ABSTRACT
The pathogenesis of the second major neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson's disease (PD), is closely associated with the dysfunction of potassium (K) channels. Therefore, PD is also considered to be an ion channel disease or neuronal channelopathy. Mounting evidence has shown that K channels play crucial roles in the regulations of neurotransmitter release, neuronal excitability, and cell volume. Inhibition of K channels enhances the spontaneous firing frequency of nigral dopamine (DA) neurons, induces a transition from tonic firing to burst discharge, and promotes the release of DA in the striatum. Recently, three K channels have been identified to protect DA neurons and to improve the motor and non-motor symptoms in PD animal models: small conductance (SK) channels, A-type K channels, and K7/KCNQ channels. In this review, we summarize the physiological and pharmacological effects of the three K channels. We also describe in detail the laboratory investigations regarding K channels as a potential therapeutic target for PD.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Parkinson Disease , Metabolism , Potassium Channels , MetabolismABSTRACT
Excessive influx and the subsequent rapid cytosolic elevation of Ca²⁺ in neurons is the major cause to induce hyperexcitability and irreversible cell damage although it is an essential ion for cellular signalings. Therefore, most neurons exhibit several cellular mechanisms to homeostatically regulate cytosolic Ca²⁺ level in normal as well as pathological conditions. Delayed rectifier K⁺ channels (I(DR) channels) play a role to suppress membrane excitability by inducing K⁺ outflow in various conditions, indicating their potential role in preventing pathogenic conditions and cell damage under Ca²⁺-mediated excitotoxic conditions. In the present study, we electrophysiologically evaluated the response of IDR channels to hyperexcitable conditions induced by high Ca²⁺ pretreatment (3.6 mM, for 24 hours) in cultured hippocampal neurons. In results, high Ca²⁺-treatment significantly increased the amplitude of IDR without changes of gating kinetics. Nimodipine but not APV blocked Ca²⁺-induced IDR enhancement, confirming that the change of I(DR) might be targeted by Ca²⁺ influx through voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (VDCCs) rather than NMDA receptors (NMDARs). The VDCC-mediated I(DR) enhancement was not affected by either Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺ release (CICR) or small conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels (SK channels). Furthermore, PP2 but not H89 completely abolished I(DR) enhancement under high Ca²⁺ condition, indicating that the activation of Src family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) is required for Ca²⁺-mediated I(DR) enhancement. Thus, SFKs may be sensitive to excessive Ca²⁺ influx through VDCCs and enhance I(DR) to activate a neuroprotective mechanism against Ca²⁺-mediated hyperexcitability in neurons.