Inhibitory transmission in locus coeruleus neurons expressing GABAA receptor epsilon subunit has a number of unique properties.

Fast inhibitory synaptic transmission in the brain relies on ionotropic GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)R). Eighteen genes code for GABA(A)R subunits, but little is known about the epsilon subunit. Our aim was to identify the synaptic transmission properties displayed by native receptors incorporating epsilon. Immunogold localization detected epsilon at synaptic sites on locus coeruleus (LC) neurons. In situ hybridization revealed prominent signals from epsilon, and mRNAs, some low beta1 and beta3 signals, and no gamma signal. Using in vivo extracellular and in vitro patch-clamp recordings in LC, we established that neuron firing rates, GABA-activated currents, and mIPSC charge were insensitive to the benzodiazepine flunitrazepam (FLU), in agreement with the characteristics of recombinant receptors including an epsilon subunit. Surprisingly, LC provided binding sites for benzodiazepines, and GABA-induced currents were potentiated by diazepam (DZP) in the micromolar range. A number of GABA(A)R ligands significantly potentiated GABA-induced currents, and zinc ions were only active at concentrations above 1 muM, further indicating that receptors were not composed of only alpha and beta subunits, but included an epsilon subunit. In contrast to recombinant receptors including an epsilon subunit, GABA(A)R in LC showed no agonist-independent opening. Finally, we determined that mIPSCs, as well as ensemble currents induced by ultra-fast GABA application, exhibited surprisingly slow rise times. Our work thus defines the signature of native GABA(A)R with a subunit composition including epsilon: differential sensitivity to FLU and DZP and slow rise time of currents. We further propose that alpha(3,) beta(1/3,) and epsilon subunits compose GABA(A)R in LC.

Unique functional properties of a sensory neuronal P2X ATP-gated channel from zebrafish.

We report here the structural and functional characterization of an ionotropic P2X ATP receptor from the lower vertebrate zebrafish (Danio rerio). The full-length cDNA encodes a 410-amino acid-long channel subunit zP2X(3), which shares only 54% identity with closest mammalian P2X subunits. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes in homomeric form, ATP-gated zP2X(3) channels evoked a unique nonselective cationic current with faster rise time, faster kinetics of desensitization, and slower recovery than any other known P2X channel. Interestingly, the order of agonist potency for this P2X receptor was found similar to that of distantly related P2X(7) receptors, with benzoylbenzoyl ATP (EC(50) = 5 microM) >> ATP (EC(50) = 350 microM) = ADP > alpha,beta-methylene ATP (EC(50) = 480 microM). zP2X(3) receptors are highly sensitive to blockade by the antagonist trinitrophenyl ATP (IC(50) < 5 nM) but are weakly sensitive to the noncompetitive antagonist pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid. zP2X(3) subunit mRNA is exclusively expressed at high levels in trigeminal neurons and Rohon-Beard cells during embryonic development, suggesting that neuronal P2X receptors mediating fast ATP responses were selected early in the vertebrate phylogeny to play an important role in sensory pathways.

Molecular and electrophysiological evidence for a GABAc receptor in thyrotropin-secreting cells.

In the pituitary, GABA regulates the release of several hormones via different receptors. GABA(C) receptors are heterooligomers that differ from GABA(A) receptors in that they contain p-subunits and are insensitive to bicuculline. However, molecular and functional evidence for the presence of GABA(C) receptors outside the retina has yet to be established. The present work was performed on guinea pig and rat pituitaries. Both Northern blot and RT-PCR analysis showed that, although rho1- and rho2-subunits were expressed at similar levels in the rat retina, rho1 messenger RNA (mRNA) was enriched, relative to rho2 mRNA in the rat pituitary. Northern blot experiments also showed that, in the pituitary, rho1 and rho2 mRNAs are shorter in size than those expressed in the retina. The use of a subunit-specific antibody revealed colocalization of rho1-subunit and anti-TSH labeling on rat pituitary sections. TSH guinea pig pituitary cells were also labeled with a rho-subunit antiserum. Moreover, whole-cell patch clamp on single guinea pig TSH cells showed that GABA induced a bicuculline-insensitive Cl- current. In contrast to the Cl- current generated by GABA(C) receptors in the retina, the bicuculline-insensitive Cl- currents in TSH cells quickly desensitized. These results suggest that a novel GABA(C) receptor may regulate TSH secretion and that the structure and/or biochemical regulation of this pituitary receptor is different from that found in the retina.

A protein kinase C site highly conserved in P2X subunits controls the desensitization kinetics of P2X(2) ATP-gated channels.

P2X receptors are nonselective cation channels gated by extracellular ATP. Recombinant mammalian P2X subunits assemble in homomeric ionotropic ATP receptors that differ by their agonist sensitivity and desensitization rate in heterologous expression systems. Using site-directed mutagenesis and voltage clamp recording in Xenopus oocytes, we identified the highly conserved protein kinase C site TX(K/R) located in the intracellular N terminus of P2X subunits as a critical determinant of kinetics in slowly desensitizing (time constant, >1 min) rat P2X(2) receptors. Mutant receptors P2X(2)T18A, T18N, and K20T devoid of this consensus site exhibited quickly desensitizing properties (time constant, <1 s). In contrast with wild-type receptors, mutant P2X(2) receptors with truncated C terminus exhibited variable cell-specific kinetics with quickly desensitizing currents converted to slowly desensitizing currents by phorbol ester-mediated stimulation of protein kinase C. Phosphorylation of Thr(18) was demonstrated directly by immunodetection using specific monoclonal antibodies directed against the phosphothreonine-proline motif. Our data indicate that both phosphorylation of the conserved threonine residue in the N-terminal domain by protein kinase C and interaction between the two cytoplasmic domains of P2X(2) subunits are necessary for the full expression of slowly desensitizing ATP-gated channels.

Functional and biochemical evidence for heteromeric ATP-gated channels composed of P2X1 and P2X5 subunits.

The mammalian P2X receptor gene family encodes two-transmembrane domain nonselective cation channels gated by extracellular ATP. Anatomical localization data obtained by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry have shown that neuronal P2X subunits are expressed in specific but overlapping distribution patterns. Therefore, the native ionotropic ATP receptors diversity most likely arises from interactions between different P2X subunits that generate hetero-multimers phenotypically distinct from homomeric channels. Rat P2X1 and P2X5 mRNAs are localized within common subsets of peripheral and central sensory neurons as well as spinal motoneurons. The present study demonstrates a functional association between P2X1 and P2X5 subunits giving rise to hybrid ATP-gated channels endowed with the pharmacology of P2X1 and the kinetics of P2X5. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, hetero-oligomeric P2X1+5 ATP receptors were characterized by slowly desensitizing currents highly sensitive to the agonist alpha,beta-methylene ATP (EC50 = 1.1 microM) and to the antagonist trinitrophenyl ATP (IC50 = 64 nM), observed with neither P2X1 nor P2X5 alone. Direct physical evidence for P2X1+5 co-assembly was provided by reciprocal subunit-specific co-purifications between epitope-tagged P2X1 and P2X5 subunits transfected in HEK-293A cells.

Expression of GABA receptor rho subunits in rat brain.

The GABA receptor rho1, rho2, and rho3 subunits are expressed in the retina where they form bicuculline-insensitive GABA(C) receptors. We used northern blot, in situ hybridization, and RT-PCR analysis to study the expression of rho subunits in rat brains. In situ hybridization allowed us to detect rho-subunit expression in the superficial gray layer of the superior colliculus and in the cerebellar Purkinje cells. RT-PCR experiments indicated that (a) in retina and in domains that may contain functional GABA(C) receptors, rho2 and rho1 subunits are expressed at similar levels; and (b) in domains and in tissues that are unlikely to contain GABA(C) receptors, rho2 mRNA is enriched relative to rho1 mRNA. These results suggest that both rho1 and rho2 subunits are necessary to form a functional GABA(C) receptor. The use of RT-PCR also showed that, except in the superior colliculus, rho3 is expressed along with rho1 and rho2 subunits. We also raised an antibody against a peptide sequence unique to the rho1 subunit. The use of this antibody on cerebellum revealed the rat rho1 subunit in the soma and dendrites of Purkinje neurons. The allocation of GABA(C) receptor subunits to identified neurons paves the way for future electrophysiological studies.

Regulation of intracellular pH in rat lactotrophs: involvement of anionic exchangers.

Regulation of the intracellular pH (pHi) of normal rat lactotrophs was studied. As this cell type, cultured with 10% FCS, can achieve a relatively alkaline pHi (7.3-7.5), we investigated the presence of a mechanism based on Cl-/HCO3- exchange. Using the pHi-sensitive probe SNARF-1 (seminaphtorodafluor) in its permeant form, SNARF-1/AM, we studied pHi recovery after acidic loading in individual cells with a microspectrofluorometric approach. We showed the involvement of anionic exchange in lactotroph cell pHi regulation. Acute CO2-bicarbonate cell acidic loading combined with external Cl- depletion induces the activation of a Cl-/HCO3- exchange. This exchange is 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid sensitive and corresponds to the type 3 anionic exchanger (AE3). However, after nigericin acidification, Na+/H+ exchange can also participate in recovery. In addition, incubation experiments strongly suggest that a 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid-insensitive anionic exchanger (type 2 anionic exchanger or AE2) is present in rat lactotrophs. The presence and involvement of carbonic anhydrase in pHi regulation have been demonstrated. Finally, using Northern blot and reverse transcription-PCR techniques, messenger RNAs for both AE2 and AE3 were identified in anterior pituitary cell extracts. We concluded that in normal rat lactotrophs, pHi regulation is achieved by a complex system in which Cl-/HCO3- exchange has a pivotal role.

An mRNA encoding a putative GABA-gated chloride channel is expressed in the human cardiac conduction system.

GABA-gated chloride channels are the main inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the CNS. Conserved domains among members of previously described GABAA receptor subunits were used to design degenerate sense and antisense oligonucleotides. A PCR product from this amplification was used to isolate a full-length cDNA. The predicted protein has many of the features shared by other members of the ligand-gated ion channel family. This channel subunit has significant amino acid identity (25-40%) with members of GABAA and GABAC receptor subunits and thus may represent a new subfamily of the GABA receptor channel. Although we cannot rule out that this clone encodes a receptor for an unidentified ligand, it was termed GABA chi. This gene is mainly expressed in placenta and in heart; however, placenta appears to express only an unspliced mRNA. In situ hybridization reveals that the GABA chi subunit mRNA is present in the electrical conduction system of the human heart. Our results suggest that novel GABA receptors expressed outside of the CNS may regulate cardiac function.

Molecular diversity of GABA-gated chloride channels in the rat anterior pituitary.

mRNA expression of GABA-gated Cl(-)-channels in rat antepituitary was evaluated by using an reverse-transcribed (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method with degenerate and specific oligonucleotides. The main result of our findings is that the antepituitary expresses mRNAs encoding alpha 4 and rho 1 GABA receptor subunits. These two subunits are believed to be, respectively, constituents of benzodiazepine-insensitive GABAA and GABAC receptors in the CNS. This molecular analysis is consistent with the pharmacological diversity of GABA receptors in pituitary cells.