 pA/pF Vs −91.67 ± 19.02 pA/pF, n = 9, *P < 0.05). To distinguish the different type of calcium currents with the corresponding selective channel blockers, we found that L-type (−38.56 ± 3.97 pA/pF Vs −25.75 ± 3.35 pA/pF, n = 9, * P < 0.05) and R-type (−13.31 ± 1.36 pA/pF Vs −8.60 ± 1.25 pA/pF, n = 9, * P < 0.05) calcium current density were significantly increased in colonic DRG neurons of TNBS treated rats compared with control rats. In addition, pharmacological blockade with L-type antagonist (nimodipine) and R-type antagonist (SNX-482) with intrathecal injection attenuates visceral pain in TNBS induced inflammatory visceral hypersensitivity.

Conclusion

Cav1.2 and Cav2.3 in colonic primary sensory neurons play an important role in visceral inflammatory hyperalgesia, which maybe the potential therapeutic targets.

Neuronal activity-regulated gene transcription: how are distant synaptic signals conveyed to the nucleus?

Synaptic activity can trigger gene expression programs that are required for the stable change of neuronal properties, a process that is essential for learning and memory. Currently, it is still unclear how the stimulation of dendritic synapses can be coupled to transcription in the nucleus in a timely way given that large distances can separate these two cellular compartments. Although several mechanisms have been proposed to explain long distance communication between synapses and the nucleus, the possible co-existence of these models and their relevance in physiological conditions remain elusive. One model suggests that synaptic activation triggers the translocation to the nucleus of certain transcription regulators localised at postsynaptic sites that function as synapto-nuclear messengers. Alternatively, it has been hypothesised that synaptic activity initiates propagating regenerative intracellular calcium waves that spread through dendrites into the nucleus where nuclear transcription machinery is thereby regulated. It has also been postulated that membrane depolarisation of voltage-gated calcium channels on the somatic membrane is sufficient to increase intracellular calcium concentration and activate transcription without the need for transported signals from distant synapses. Here I provide a critical overview of the suggested mechanisms for coupling synaptic stimulation to transcription, the underlying assumptions behind them and their plausible physiological significance.

Calmodulin and calmodulin kinase II mediate emergent bursting activity in the brainstem respiratory network (preBötzinger complex)

Emergence of persistent activity in networks can be controlled by intracellular signalling pathways but the mechanisms involved and their role are not yet fully explored. Using calcium imaging and patch-clamp we examined the rhythmic activity in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) in the lower brainstem that generates the respiratory motor output. In functionally intact acute slices brief hypoxia, electrical stimulation and activation of AMPA receptors transiently depressed bursting activity which then recovered with augmentation. The effects were abrogated after chelation of intracellular calcium, blockade of L-type calcium channels and inhibition of calmodulin (CaM) and CaM kinase (CaMKII). Rhythmic calcium transients and synaptic drive currents in preBötC neurons in the organotypic slices showed similar CaM- and CaMKII-dependent responses. The stimuli increased the amplitude of spontaneous and miniature excitatory synaptic currents indicating postsynaptic changes at glutamatergic synapses. In the acute and organotypic slices, CaM stimulated and ADP inhibited calcium-dependent TRPM4 channels and CaMKII augmented synaptic drive currents. Experimental data and simulations show the role of ADP and CaMKII in the control of bursting activity and its relation to intracellular signalling. I propose that CaMKII-mediated facilitation of glutamatergic transmission strengthens emergent synchronous activity within preBötC that is then maintained by periodic surges of calcium during the bursts. This may find implications in restoration and consolidation of autonomous activity in the respiratory disorders.

Persistent inflammation increases GABA-induced depolarization of rat cutaneous dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro

Persistent inflammation is associated with a shift in spinal GABA(A) signaling from inhibition to excitation such that GABA(A)-receptor activation contributes to inflammatory hyperalgesia. We tested the hypothesis that the primary afferent is the site of the persistent inflammation-induced shift in GABA(A) signaling which is due to a Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-)-co-transporter (NKCC1)-dependent depolarization of the GABA(A) current equilibrium potential (E(GABA)). Acutely dissociated retrogradely labeled cutaneous dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from naïve and inflamed (3 days after a subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant) adult male rats were studied with Ca(2+) imaging, western blot and gramicidin-perforated patch recording. GABA evoked a Ca(2+) transient in a subpopulation of small- to medium-diameter capsaicin-sensitive cutaneous neurons. Inflammation was associated with a significant increase in the magnitude of GABA-induced depolarization as well as the percentage of neurons in which GABA evoked a Ca(2+) transient. There was no detectable change in NKCC1 protein or phosphoprotein at the whole ganglia level. Furthermore, the increase in excitatory response was comparable in both HEPES- and HCO(3)(-)-buffered solutions, but was only associated with a depolarization of E(GABA) in HCO(3)(-)-based solution. In contrast, under both recording conditions, the excitatory response was associated with an increase in GABA(A) current density, a decrease in low threshold K(+) current density, and resting membrane potential depolarization. Our results suggest that increasing K(+) conductance in afferents innervating a site of persistent inflammation may have greater efficacy in the inhibition of inflammatory hyperalgesia than attempting to drive a hyperpolarizing shift in E(GABA).

Calcium/calmodulin and cAMP/protein kinase-A pathways regulate sperm motility in the stallion

In spite of the importance of sperm motility to fertility in the stallion, little is known about the signaling pathways that regulate motility in this species. In other mammals, calcium/calmodulin signaling and the cyclic AMP/protein kinase-A pathway are involved in sperm motility regulation. We hypothesized that these pathways also were involved in the regulation of sperm motility in the stallion. Using immunoblotting, calmodulin and the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II β were shown to be present in stallion sperm and with indirect immunofluorescence calmodulin was localized to the acrosome and flagellar principal piece. Additionally, inhibition of either calmodulin or protein kinase-A significantly reduced sperm motility without affecting viability. Following inhibition of calmodulin, motility was not restored with agonists of the cyclic AMP/protein kinase-A pathway. These data suggest that calcium/calmodulin and cyclic AMP/protein kinase-A pathways are involved in the regulation of stallion sperm motility. The failure of cyclic AMP/protein kinase-A agonists to restore motility of calmodulin inhibited sperm suggests that both pathways may be required to support normal motility.

Activity-dependent neurotransmitter respecification

For many years it has been assumed that the identity of the transmitters expressed by neurons is stable and unchanging. Recent work, however, shows that electrical activity can respecify neurotransmitter expression during development and in the mature nervous system, and an understanding is emerging of the molecular mechanisms underlying activity-dependent transmitter respecification. Changes in postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor expression accompany and match changes in transmitter specification, thus enabling synaptic transmission. The functional roles of neurotransmitter respecification are beginning to be understood and appear to involve homeostatic synaptic regulation, which in turn influences behaviour. Activation of this novel form of plasticity by sensorimotor stimuli may provide clinical benefits.

Depression of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in dorsal root ganglion neurons after spinal nerve ligation

The enzyme calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is associated with memory and its alpha isoform is critical for development of activity-induced synaptic changes. Therefore, we hypothesized that CaMKII is involved in altered function of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons after neuronal injury. To test this hypothesis, Sprague-Dawley rats were made hyperalgesic by L5 and L6 spinal nerve ligation (SNL), and changes in total phosphorylated and unphosphorylated CaMKII (tCaMKII) and phosphorylated form of its alpha isoform (pCaMKIIalpha) were analyzed using immunochemistry in different subpopulations of DRG. SNL did not induce any changes in tCaMKII between experimental groups, while the overall percentage of pCaMKIIalpha-positive neurons in injured L5 DRG SNL (24.8%) decreased significantly when compared to control (41.7%). SNL did not change the percentage of pCaMKIIalpha/N52 colabeled neurons but decreased the percentage of N52-negative nonmyelinated neurons that expressed pCaMKIIalpha from 27% in control animals to 11% after axotomy. We also observed a significant decrease in the percentage of small nonpeptidergic neurons labeled with IB4 (37.6% in control vs. 4.0% in L5 SNL DRG), as well as a decrease in the percentage of pCaMKIIalpha/IB4 colabeled neurons in injured L5 DRGs (27% in control vs. 1% in L5 DRG of SNL group). Our results show that reduction in pCaMKIIalpha levels following peripheral injury is due to the loss of IB4-positive neurons. These results indicate that diminished afferent activity after axotomy may lead to decreased phosphorylation of CaMKIIalpha.

Suppressed Ca2+/CaM/CaMKII-dependent K(ATP) channel activity in primary afferent neurons mediates hyperalgesia after axotomy

Painful axotomy decreases K(ATP) channel current (IK(ATP)) in primary afferent neurons. Because cytosolic Ca(2+) signaling is depressed in injured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, we investigated whether Ca(2+)-calmodulin (CaM)-Ca(2+)/CaM-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) regulates IK(ATP) in large DRG neurons. Immunohistochemistry identified the presence of K(ATP) channel subunits SUR1, SUR2, and Kir6.2 but not Kir6.1, and pCaMKII in neurofilament 200-positive DRG somata. Single-channel recordings from cell-attached patches revealed that basal and evoked IK(ATP) by ionomycin, a Ca(2+) ionophore, is activated by CaMKII. In axotomized neurons from rats made hyperalgesic by spinal nerve ligation (SNL), basal K(ATP) channel activity was decreased, and sensitivity to ionomycin was abolished. Basal and Ca(2+)-evoked K(ATP) channel activity correlated inversely with the degree of hyperalgesia induced by SNL in the rats from which the neurons were isolated. Inhibition of IK(ATP) by glybenclamide, a selective K(ATP) channel inhibitor, depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP) recorded in perforated whole-cell patches and enhanced neurotransmitter release measured by amperometry. The selective K(ATP) channel opener diazoxide hyperpolarized the RMP and attenuated neurotransmitter release. Axotomized neurons from rats made hyperalgesic by SNL lost sensitivity to the myristoylated form of autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide (AIPm), a pseudosubstrate blocker of CaMKII, whereas axotomized neurons from SNL animals that failed to develop hyperalgesia showed normal IK(ATP) inhibition by AIPm. AIPm also depolarized RMP in control neurons via K(ATP) channel inhibition. Unitary current conductance and sensitivity of K(ATP) channels to cytosolic ATP and ligands were preserved even after painful nerve injury, thus providing opportunities for selective therapeutic targeting against neuropathic pain.

Action potentials: to the nucleus and beyond

The neuronal nucleus is now widely accepted as playing a vital role in maintaining long-term changes in synaptic effectiveness. To act, however, the nucleus must be appropriately relayed with information regarding the latest round of synaptic plasticity. Several constraints of doing so in a neuron pertain to the often significant spatial distance of synapses from the nucleus and the number of synapses required for such a signal to reach functional levels in the nucleus. Largely based on the sensitivity of transcriptional responses to NMDA receptor antagonists, it has been postulated that the signals are physically relayed by biochemical messengers from the synapse to the nucleus. Alternatively, a second, less often considered but equally viable method of signal transduction may be initiated by action potentials generated proximal to the nucleus, wherefrom the signal can be relayed directly by calcium or indirectly by biochemical second messengers. We consider action potential-dependent signaling to the nucleus to have its own computational advantages over the synapse-to-nucleus signal for some functions. This minireview summarizes the logic and experimental support for these two modes of signaling and attempts to validate the action potential model as playing an important role in transcriptional regulation relating specifically to long-term synaptic plasticity.

Inflammation-induced increase in evoked calcium transients in subpopulations of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

The concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) influences neuronal properties ranging from excitability to neurotransmitter release. Persistent inflammation is associated with changes in the properties of primary afferent neurons ranging from excitability to transmitter release. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether previously described inflammation-induced changes in excitability and transmitter release are associated with changes in the regulation of [Ca(2+)](i). Acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons harvested from adult rats 3 days following a hind-paw injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or naïve controls, were stimulated with 30 mM K(+) (High K(+)). High K(+) evoked changes in [Ca(2+)](i) were assessed with fura-2 ratiometric microfluorimetry. Subpopulations of DRG neurons were defined by cell body diameter, isolectin B4 (IB4) binding, capsaicin (CAP) sensitivity and target of innervation (1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbo-cyanine perchlorate labeling). Inflammation was associated with significant increases in resting [Ca(2+)](i) and increases in the magnitude and decreases in the decay, of the evoked increase in [Ca(2+)](i). The changes in evoked transients were larger in neurons innervating the site of inflammation. Furthermore, there were differences among subpopulations of DRG neurons with respect to changes in magnitude and/or decay of the evoked transient such that the increase in magnitude was larger in small- and medium-diameter neurons than in large diameter neurons while the decrease in the decay was greater in CAP responsive, IB4 positive, small- and medium-diameter neurons than in CAP unresponsive, IB4 negative and/or large-diameter neurons. These changes in the regulation of [Ca(2+)](i) were not due to inflammation-induced changes in passive or active electrophysiological properties. Importantly, an inflammation-induced increase in evoked Ca(2+) transients in putative nociceptive afferents may contribute to the pain and hyperalgesia associated with persistent inflammation via facilitation of transmitter release from these afferents.

Decoding of calcium oscillations by phosphorylation cycles: analytic results

Experimental studies have demonstrated that Ca(2+)-regulated proteins are sensitive to the frequency of Ca(2+) oscillations, and several mathematical models for specific proteins have provided insight into the mechanisms involved. Because of the large number of Ca(2+)-regulated proteins in signal transduction, metabolism and gene expression, it is desirable to establish in general terms which molecular properties shape the response to oscillatory Ca(2+) signals. Here we address this question by analyzing in detail a model of a prototypical Ca(2+)-decoding module, consisting of a target protein whose activity is controlled by a Ca(2+)-activated kinase and the counteracting phosphatase. We show that this module can decode the frequency of Ca(2+) oscillations, at constant average Ca(2+) signal, provided that the Ca(2+) spikes are narrow and the oscillation frequency is sufficiently low--of the order of the phosphatase rate constant or below. Moreover, Ca(2+) oscillations activate the target more efficiently than a constant signal when Ca(2+) is bound cooperatively and with low affinity. Thus, the rate constants and the Ca(2+) affinities of the target-modifying enzymes can be tuned in such a way that the module responds optimally to Ca(2+) spikes of a certain amplitude and frequency. Frequency sensitivity is further enhanced when the limited duration of the external stimulus driving Ca(2+) signaling is accounted for. Thus, our study identifies molecular parameters that may be involved in establishing the specificity of cellular responses downstream of Ca(2+) oscillations.

Activation of Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase II during repeated contractions in single muscle fibres from mouse is dependent on the frequency of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release

AIM

To investigate the importance and contribution of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-release in response to different work intensities in single, intact muscle fibres.

METHODS

CaMKII activity was blocked in single muscle fibres using either the inhibitory peptide AC3-I or the pharmacological inhibitor KN-93. The effect on tetanic force production and [Ca(2+)](i) was determined during work of different intensities. The activity of CaMKII was assessed by mathematical modelling.

RESULTS

Using a standard protocol to induce fatigue (50x 70 Hz, 350 ms duration, every 2 s) the number of stimuli needed to induce fatigue was decreased from 47 +/- 3 contractions in control to 33 +/- 3 with AC3-I. KN-93 was a more potent inhibitor, decreasing the number of contractions needed to induce fatigue to 15 +/- 3. Tetanic [Ca(2+)](i) was 100 +/- 11%, 97 +/- 11% and 67 +/- 11% at the end of stimulation in control, AC3-I and KN-93 respectively. A similar inhibition was obtained using a high intensity protocol (20x 70 Hz, 200 ms duration, every 300 ms). However, using a long interval protocol (25x 70 Hz, 350 ms duration, every 5 s) no change was observed in either tetanic [Ca(2+)](i) or force when inhibiting CaMKII. A mathematical model used to investigate the activation pattern of CaMKII suggests that there is a threshold of active CaMKII that has to be surpassed in order for CaMKII to affect SR Ca(2+) release.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that CaMKII is crucial for maintaining proper SR Ca(2+) release and that this is regulated in a work intensity manner.

Electrical stimulation promotes sensory neuron regeneration and growth-associated gene expression

Brief electrical stimulation enhances the regenerative ability of axotomized motor [Nix, W.A., Hopf, H.C., 1983. Electrical stimulation of regenerating nerve and its effect on motor recovery. Brain Res. 272, 21-25; Al-Majed, A.A., Neumann, C.M., Brushart, T.M., Gordon, T., 2000. Brief electrical stimulation promotes the speed and accuracy of motor axonal regeneration. J. Neurosci. 20, 2602-2608] and sensory [Brushart, T.M., Jari, R., Verge, V., Rohde, C., Gordon, T., 2005. Electrical stimulation restores the specificity of sensory axon regeneration. Exp. Neurol. 194, 221-229] neurons. Here we examined the parameter of duration of stimulation on regenerative capacity, including the intrinsic growth programs, of sensory neurons. The effect of 20 Hz continuous electrical stimulation on the number of DRG sensory neurons that regenerate their axons was evaluated following transection and surgical repair of the femoral nerve trunk. Stimulation was applied proximal to the repair site for 1 h, 3 h, 1 day, 7 days or 14 days at the time of nerve repair. Following a 21-day regeneration period, DRG neurons that regenerated axons into the muscle and cutaneous sensory nerve branches were retrogradely identified. Stimulation of 1 h led to a significant increase in DRG neurons regenerating into cutaneous and muscle branches when compared to 0 h (sham) stimulation or longer periods of stimulation. Stimulation for 1 h also significantly increased the numbers of neurons that regenerated axons beyond the repair site 4 days after lesion and was correlated with a significant increase in expression of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) mRNA in the regenerating neurons at 2 days post-repair. An additional indicator of heightened plasticity following 1 h stimulation was elevated expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The effect of brief stimulation on enhancing sensory and motoneuron regeneration holds promise for inducing improved peripheral nerve repair in the clinical setting.

Calmodulin and CaMKII as molecular switches for cardiac ion channels: Fig. 1

Because changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration are the final signals of electrical activity in excitable cells, many mechanisms have evolved to regulate Ca(2+) influx. Among the most important are those pathways that directly regulate the ion channels responsible for regulating and generating the Ca(2+) influx signal. Recent work has demonstrated that the Ca(2+) binding protein calmodulin (CaM) and the Ca(2+)/CaM-sensitive kinase CaMKII are important modulators of cardiac ion channels. Thus, Ca(2+) participates in feedback modulation to control electrical activity. This review highlights various mechanisms by which CaM and CaMKII regulate cardiovascular ion channel activity and presents a novel model for CaMKII regulation of Ca(V)1.2 Ca(2+) channel function.

RETRACTED: L-Type Ca2+ Channel Facilitation Mediated by Phosphorylation of the β Subunit by CaMKII

L-type Ca(2+) channels (LTCCs) are major entry points for Ca(2+) in many cells. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is associated with cardiac LTCC complexes and increases channel open probability (P(O)) to dynamically increase Ca(2+) current (I(Ca)) and augment cellular Ca(2+) signaling by a process called facilitation. However, the critical molecular mechanisms for CaMKII localization to LTCCs and I(Ca) facilitation in cardiomyocytes have not been defined. We show CaMKII binds to the LTCC beta(2a) subunit and preferentially phosphorylates Thr498 in beta(2a). Mutation of Thr498 to Ala (T498A) in beta(2a) prevents CaMKII-mediated increases in the P(O) of recombinant LTCCs. Moreover, expression of beta(2a)(T498A) in adult cardiomyocytes ablates CaMKII-mediated I(Ca) facilitation, demonstrating that phosphorylation of beta(2a) at Thr498 modulates native calcium channels. These findings reveal a molecular mechanism for targeting CaMKII to LTCCs and facilitating I(Ca) that may modulate Ca(2+) entry in diverse cell types coexpressing CaMKII and the beta(2a) subunit.

Pattern of Ca2+ increase determines the type of secretory mechanism activated in dog pancreatic duct epithelial cells

Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) is a key factor controlling secretion from various cell types. We investigated how different patterns of [Ca(2+)](i) signals evoke salt secretion via ion transport mechanisms and mucin secretion via exocytosis in dog pancreatic duct epithelial cells (PDEC). Activation of epithelial P2Y(2) receptors by UTP generated two patterns of [Ca(2+)](i) change: 2-10 microm UTP induced [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations, whereas 100 microm UTP induced a sustained [Ca(2+)](i) increase, both in the micromolar range. As monitored by carbon-fibre amperometry, the sustained [Ca(2+)](i) increase stimulated a larger increase in exocytosis than [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations, despite their similar amplitude. In contrast, patch-clamp recordings revealed that [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations synchronously activated a K(+) current as efficiently as the sustained [Ca(2+)](i) increase. This K(+) current was mediated by intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (32 pS at -100 mV) which were sensitive to charybdotoxin and resistant to TEA. Activation of these Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channels hyperpolarized the plasma membrane from a resting potential of -40 mV to -90 mV, as monitored in perforated whole-cell configuration, in turn enhancing Na(+)-independent, Cl(-)-dependent and DIDS-sensitive HCO(3)(-) secretion, as monitored through changes in intracellular pH. PDEC therefore encode concentrations of purinergic agonists as different patterns of [Ca(2+)](i) changes, which differentially stimulate K(+) channels, the Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) exchanger, and exocytosis. Thus, in addition to amplitude, the temporal pattern of [Ca(2+)](i) increases is an important mechanism for transducing extracellular stimuli into different physiological effects.

Developmental changes of CaMKII localization, activity and function during postembryonic CNS remodelling in Manduca sexta

Insect metamorphosis is a compelling example of postembryonic remodelling of neuronal structure and synaptic connectivity as larval and adult behaviours place distinct demands on the CNS. Holometabolous insects such as the moth Manduca sexta have long served as suitable models for the study of steroid effects on CNS remodelling, but activity and calcium-dependent mechanisms have been found to act in concert with hormonal signals. This study examines developmental changes in the localization and the activational state of CaMKII during postembryonic Manduca CNS remodelling. Western blotting, CaMKII purification and autophosphorylation with gamma(32)P-ATP indicate that the lepidopteran CNS may contain only one CaMKII isoform. In situ immunohistochemistry reveals developmental changes in the expression patterns of CaMKII in different types of thoracic neurons and in different neuronal compartments. Early pupal life is characterized by an increase in postsynaptic CaMKII localization, which coincides with a developmental increase in CaMKII activation. Both events correlate temporally with motoneuron dendritic filopodia collapse and rapid synaptogenesis, indicating a possible functional role for CaMKII for the postembryonic development of invertebrate motor circuitry. Substrate phosphorylation assays demonstrate that CaMKII activity in the ventral nerve cord reflects changes in calcium influx through voltage-activated channels as occurring in vivo during normal development.

CaMKII tethers to L-type Ca2+ channels, establishing a local and dedicated integrator of Ca2+ signals for facilitation

Ca²⁺-dependent facilitation (CDF) of voltage-gated calcium current is a powerful mechanism for up-regulation of Ca²⁺ influx during repeated membrane depolarization. CDF of L-type Ca²⁺ channels (Ca_v1.2) contributes to the positive force–frequency effect in the heart and is believed to involve the activation of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII). How CaMKII is activated and what its substrates are have not yet been determined. We show that the pore-forming subunit α_1C (Ca_vα1.2) is a CaMKII substrate and that CaMKII interaction with the COOH terminus of α_1C is essential for CDF of L-type channels. Ca²⁺ influx triggers distinct features of CaMKII targeting and activity. After Ca²⁺-induced targeting to α_1C, CaMKII becomes tightly tethered to the channel, even after calcium returns to normal levels. In contrast, activity of the tethered CaMKII remains fully Ca²⁺/CaM dependent, explaining its ability to operate as a calcium spike frequency detector. These findings clarify the molecular basis of CDF and demonstrate a novel enzymatic mechanism by which ion channel gating can be modulated by activity.

Local signaling with molecular diffusion as a decoder of Ca2+ signals in synaptic plasticity

Synaptic plasticity is induced by the influx of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), and the direction and strength of the response depend on the frequency of the synaptic inputs. Recent studies have shown that the direction of synaptic plasticity is also governed by two distinct NMDAR subtypes (NR1/NR2A, NR1/NR2B). How are the different types of regulation (frequency-dependent and receptor-specific) processed simultaneously? To clarify the molecular basis of this dual dependence of synaptic plasticity, we have developed a mathematical model of spatial Ca²⁺ signaling in a dendritic spine. Our simulations revealed that calmodulin (CaM) activation in the vicinity of NMDARs is strongly affected by the diffusion coefficient of CaM itself, and that this ‘local CaM diffusion system' works as a dual decoder of both the frequency of Ca²⁺ influxes and their postsynaptic current shapes, generated by two NMDAR subtypes, implying that spatial factors may underlie the complicated regulation scheme of synaptic plasticity.

CaM kinase II phosphorylation of slo Thr107 regulates activity and ethanol responses of BK channels

High-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated and voltage-gated (BK) channels set neuronal firing. They are almost universally activated by alcohol, leading to reduced neuronal excitability and neuropeptide release and to motor intoxication. However, several BK channels are inhibited by alcohol, and most other voltage-gated K(+) channels are refractory to drug action. BK channels are homotetramers (encoded by Slo1) that possess a unique transmembrane segment (S0), leading to a cytosolic S0-S1 loop. We identified Thr107 of bovine slo (bslo) in this loop as a critical residue that determines BK channel responses to alcohol. In addition, the activity of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in the cell controlled channel activity and alcohol modulation. Incremental CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of Thr107 in the BK tetramer progressively increased channel activity and gradually switched the channel alcohol responses from robust activation to inhibition. Thus, CaMKII phosphorylation of slo Thr107 works as a 'molecular dimmer switch' that could mediate tolerance to alcohol, a form of neuronal plasticity.