Intracellular calcium and outer hair cell electromotility.

The influence of increased intracellular calcium level on outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility was examined by means of transcellular electrical stimulation in a partitioning microchamber. Electromotile activity was measured before and after application of the calcium ionophore ionomycin, which promotes the inflow of extracellular calcium, as well as its release from intracellular calcium stores. The ionomycin solvent, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), by itself elicited a significant decrease in the magnitude of OHC electromotility. The DMSO effect was counteracted by 10 microM ionomycin and was reversed by 50 microM ionomycin. The increase in electromotility is partially mediated by a calmodulin-dependent mechanism, since W7, a calmodulin antagonist, attenuated the 50 microM ionomycin-induced motility increase. Our results suggest that the electromotility magnitude increase in isolated OHCs due to ionomycin is a calcium/calmodulin-dependent phenomenon.

Phosphorylation mediates the influence of acetylcholine upon outer hair cell electromotility.

Isolated guinea-pig outer hair cells (OHCs) (n = 52) were inserted into a partitioning microchamber and electromotility was measured by a calibrated optoelectronic apparatus. Acetylcholine (ACh), and ACh together with different protein kinase inhibitors, were applied to OHCs through a puffer pipette. ACh produced a magnitude increase of electromotility. This magnitude increase was inhibited by co-application of KN-62, a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII) inhibitor. Simultaneous application of ACh and H-89, a selective protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, did not antagonize the ACh response. Further support for the CAMKII-mediated ACh influence on electromotility is that the magnitude increase is also inhibited by the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine (TFP) and by the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor thapsigargin. The results suggest an essential role of calcium in the ACh-mediated increase of the magnitude of electromotility. Elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration apparently activates CAMKII which, in turn, phosphorylates membrane or cytoskeletal substrate(s). This molecular modification probably leads to reduced axial cell stiffness and subsequent increase of the electromotile response.

Cyclic GMP and outer hair cell electromotility.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of phosphorylation pathways on the electrically evoked fast motile response of isolated outer hair cells (OHCs). Transcellular electrical stimulation was applied in the microchamber to guinea pig OHCs and motility was measured before and after drug application. Forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, protein kinase C activator) and dibutyryl 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP agonist) were studied. As controls, L15 medium and dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) were used. In each group, 12 cells were measured. Forskolin and PMA were dissolved in 0.1% DMSO to render them membrane permeable. DMSO by itself caused a statistically significant electromotility magnitude decrease. Forskolin and PMA could not reverse the motility decrease due to DMSO, the effects seen in their presence were the same as observed with DMSO alone. Thus, neither 3',5'-cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase nor calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase appear to have modulatory effects on electromotility. Dibutyryl cGMP (DBcGMP), in concentrations of 200 microM, elicited a significant electromotility magnitude increase. The DBcGMP effect could be inhibited by co-application of 200 microM DBcGMP and 100 microM 8-Rp-pCPT-cGMPS (8-4-chlorophenylthio-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate, Rp isomer, a cGMP antagonist). Our results suggest that OHC electromotility is modulated by a cGMP-dependent pathway.

Acetylcholine-induced phosphorylation in isolated outer hair cells.

Two groups of isolated, surviving outer hair cells (OHCs) of guinea pig cochleas (n = 20, for each group) were treated with 10 microM acetylcholine or acetylcholine plus strichnine (an alpha9 nAChR antagonist), respectively, under short-term tissue culture conditions. The protein content of the cell homogenates was separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotted and labelled with an antibody against phosphoserine residues. Signals were detected using the ECL system. Acetylcholine challenge of the OHCs resulted in a difference in the pattern of phosphorylated proteins from those of strichnine pretreated cells. A 220 kDa and a 120 kDa protein expressed a more intense phosphorylated state in the ACh group compared with the ACh plus strichnine group. The 220 kDa phosphoprotein is in the range of the cytoskeletal protein beta-fodrin, whereas the 120 kDa fraction is similar to alpha-fodrin or an ankyrin isoform. Phosphorylation of proteins due to activation of the AChR by agonist can play a role in the signalling mechanism between receptor activation and increase in the electromotile capability of isolated OHCs.

Synthesis of 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl O-(L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl)-(1----7)-O-(L-glycero-alpha- D-manno- heptopyranosyl)-(1----3)-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside, corresponding to the heptose region of the Salmonella Ra core structure.

The title trisaccharide was synthesized from methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside by acetolysis, followed by conversion into ethyl thioglycosides and also glycosyl bromides, which were both used in glycosylation reactions. In glycosylations using thioglycosides as glycosyl donors, N-iodosuccinimide-silver triflate and dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate were used as promoters, and in glycosylations with glycosyl bromides silver triflate was used. The protecting groups introduced into intermediates during the synthesis of the title trisaccharide were designed to allow later glycosylation at O-3' to give larger oligosaccharide fragments of the Salmonella LPS core region, and also to allow the introduction of phosphate groups at O-4 and O-4', a structural element that is suggested to be present in the Ra core.

Synthesis of methyl 3-O-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-7-O-(L-glycero-alpha-D- manno-heptopyranosyl)-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside.

The title trisaccharide glycoside, which is related to part of the core region of the lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella, and the disaccharide glycosides methyl 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside and methyl 7-O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno- heptopyranoside have been synthesised. Methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno- heptopyranoside, obtained via a one-carbon elongation at C-6 of methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-manno- hexodialdo-1,5-pyranoside, was used as precursor both for the heptosyl donor and acceptor.