Selective Synaptic Actions of Thiopental and Its Enantiomers

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 884-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Dickinson ◽  
Sara L. M. de Sousa ◽  
William R. Lieb ◽  
Nicholas P. Franks
Keyword(s):  
Charge Transfer ◽  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
General Anesthetic ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Gabaergic Synapses ◽  
Gabaergic Synaptic Transmission

Background There is conflicting evidence concerning the extent to which the intravenous general anesthetic thiopental acts by enhancing inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated (GABAergic) synaptic transmission or by inhibiting excitatory glutamatergic transmission. Yet there are remarkably few studies on the effects of thiopental on functional synapses. In addition, the degree of stereoselectivity of thiopental acting at synapses has yet to be tested. Methods The actions of thiopental and its enantiomers on GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses were investigated using voltage clamp techniques on microisland cultures of rat hippocampal neurons, a preparation that avoids the confounding effects of complex neuronal networks. Results Racemic thiopental markedly enhanced the charge transfer at GABAergic synapses without significantly affecting the peak of the postsynaptic current. At a surgically relevant concentration (25 microm), charge transfer was increased by approximately 230%. However, even at twice this concentration there were no significant effects on glutamatergic postsynaptic currents. At GABAergic synapses, thiopental acted stereoselectively, with the S(-) enantiomer being approximately twice as effective as the R(+) enantiomer at enhancing charge transfer. Conclusions Thiopental stereoselectively enhances inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission in a way that reflects animal potencies, supporting the idea that this is a principal mode of action for this drug. The absence of any effect on glutamatergic synapses at surgically relevant concentrations suggests that the inhibition of these excitatory synapses is not an important factor in producing thiopental general anesthesia.

Role of Presynaptic L-Type Ca2+ Channels in GABAergic Synaptic Transmission in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 1225-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimmo Jensen ◽  
Morten Skovgaard Jensen ◽  
John D. C. Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Transmitter Release ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Tetanic Stimulation ◽  
Vesicle Release ◽  
Gabaergic Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Cultured Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
40 Hz

Role of presynaptic L-type Ca2+ channels in GABAergic synaptic transmission in cultured hippocampal neurons. Using dual whole cell patch-clamp recordings of monosynaptic GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons, we have previously demonstrated posttetanic potentiation (PTP) of IPSCs. Tetanic stimulation of the GABAergic neuron leads to accumulation of Ca2+ in the presynaptic terminals. This enhances the probability of GABA-vesicle release for up to 1 min, which underlies PTP. In the present study, we have examined the effect of altering the probability of release on PTP of IPSCs. Baclofen (10 μM), which depresses presynaptic Ca2+ entry through N- and P/Q-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs), caused a threefold greater enhancement of PTP than did reducing [Ca2+]o to 1.2 mM, which causes a nonspecific reduction in Ca2+ entry. This finding prompted us to investigate whether presynaptic L-type VDCCs contribute to the Ca2+ accumulation in the boutons during spike activity. The L-type VDCC antagonist, nifedipine (10 μM), had no effect on single IPSCs evoked at 0.2 Hz but reduced the PTP evoked by a train of 40 Hz for 2 s by 60%. Another L-type VDCC antagonist, isradipine (5 μM), similarly inhibited PTP by 65%. Both L-type VDCC blockers also depressed IPSCs during the stimulation (i.e., they increased tetanic depression). The L-type VDCC “agonist” (−)BayK 8644 (4 μM) had no effect on PTP evoked by a train of 40 Hz for 2 s, which probably saturated the PTP process, but enhanced PTP evoked by a train of 1 s by 91%. In conclusion, the results indicate that L-type VDCCs do not participate in low-frequency synchronous transmitter release, but contribute to presynaptic Ca2+ accumulation during high-frequency activity. This helps maintain vesicle release during tetanic stimulation and also enhances the probability of transmitter release during the posttetanic period, which is manifest as PTP. Involvement of L-type channels in these processes represents a novel presynaptic regulatory mechanism at fast CNS synapses.

Effects of general anesthetics on synaptic transmission and plasticity

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimcy Platholi ◽  
Hugh C. Hemmings Jr
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Anesthetic Agent ◽  
General Anesthetics ◽  
General Anesthetic ◽  
Synaptic Structure ◽  
Gabaergic Synapses ◽  
Voltage Gated Ion Channels ◽  
Higher Order Functions

: General anesthetics depress excitatory and/or enhance inhibitory synaptic transmission principally by modulating the function of glutamatergic or GABAergic synapses, respectively, with relative anesthetic agent-specific mechanisms. Synaptic signaling proteins, including ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels, are targeted by general anesthetics to modulate various synaptic mechanisms including presynaptic neurotransmitter release, postsynaptic receptor signaling, and dendritic spine dynamics to produce their characteristic acute neurophysiological effects. As synaptic structure and plasticity mediate higher-order functions such as learning and memory, long-term synaptic dysfunction following anesthesia may lead to undesirable neurocognitive consequences depending on specific anesthetic agent and the vulnerability of population. Here we review the cellular and molecular mechanisms of transient and persistent general anesthetic alterations of synaptic transmission and plasticity.

Contrasting Synaptic Actions of the Inhalational General Anesthetics Isoflurane and Xenon

2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 1055-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. M. de Sousa ◽  
Robert Dickinson ◽  
William R. Lieb ◽  
Nicholas P. Franks
Keyword(s):  
Charge Transfer ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Minimum Alveolar Concentration ◽  
Slow Component ◽  
Kainate Receptor ◽  
Total Charge ◽  
General Anesthetics ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Excitatory Postsynaptic Current ◽  
Inhibitory Postsynaptic Current

Background The mechanisms by which the inhalational general anesthetics isoflurane and xenon exert their effects are unknown. Moreover, there have been surprisingly few quantitative studies of the effects of these agents on central synapses, with virtually no information available regarding the actions of xenon. Methods The actions of isoflurane and xenon on gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated (GABAergic) and glutamatergic synapses were investigated using voltage-clamp techniques on autaptic cultures of rat hippocampal neurons, a preparation that avoids the confounding effects of complex neuronal networks. Results Isoflurane exerts its greatest effects on GABAergic synapses, causing a marked increase in total charge transfer (by approximately 70% at minimum alveolar concentration) through the inhibitory postsynaptic current. This effect is entirely mediated by an increase in the slow component of the inhibitory postsynaptic current. At glutamatergic synapses, isoflurane has smaller effects, but it nonetheless significantly reduces the total charge transfer (by approximately 30% at minimum alveolar concentration) through the excitatory postsynaptic current, with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptor-mediated components being roughly equally sensitive. Xenon has no measurable effect on GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents or on currents evoked by exogenous application of GABA, but it substantially inhibits total charge transfer (by approximately 60% at minimum alveolar concentration) through the excitatory postsynaptic current. Xenon selectively inhibits the NMDA receptor-mediated component of the current but has little effect on the AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated component. Conclusions For both isoflurane and xenon, the most important targets appear to be postsynaptic. The authors' results show that isoflurane and xenon have very different effects on GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic transmission, and this may account for their differing pharmacologic profiles.

scholarly journals Presynaptically silent synapses are modulated by the density of surrounding astrocytes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kohei Oyabu ◽  
Kotomi Takeda ◽  
Hiroyuki Kawano ◽  
Kaori Kubota ◽  
Takuya Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Countable Number ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Readily Releasable Pool ◽  
Silent Synapses ◽  
Patch Clamp Electrophysiology ◽  
Lower Ratio

ABSTRACTThe astrocyte, a major glial cell type, is involved in formation and maturation of synapses, and thus contributes to sustainable synaptic transmission between neurons. Given that the animals in the higher phylogenetic tree have brains with higher density of glial cells with respect to neurons, there is a possibility that the relative astrocytic density directly influences synaptic transmission. However, the notion has not been tested thoroughly. Here we addressed it, by using a primary culture preparation where single hippocampal neurons are surrounded by a variable but countable number of cortical astrocytes in dot-patterned microislands, and recording synaptic transmission by patch-clamp electrophysiology. Neurons with a higher astrocytic density showed a higher amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) than that of neurons with a lower astrocytic density. The size of readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles per neuron was significantly higher. The frequency of spontaneous synaptic transmission (miniature EPSC) was higher, but the amplitude was unchanged. The number of morphologically identified glutamatergic synapses was unchanged, but the number of functional ones was increased, indicating a lower ratio of presynaptically silent synapses. Taken together, the higher astrocytic density enhanced excitatory synaptic transmission by increasing the number of functional synapses through presynaptic un-silencing.

scholarly journals The mood stabilizer lithium slows down synaptic vesicle cycling at glutamatergic synapses

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willcyn Tang ◽  
Bradley Cory ◽  
Kah Leong Lim ◽  
Marc Fivaz
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Vesicle ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Mood Stabilizer ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Vesicle Cycling ◽  
Automated Image Processing ◽  
The Impact

AbstractLithium is a mood stabilizer broadly used to prevent and treat symptoms of mania and depression in people with bipolar disorder (BD). Little is known, however, about its mode of action. Here, we analyzed the impact of lithium on synaptic vesicle (SV) cycling at presynaptic terminals releasing glutamate, a neurotransmitter previously implicated in BD and other neuropsychiatric conditions. We used the pHluorin-based synaptic tracer vGpH and a fully automated image processing pipeline to quantify the effect of lithium on both SV exocytosis and endocytosis in hippocampal neurons. We found that lithium selectively reduces SV exocytic rates during electrical stimulation, and markedly slows down SV recycling post-stimulation. Analysis of single bouton responses revealed the existence of functionally distinct excitatory synapses with varying sensitivity to lithium ― some terminals show responses similar to untreated cells, while others are markedly impaired in their ability to recycle SVs. While the cause of this heterogeneity is unclear, these data indicate that lithium interacts with the SV machinery and influences glutamate release in a large fraction of excitatory synapses. Together, our findings show that lithium down modulates SV cycling, an effect consistent with clinical reports indicating hyperactivation of glutamate neurotransmission in BD.

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