PKC-induced intracellular trafficking of Ca(V)2 precedes its rapid recruitment to the plasma membrane

Identification of miRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks in L-methionine exposure counteracts cocaine-conditioned place preference in mice

Background and Aims: Methionine has been proven to inhibit addictive behaviors of cocaine dependence. This study aimed to identify the potential mechanisms of MET relating to its inhibitory effects on cocaine induced cellular and behavioral changes. Methods: MRNA and miRNA high-throughput sequencing of the prefrontal cortex in a mouse model of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) combined with L-methionine was performed. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulated by cocaine and inhibited by L-methionine were identified. DEGs were mapped to STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Then, the identified DEGs were subjected to the DAVID webserver for functional annotation. Finally, miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory networks were established to screen key DE-miRNAs and coregulation network in Cytoscape. Results: Sequencing data analysis showed that L-methionine reversely regulated genes and miRNAs affected by cocaine. Pathways associated with drug addiction only enriched in CS-down with MC-up genes targeted by DE-miRNAs including GABAergic synapse, Glutamatergic synapse, Circadian entrainment, Axon guidance and Calcium signaling pathway. Drug addiction associated network was formed of 22 DEGs including calcium channel (Cacna1c, Cacna1e, Cacna1g and Cacng8), ephrin receptor genes (Ephb6 and Epha8) and ryanodine receptor genes (Ryr1 and Ryr2). Calcium channel gene network were identified as a core gene network modulated by L-methionine in response to cocaine dependence. Moreover, it was predicted that Grin1 and Fosb presented in TF-miRNA-mRNA coregulation network with a high degree of interaction as hub genes and interacted calcium channels. Conclusion: These identified key genes, miRNA and coregulation network demonstrated the efficacy of L-methionine in counteracting the effects of cocaine CPP. To a certain degree, it may provide some hints to better understand the underlying mechanism on L-methionine in response to cocaine abuse.

Intracellular G-actin targeting of peripheral sensory neurons by the multifunctional engineered protein C2C confers relief from inflammatory pain

The engineered multifunctional protein C2C was tested for control of sensory neuron activity by targeted G-actin modification. C2C consists of the heptameric oligomer, C2II-CI, and the monomeric ribosylase, C2I. C2C treatment of sensory neurons and SH-SY5Y cells in vitro remodeled actin and reduced calcium influx in a reversible manner. C2C prepared using fluorescently labeled C2I showed selective in vitro C2I delivery to primary sensory neurons but not motor neurons. Delivery was dependent on presence of both C2C subunits and blocked by receptor competition. Immunohistochemistry of mice treated subcutaneously with C2C showed colocalization of subunit C2I with CGRP-positive sensory neurons and fibers but not with ChAT-positive motor neurons and fibers. The significance of sensory neuron targeting was pursued subsequently by testing C2C activity in the formalin inflammatory mouse pain model. Subcutaneous C2C administration reduced pain-like behaviors by 90% relative to untreated controls 6 h post treatment and similarly to the opioid buprenorphene. C2C effects were dose dependent, equally potent in female and male animals and did not change gross motor function. One dose was effective in 2 h and lasted 1 week. Administration of C2I without C2II-CI did not reduce pain-like behavior indicating its intracellular delivery was required for behavioral effect.

Ankyrin B and Ankyrin B variants differentially modulate intracellular and surface Cav2.1 levels

Ankyrin B (AnkB) is an adaptor and scaffold for motor proteins and various ion channels that is ubiquitously expressed, including in the brain. AnkB has been associated with neurological disorders such as epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder, but understanding of the underlying mechanisms is limited. Cav2.1, the pore-forming subunit of P/Q type voltage gated calcium channels, is a known interactor of AnkB and plays a crucial role in neuronal function. Here we report that wildtype AnkB increased overall Cav2.1 levels without impacting surface Cav2.1 levels in HEK293T cells. An AnkB variant, p.S646F, which we recently discovered to be associated with seizures, further increased overall Cav2.1 levels, again with no impact on surface Cav2.1 levels. AnkB p.Q879R, on the other hand, increased surface Cav2.1 levels in the presence of accessory subunits α2δ1 and β4. Additionally, AnkB p.E1458G decreased surface Cav2.1 irrespective of the presence of accessory subunits. In addition, we found that partial deletion of AnkB in cortex resulted in a decrease in overall Cav2.1 levels, with no change to the levels of Cav2.1 detected in synaptosome fractions. Our work suggests that depending on the particular variant, AnkB regulates intracellular and surface Cav2.1. Notably, expression of the AnkB variant associated with seizure (AnkB p.S646F) caused further increase in intracellular Cav2.1 levels above that of even wildtype AnkB. These novel findings have important implications for understanding the role of AnkB and Cav2.1 in the regulation of neuronal function in health and disease.

Tyrosine Phosphorylation Determines Afterdischarge Initiation by Regulating an Ionotropic Cholinergic Receptor

Changes to neuronal activity often involve a rapid and precise transition from low to high excitability. In the marine snail, Aplysia, the bag cell neurons control reproduction by undergoing an afterdischarge, which begins with synaptic input releasing acetylcholine to open an ionotropic cholinergic receptor. Gating of this receptor causes depolarization and a shift from silence to continuous action potential firing, leading to the neuroendocrine secretion of egg-laying hormone and ovulation. At the onset of the afterdischarge, there is a rise in intracellular Ca²⁺, followed by both protein kinase C (PKC) activation and tyrosine dephosphorylation. To determine whether these signals influence the acetylcholine ionotropic receptor, we examined the bag cell neuron cholinergic response both in culture and isolated clusters using whole-cell and/or sharp-electrode electrophysiology. The acetylcholine-induced current was not altered by increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ via voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels, clamping intracellular Ca²⁺ with exogenous Ca²⁺ buffers, or activating PKC with phorbol esters. However, lowering phosphotyrosine levels by inhibiting tyrosine kinases both reduced the cholinergic current and prevented acetylcholine from triggering action potentials or afterdischarge-like bursts. In other systems, acetylcholine receptors are often modulated by multiple signals, but bag cell neurons appear to be more restrictive in this regard. Prior work finds that, as the afterdischarge proceeds, tyrosine dephosphorylation leads to biophysical alterations that promote persistent firing. Because this firing is subsequent to the cholinergic input, inhibiting the acetylcholine receptor may represent a means of properly orchestrating synaptically induced changes in excitability.

Protein Kinase C Enhances Electrical Synaptic Transmission by Acting on Junctional and Postsynaptic Ca2+ Currents

By synchronizing neuronal activity, electrical transmission influences the coordination, pattern, and/or frequency of firing. In the hemaphroditic marine-snail, Aplysia calfornica, the neuroendocrine bag cell neurons use electrical synapses to synchronize a 30 min afterdischarge of action potentials for the release of reproductive hormone. During the afterdischarge, protein kinase C (PKC) is activated, although its impact on bag cell neuron electrical transmission is unknown. This was investigated here by monitoring electrical synapses between paired cultured bag cell neurons using dual whole-cell recording. Voltage clamp revealed a largely voltage-independent junctional current, which was enhanced by treating with a PKC activator, PMA, before recording. We also examined the transfer of presynaptic action potential-like waveforms (generated in voltage clamp) to the postsynaptic cell (measured in current clamp). For control pairs, the presynaptic spike-like waveforms mainly evoked electrotonic potentials; however, when PKC was triggered, these stimuli consistently produced postsynaptic action potentials. To assess whether this involved changes to postsynaptic responsiveness, single bag cell neurons were injected with junctional-like current mimicking that evoked by a presynaptic action potential. Unlike control neurons, which were less likely to spike, cells in PMA always fired action potentials to the junctional-like current. Furthermore, PKC activation increased a postsynaptic voltage-gated Ca²⁺ current, which was recruited even by modest depolarization associated with an electrotonic potential. Whereas PKC inhibits gap junctions in most systems, bag cell neurons are rather unique, as the kinase potentiates the electrical synapse; in turn, this synergizes with augmented postsynaptic Ca²⁺ current to promote synchronous firing.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Electrical coupling is a fundamental form of communication. For the bag cell neurons of Aplysia, electrical synapses coordinate a prolonged burst of action potentials known as the afterdischarge. We looked at how protein kinase C, which is upregulated with the afterdischarge, influences information transfer across the synapse. The kinase activation increased junctional current, a remarkable finding given that this enzyme is largely considered inhibitory for gap junctions. There was also an augmentation in the ability of a presynaptic neuron to provoke postsynaptic action potentials. This increased excitability was, in part, due to enhanced postsynaptic voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ current. Thus, protein kinase C improves the fidelity of electrotonic transmission and promotes synchronous firing by modulating both junctional and membrane conductances.

Diacylglycerol-mediated regulation of Aplysia bag cell neuron excitability requires protein kinase C

KEY POINTS

In Aplysia, reproduction is initiated by the bag cell neurons and a prolonged period of enhanced excitability known as the afterdischarge. Phosphoinositide turnover is upregulated during the afterdischarge resulting in the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate by phospholipase C (PLC) and the release of diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol trisphosphate (IP3 ). In whole-cell voltage-clamped cultured bag cell neurons, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), a synthetic DAG analogue, activates a dose-dependent, transient, inward current (IOAG ) that is enhanced by IP3 , mimicked by PLC activation and dependent on basal protein kinase C (PKC) activity. OAG depolarizes bag cell neurons and triggers action potential firing in culture, and prolongs electrically stimulated afterdischarges in intact bag cell neuron clusters ex vivo. Although PKC alone cannot activate the current, it is required for IOAG ; this is the first description of required obligate PKC activity working in concert with PLC, DAG and IP3 to maintain the depolarization required for prolonged excitability in Aplysia reproduction.

ABSTRACT

Following synaptic input, the bag cell neurons of Aplysia undergo a long-term afterdischarge of action potentials to secrete egg-laying hormone and initiate reproduction. Early in the afterdischarge, phospholipase C (PLC) hydrolyses phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate into inositol trisphosphate (IP3 ) and diacylglycerol (DAG). In Aplysia, little is known about the action of DAG, or any interaction with IP3 ; thus, we examined the effects of a synthetic DAG analogue, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), on whole-cell voltage-clamped cultured bag cell neurons. OAG induced a large, prolonged, Ca(2+) -permeable, concentration-dependent inward current (IOAG ) that reversed at ∼-20 mV and was enhanced by intracellular IP3 . A similar current was evoked by either another DAG analogue, 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (DOG), or activating PLC with N-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonamide (m-3M3FBS). IOAG was reduced by the general cation channel blockers Gd(3+) or flufenamic acid. Work in other systems indicated that OAG activates channels independently of protein kinase C (PKC); however, we found pretreating bag cell neurons with any of the PKC inhibitors bisindolylmaleimide, sphinganine, or H7, attenuated IOAG . However, stimulating PKC with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) did not evoke current or enhance IOAG ; moreover, unlike PMA, OAG failed to trigger PKC, as confirmed by an independent bioassay. Finally, OAG or m-3M3FBS depolarized cultured neurons, and while OAG did not provoke afterdischarges from bag cell neurons in the nervous system, it did double the duration of synaptically elicited afterdischarges. To our knowledge, this is the first report of obligate PKC activity for IOAG gating. An interaction between phosphoinositol metabolites and PKC could control the cation channel to influence afterdischarge duration.

EXPRESS: F-actin links Epac-PKC signaling to purinergic P2X3 receptors sensitization in dorsal root ganglia following inflammation

Sensitization of purinergic P2X3 receptors (P2X3Rs) contributes to the production of exaggerated nociceptive responses following inflammatory injury. We showed previously that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) potentiates P2X3R-mediated ATP currents in dorsal root ganglion neurons isolated from both control and complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced inflamed rats. PGE2 potentiation of ATP currents depends only on PKA signaling in control neurons, but it depends on both PKA and PKC signaling in inflamed neurons. We further found that inflammation evokes an increase in exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (Epacs) in dorsal root ganglions. This increase promotes the activation of PKC to produce a much enhanced PGE2 effect on ATP currents and to elicit Epac-dependent flinch nocifensive behavioral responses in complete Freund’s adjuvant rats. The link between Epac-PKC signaling and P2X3R sensitization remains unexplored. Here, we show that the activation of Epacs promotes the expression of phosphorylated PKC and leads to an increase in the cytoskeleton, F-actin, expression at the cell perimeter. Depolymerization of F-actin blocks PGE2-enhanced ATP currents and inhibits P2X3R-mediated nocifensive responses after inflammation. Thus, F-actin is dynamically involved in the Epac-PKC-dependent P2X3R sensitization. Furthermore, Epacs induce a PKC-dependent increase in the membrane expression of P2X3Rs. This increase is abolished by F-actin depolymerization, suggesting that F-actin mediates Epac-PKC signaling of P2X3R membrane expression. Thus, after inflammation, an Epac-PKC dependent increase in F-actin in dorsal root ganglion neurons enhances the membrane expression of P2X3Rs to bring about sensitization of P2X3Rs and abnormal pain behaviors.

Growth differentiation factor-15 promotes glutamate release in medial prefrontal cortex of mice through upregulation of T-type calcium channels

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) has been implicated in ischemic brain injury and synapse development, but its involvement in modulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of GDF-15 on non-evoked miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs) and neurotransmitter release in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice. Incubation of mPFC slices with GDF-15 for 60 min significantly increased the frequency of mEPSCs without effect on their amplitude. GDF-15 also significantly elevated presynaptic glutamate release, as shown by HPLC. These effects were blocked by dual TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI) and TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII) antagonists, but not by a TβRI antagonist alone. Meanwhile, GDF-15 enhanced pERK level, and inhibition of MAPK/ERK activity attenuated the GDF-15-induced increases in mEPSC and glutamate release. Blocking T-type calcium channels reduced the GDF-15 induced up-regulation of synaptic transmission. Membrane-protein extraction and use of an intracellular protein-transport inhibitor showed that GDF-15 promoted Ca_V3.1 and Ca_V3.3 α-subunit expression by trafficking to the membrane. These results confirm previous findings in cerebellar granule neurons, in which GDF-15 induces its neurobiological effects via TβRII and activation of the ERK pathway, providing novel insights into the mechanism of GDF-15 function in cortical neurons.

PKC enhances the capacity for secretion by rapidly recruiting covert voltage-gated Ca2+ channels to the membrane

It is unknown whether neurons can dynamically control the capacity for secretion by promptly changing the number of plasma membrane voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. To address this, we studied peptide release from the bag cell neurons of Aplysia californica, which initiate reproduction by secreting hormone during an afterdischarge. This burst engages protein kinase C (PKC) to trigger the insertion of a covert Ca(2+) channel, Apl Cav2, alongside a basal channel, Apl Cav1. The significance of Apl Cav2 recruitment to secretion remains undetermined; therefore, we used capacitance tracking to assay secretion, along with Ca(2+) imaging and Ca(2+) current measurements, from cultured bag cell neurons under whole-cell voltage-clamp. Activating PKC with the phorbol ester, PMA, enhanced Ca(2+) entry, and potentiated stimulus-evoked secretion. This relied on channel insertion, as it was occluded by preventing Apl Cav2 engagement with prior whole-cell dialysis or the cytoskeletal toxin, latrunculin B. Channel insertion reduced the stimulus duration and/or frequency required to initiate secretion and strengthened excitation-secretion coupling, indicating that Apl Cav2 accesses peptide release more readily than Apl Cav1. The coupling of Apl Cav2 to secretion also changed with behavioral state, as Apl Cav2 failed to evoke secretion in silent neurons from reproductively inactive animals. Finally, PKC also acted secondarily to enhance prolonged exocytosis triggered by mitochondrial Ca(2+) release. Collectively, our results suggest that bag cell neurons dynamically elevate Ca(2+) channel abundance in the membrane to ensure adequate secretion during the afterdischarge.

Inhibition of the Aplysia sensory neuron calcium current with dopamine and serotonin

The inhibition of Aplysia pleural mechanosensory neuron synapses by dopamine and serotonin through activation of endogenous dopaminergic and expressed 5-HT1Apl(a)/b receptors, respectively, involves a reduction in action potential-associated calcium influx. We show that the inhibition of synaptic efficacy is downstream of the readily releasable pool, suggesting that inhibition is at the level of calcium secretion coupling, likely a result of the changes in the calcium current. Indeed, the inhibitory responses directly reduce a CaV2-like calcium current in isolated sensory neurons. The inhibition of the calcium current is voltage independent as it is not affected by a strong depolarizing prepulse, consistent with other invertebrate CaV2 calcium currents. Similar to voltage-independent inhibition of vertebrate nociceptors, inhibition was blocked with Src tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The data suggest a conserved mechanism by which G protein-coupled receptor activation can inhibit the CaV2 calcium current in nociceptive neurons.

Regulation of neuronal excitability by interaction of fragile X mental retardation protein with slack potassium channels

Loss of the RNA-binding protein fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) represents the most common form of inherited intellectual disability. Studies with heterologous expression systems indicate that FMRP interacts directly with Slack Na(+)-activated K(+) channels (K(Na)), producing an enhancement of channel activity. We have now used Aplysia bag cell (BC) neurons, which regulate reproductive behaviors, to examine the effects of Slack and FMRP on excitability. FMRP and Slack immunoreactivity were colocalized at the periphery of isolated BC neurons, and the two proteins could be reciprocally coimmunoprecipitated. Intracellular injection of FMRP lacking its mRNA binding domain rapidly induced a biphasic outward current, with an early transient tetrodotoxin-sensitive component followed by a slowly activating sustained component. The properties of this current matched that of the native Slack potassium current, which was identified using an siRNA approach. Addition of FMRP to inside-out patches containing native Aplysia Slack channels increased channel opening and, in current-clamp recordings, produced narrowing of action potentials. Suppression of Slack expression did not alter the ability of BC neurons to undergo a characteristic prolonged discharge in response to synaptic stimulation, but prevented recovery from a prolonged inhibitory period that normally follows the discharge. Recovery from the inhibited period was also inhibited by the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin. Our studies indicate that, in BC neurons, Slack channels are required for prolonged changes in neuronal excitability that require new protein synthesis, and raise the possibility that channel-FMRP interactions may link changes in neuronal firing to changes in protein translation.

The involvement of actin, calcium channels and exocytosis proteins in somato-dendritic oxytocin and vasopressin release

Hypothalamic magnocellular neurons release vasopressin and oxytocin not only from their axon terminals into the blood, but also from their somata and dendrites into the extracellular space of the brain, and this can be regulated independently. Differential release of neurotransmitters from different compartments of a single neuron requires subtle regulatory mechanisms. Somato-dendritic, but not axon terminal release can be modulated by changes in intracellular calcium concentration [(Ca²⁺)] by release of calcium from intracellular stores, resulting in priming of dendritic pools for activity-dependent release. This review focuses on our current understanding of the mechanisms of priming and the roles of actin remodeling, voltage-operated calcium channels (VOCCs) and SNARE proteins in the regulation somato-dendritic and axon terminal peptide release.

Comparison of central versus peripheral delivery of pregabalin in neuropathic pain states

Background

Although pregabalin therapy is beneficial for neuropathic pain (NeP) by targeting the CaVα₂δ-1 subunit, its site of action is uncertain. Direct targeting of the central nervous system may be beneficial for the avoidance of systemic side effects.

Results

We used intranasal, intrathecal, and near-nerve chamber forms of delivery of varying concentrations of pregabalin or saline delivered over 14 days in rat models of experimental diabetic peripheral neuropathy and spinal nerve ligation. As well, radiolabelled pregabalin was administered to determine localization with different deliveries. We evaluated tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia at multiple time points, and then analyzed harvested nervous system tissues for molecular and immunohistochemical changes in CaVα₂δ-1 protein expression. Both intrathecal and intranasal pregabalin administration at high concentrations relieved NeP behaviors, while near-nerve pregabalin delivery had no effect. NeP was associated with upregulation of CACNA2D1 mRNA and CaVα₂δ-1 protein within peripheral nerve, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and dorsal spinal cord, but not brain. Pregabalin's effect was limited to suppression of CaVα₂δ-1 protein (but not CACNA2D1 mRNA) expression at the spinal dorsal horn in neuropathic pain states. Dorsal root ligation prevented CaVα₂δ-1 protein trafficking anterograde from the dorsal root ganglia to the dorsal horn after neuropathic pain initiation.

Conclusions

Either intranasal or intrathecal pregabalin relieves neuropathic pain behaviours, perhaps due to pregabalin's effect upon anterograde CaVα₂δ-1 protein trafficking from the DRG to the dorsal horn. Intranasal delivery of agents such as pregabalin may be an attractive alternative to systemic therapy for management of neuropathic pain states.

The involvement of voltage-operated calcium channels in somato-dendritic oxytocin release

Magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) secrete oxytocin and vasopressin from axon terminals in the neurohypophysis, but they also release large amounts of peptide from their somata and dendrites, and this can be regulated both by activity-dependent Ca²⁺ influx and by mobilization of intracellular Ca²⁺. This somato-dendritic release can also be primed by agents that mobilise intracellular Ca²⁺, meaning that the extent to which it is activity-dependent, is physiologically labile. We investigated the role of different Ca²⁺ channels in somato-dendritic release; blocking N-type channels reduced depolarisation-induced oxytocin release from SONs in vitro from adult and post-natal day 8 (PND-8) rats, blocking L-type only had effect in PND-8 rats, while blocking other channel types had no significant effect. When oxytocin release was primed by prior exposure to thapsigargin, both N- and L-type channel blockers reduced release, while P/Q and R-type blockers were ineffective. Using confocal microscopy, we found immunoreactivity for Ca_v1.2 and 1.3 channel subunits (which both form L-type channels), 2.1 (P/Q type), 2.2 (N-type) and 2.3 (R-type) in the somata and dendrites of both oxytocin and vasopressin neurons, and the intensity of the immunofluorescence signal for different subunits differed between PND-8, adult and lactating rats. Using patch-clamp electrophysiology, the N-type Ca²⁺ current density increased after thapsigargin treatment, but did not alter the voltage sensitivity of the channel. These results suggest that the expression, location or availability of N-type Ca²⁺ channels is altered when required for high rates of somato-dendritic peptide release.

Inhibition of T-type calcium channels and hydrogen sulfide-forming enzyme reverses paclitaxel-evoked neuropathic hyperalgesia in rats

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a gasotransmitter, facilitates pain sensation by targeting Ca(v)3.2 T-type calcium channels. The H₂S/Ca(v)3.2 pathway appears to play a role in the maintenance of surgically evoked neuropathic pain. Given evidence that chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain is blocked by ethosuximide, known to block T-type calcium channels, we examined if more selective T-type calcium channel blockers and also inhibitors of cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), a major H₂S-forming enzyme in the peripheral tissue, are capable of reversing the neuropathic pain evoked by paclitaxel, an anti-cancer drug. It was first demonstrated that T-type calcium channel blockers, NNC 55-0396, known to inhibit Ca(v)3.1, and mibefradil inhibited T-type currents in Ca(v)3.2-transfected HEK293 cells. Repeated systemic administration of paclitaxel caused delayed development of mechanical hyperalgesia, which was reversed by single intraplantar administration of NNC 55-0396 or mibefradil, and by silencing of Ca(v)3.2 by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. Systemic administration of dl-propargylglycine and β-cyanoalanine, irreversible and reversible inhibitors of CSE, respectively, also abolished the established neuropathic hyperalgesia. In the paclitaxel-treated rats, upregulation of Ca(v)3.2 and CSE at protein levels was not detected in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), spinal cord or peripheral tissues including the hindpaws, whereas H(2)S content in hindpaw tissues was significantly elevated. Together, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of NNC 55-0396 in inhibiting Ca(v)3.2, and then suggests that paclitaxel-evoked neuropathic pain might involve the enhanced activity of T-type calcium channels and/or CSE in rats, but not upregulation of Ca(v)3.2 and CSE at protein levels, differing from the previous evidence for the neuropathic pain model induced by spinal nerve cutting in which Ca(v)3.2 was dramatically upregulated in DRG.

Localization of Kv1.3 channels in presynaptic terminals of brainstem auditory neurons

Elimination of the Kv1.3 voltage-dependent potassium channel gene produces striking changes in the function of the olfactory bulb, raising the possibility that this channel also influences other sensory systems. We have examined the cellular and subcellular localization of Kv1.3 in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) in the auditory brainstem, a nucleus in which neurons fire at high rates with high temporal precision. A clear gradient of Kv1.3 immunostaining along the lateral to medial tonotopic axis of the MNTB was detected. Highest levels were found in the lateral region of the MNTB, which corresponds to neurons that respond selectively to low-frequency auditory stimuli. Previous studies have demonstrated that MNTB neurons and their afferent inputs from the cochlear nucleus express three other members of the Kv1 family, Kv1.1, Kv1.2, and Kv1.6. Nevertheless, confocal microscopy of MNTB sections coimmunostained for Kv1.3 with these subunits revealed that the distribution of Kv1.3 differed significantly from other Kv1 family subunits. In particular, no axonal staining of Kv1.3 was detected, and most prominent labeling was in structures surrounding the somata of the principal neurons, suggesting specific localization to the large calyx of Held presynaptic endings that envelop the principal cells. The presence of Kv1.3 in presynaptic terminals was confirmed by coimmunolocalization with the synaptic markers synaptophysin, syntaxin, and synaptotagmin and by immunogold electron microscopy. Kv1.3 immunogold particles in the terminals were arrayed along the plasma membrane and on internal vesicular structures. To confirm these patterns of staining, we carried out immunolabeling on sections from Kv1.3(-/-) mice. No immunoreactivity could be detected in Kv1.3(-/-) mice either at the light level or in immunogold experiments. The finding of a tonotopic gradient in presynaptic terminals suggests that Kv1.3 may regulate neurotransmitter release differentially in neurons that respond to different frequencies of sound.

The alpha2delta ligand gabapentin inhibits the Rab11-dependent recycling of the calcium channel subunit alpha2delta-2

The α2δ subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels are important modulatory subunits that enhance calcium currents and may also have other roles in synaptogenesis. The antiepileptic and antiallodynic drug gabapentin (GBP) binds to the α2δ-1 and α2δ-2 isoforms of this protein, and its binding may disrupt the binding of an endogenous ligand, required for their correct function. We have shown previously that GBP produces a chronic inhibitory effect on calcium currents by causing a reduction in the total number of α2δ and α1 subunits at the cell surface. This action of GBP is likely to be attributable to a disruption of the trafficking of α2δ subunits, either to or from the plasma membrane. We studied the effect of GBP on the internalization of, and insertion into the plasma membrane of α2δ-2 using an α-bungarotoxin binding site-tagged α2δ-2 subunit, and a fluorescent derivative of α-bungarotoxin. We found that GBP specifically disrupts the insertion of α2δ-2 from post-Golgi compartments to the plasma membrane, and this effect was prevented by a mutation of α2δ-2 that abolishes its binding to GBP. The coexpression of the GDP-bound Rab11 S25N mutant prevented the GBP-induced decrease in α2δ-2 cell surface levels, both in cell lines and in primary neurons, and the GBP-induced reduction in calcium channel currents. In contrast, the internalization of α2δ-2 was unaffected by GBP. We conclude that GBP acts by preventing the recycling of α2δ-2 from Rab11-positive recycling endosomes to the plasma membrane.

Vasoconstriction resulting from dynamic membrane trafficking of TRPM4 in vascular smooth muscle cells

The melastatin (M) transient receptor potential (TRP) channel TRPM4 mediates pressure and protein kinase C (PKC)-induced smooth muscle cell depolarization and vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries. We hypothesized that PKC causes vasoconstriction by stimulating translocation of TRPM4 to the plasma membrane. Live-cell confocal imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis was performed using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged TRPM4 (TRPM4-GFP) construct expressed in A7r5 cells. The surface channel was mobile, demonstrating a FRAP time constant of 168 +/- 19 s. In addition, mobile intracellular trafficking vesicles were readily detected. Using a cell surface biotinylation assay, we showed that PKC activation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increased (approximately 3-fold) cell surface levels of TRPM4-GFP protein in <10 min. Similarly, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that stimulation of PKC activity increased (approximately 3-fold) the surface fluorescence of TRPM4-GFP in A7r5 cells and primary cerebral artery smooth muscle cells. PMA also caused an elevation of cell surface TRPM4 protein levels in intact arteries. PMA-induced translocation of TRPM4 to the plasma membrane was independent of PKCalpha and PKCbeta activity but was inhibited by blockade of PKCdelta with rottlerin. Pressure-myograph studies of intact, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-treated cerebral arteries demonstrate that PKC-induced constriction of cerebral arteries requires expression of both TRPM4 and PKCdelta. In addition, pressure-induced arterial myocyte depolarization and vasoconstriction was attenuated in arteries treated with siRNA against PKCdelta. We conclude that PKCdelta activity causes smooth muscle depolarization and vasoconstriction by increasing the number of TRPM4 channels in the sarcolemma.

Evolutionary conservation of the signaling proteins upstream of cyclic AMP-dependent kinase and protein kinase C in gastropod mollusks

The protein kinase C (PKC) and the cAMP-dependent kinase (protein kinase A; PKA) pathways are known to play important roles in behavioral plasticity and learning in the nervous systems of a wide variety of species across phyla. We briefly review the members of the PKC and PKA family and focus on the evolution of the immediate upstream activators of PKC and PKA i.e., phospholipase C (PLC) and adenylyl cyclase (AC), and their conservation in gastropod mollusks, taking advantage of the recent assembly of the Aplysiacalifornica and Lottia gigantea genomes. The diversity of PLC and AC family members present in mollusks suggests a multitude of possible mechanisms to activate PKA and PKC; we briefly discuss the relevance of these pathways to the known physiological activation of these kinases in Aplysia neurons during plasticity and learning. These multiple mechanisms of activation provide the gastropod nervous system with tremendous flexibility for implementing neuromodulatory responses to both neuronal activity and extracellular signals.

Persistent Ca2+ Current Contributes to a Prolonged Depolarization in Aplysia Bag Cell Neurons

Neurons may initiate behavior or store information by translating prior activity into a lengthy change in excitability. For example, brief input to the bag cell neurons of Aplysia results in an approximate 30-min afterdischarge that induces reproduction. Similarly, momentary stimulation of cultured bag cells neurons evokes a prolonged depolarization lasting many minutes. Contributing to this is a voltage-independent cation current activated by Ca2+ entering during the stimulus. However, the cation current is relatively short-lived, and we hypothesized that a second, voltage-dependent persistent current sustains the prolonged depolarization. In bag cell neurons, the inward voltage-dependent current is carried by Ca2+; thus we tested for persistent Ca2+ current in primary culture under voltage clamp. The observed current activated between −40 and −50 mV exhibited a very slow decay, presented a similar magnitude regardless of stimulus duration (10–60 s), and, like the rapid Ca2+ current, was enhanced when Ba2+ was the permeant ion. The rapid and persistent Ca2+ current, but not the cation current, were Ni2+ sensitive. Consistent with the persistent current contributing to the response, Ni2+ reduced the amplitude of a prolonged depolarization evoked under current clamp. Finally, protein kinase C activation enhanced the rapid and persistent Ca2+ current as well as increased the prolonged depolarization when elicited by an action potential-independent stimulus. Thus the prolonged depolarization arises from Ca2+ influx triggering a cation current, followed by voltage-dependent activation of a persistent Ca2+ current and is subject to modulation. Such synergy between currents may represent a common means of achieving activity-dependent changes to excitability.

Regulation of N-type voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav2.2) and transmitter release by collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2) in sensory neurons

Collapsin response mediator proteins (CRMPs) mediate signal transduction of neurite outgrowth and axonal guidance during neuronal development. Voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and interacting proteins are essential in neuronal signaling and synaptic transmission during this period. We recently identified the presynaptic N-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel (Cav2.2) as a CRMP-2-interacting partner. Here, we investigated the effects of a functional association of CRMP-2 with Cav2.2 in sensory neurons. Cav2.2 colocalized with CRMP-2 at immature synapses and growth cones, in mature synapses and in cell bodies of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that CRMP-2 associates with Cav2.2 from DRG lysates. Overexpression of CRMP-2 fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in DRG neurons, via nucleofection, resulted in a significant increase in Cav2.2 current density compared with cells expressing EGFP. CRMP-2 manipulation changed the surface levels of Cav2.2. Because CRMP-2 is localized to synaptophysin-positive puncta in dense DRG cultures, we tested whether this CRMP-2-mediated alteration of Ca(2+) currents culminated in changes in synaptic transmission. Following a brief high-K(+)-induced stimulation, these puncta became loaded with FM4-64 dye. In EGFP and neurons expressing CRMP-2-EGFP, similar densities of FM-loaded puncta were observed. Finally, CRMP-2 overexpression in DRG increased release of the immunoreactive neurotransmitter calcitonin gene-related peptide (iCGRP) by approximately 70%, whereas siRNA targeting CRMP-2 significantly reduced release of iCGRP by approximately 54% compared with control cultures. These findings support a novel role for CRMP-2 in the regulation of N-type Ca(2+) channels and in transmitter release.

Calcium channel diversity: multiple roles of calcium channel subunits

Until recently we held the simple view that voltage-gated calcium channels consisted of an alpha1 subunit, usually associated with auxiliary beta subunits and alpha(2)delta subunits and that skeletal muscle calcium channels were also associated with a gamma subunit. However, as discussed here, there is now evidence that the auxiliary subunits may also perform other roles unrelated to voltage-gated calcium entry. In the past students were taught the simplistic view that second messenger signaling to voltage-gated calcium channels involved mainly phosphorylation of L-type calcium channels, Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation via calmodulin, and direct G-protein-mediated inhibition of the neuronal N and P/Q channels. However, it is now clear that there are many other means of modulating calcium channel activity, including receptor-mediated internalization, proteolytic cleavage, phosphorylation of beta subunits, and interaction of calcium channels with other proteins, including enzymes masquerading as scaffold proteins.

Direct evidence for the up-regulation of Vps34 regulated by PKCgamma during short-term treatment with morphine

In this study, we investigated whether PKCgamma could be associated with functional changes of vacuolar protein sorting 34 (Vps34) during morphine treatment using primary cultures of cerebral cortical neurons from mice. The immunoprecipitation analysis showed that p-PKCgamma and Vps34 are present together in molecular complexes. The treatment with morphine increases PKCgamma and Vps34 levels. Phosphorylation of PKCgamma increased Vps34 level. The inhibition of morphine-induced increase in PKCgamma phosphorylation reduced Vps34 level. These results indicates that opioid receptor activation increases PKCgamma phosphorylation in the neurons and, in turn, upregulates Vps34 during short-term treatment with neurons.

The increased trafficking of the calcium channel subunit alpha2delta-1 to presynaptic terminals in neuropathic pain is inhibited by the alpha2delta ligand pregabalin

Neuropathic pain results from damage to the peripheral sensory nervous system, which may have a number of causes. The calcium channel subunit alpha(2)delta-1 is upregulated in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in several animal models of neuropathic pain, and this is causally related to the onset of allodynia, in which a non-noxious stimulus becomes painful. The therapeutic drugs gabapentin and pregabalin (PGB), which are both alpha(2)delta ligands, have antiallodynic effects, but their mechanism of action has remained elusive. To investigate this, we used an in vivo rat model of neuropathy, unilateral lumbar spinal nerve ligation (SNL), to characterize the distribution of alpha(2)delta-1 in DRG neurons, both at the light- and electron-microscopic level. We found that, on the side of the ligation, alpha(2)delta-1 was increased in the endoplasmic reticulum of DRG somata, in intracellular vesicular structures within their axons, and in the plasma membrane of their presynaptic terminals in superficial layers of the dorsal horn. Chronic PGB treatment of SNL animals, at a dose that alleviated allodynia, markedly reduced the elevation of alpha(2)delta-1 in the spinal cord and ascending axon tracts. In contrast, it had no effect on the upregulation of alpha(2)delta-1 mRNA and protein in DRGs. In vitro, PGB reduced plasma membrane expression of alpha(2)delta-1 without affecting endocytosis. We conclude that the antiallodynic effect of PGB in vivo is associated with impaired anterograde trafficking of alpha(2)delta-1, resulting in its decrease in presynaptic terminals, which would reduce neurotransmitter release and spinal sensitization, an important factor in the maintenance of neuropathic pain.

Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in Aplysia bag cell neurons requires interaction between mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stores

Intracellular Ca2+ is influenced by both Ca2+ influx and release. We examined intracellular Ca2+ following action potential firing in the bag cell neurons of Aplysia californica. Following brief synaptic input, these neuroendocrine cells undergo an afterdischarge, resulting in elevated Ca2+ and the secretion of neuropeptides to initiate reproduction. Cultured bag cell neurons were injected with the Ca2+ indicator, fura-PE3, and subjected to simultaneous imaging and electrophysiology. Delivery of a 5-Hz, 1-min train of action potentials (mimicking the fast phase of the afterdischarge) produced a Ca2+ rise that markedly outlasted the initial influx, consistent with Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR). This response was attenuated by about half with ryanodine or depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by cyclopiazonic acid. However, depletion of the mitochondria, with carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone, essentially eliminated CICR. Dual depletion of the ER and mitochondria did not reduce CICR further than depletion of the mitochondria alone. Moreover, tetraphenylphosphonium, a blocker of mitochondrial Ca2+ release, largely prevented CICR. The Ca2+ elevation during and subsequent to a stimulus mimicking the full afterdischarge was prominent and enhanced by protein kinase C activation. Traditionally, the ER is seen as the primary Ca2+ source for CICR. However, bag cell neuron CICR represents a departure from this view in that it relies on store interaction, where Ca2+ released from the mitochondria may in turn liberate Ca2+ from the ER. This unique form of CICR may be used by both bag cell neurons, and other neurons, to initiate secretion, activate channels, or induce gene expression.