Ca2+ Ions Block and Permeate Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Channels in Rat Hippocampal Interneurons

2003 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 1864-1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes A. van Hooft ◽  
Wytse J. Wadman

The serotonin 5-HT3receptor native to rat hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum interneurons is blocked by Ca2+ ions in a dose- and voltage-dependent manner, which is reflected by a region of negative slope conductance in the I-V curve. The steep dependence on the extracellular Ca2+concentration suggests that the channel contains more than one binding site for Ca2+. A three barrier-two site model, based on Eyring rate theory, was used to describe the I-Vcurves. When extra- and intracellular K+ and Cs+ were substituted with Na+, the I-V curves were accurately fit by the model, unlike the I-V curves recorded under standard ionic conditions. This suggests that the K+ and Cs+ permeabilities are small compared with that of Na+. The distribution of the energy barriers and binding sites for Ca2+ and Na+ showed that the binding sites are located at approximately the 13′ and the –4′ position in the ion channel. The model predicts that at large hyperpolarized membrane potentials (more negative than −120 mV), the fractional Ca2+ current amounts to approximately 1% of the total ion current. However, at physiologically relevant membrane potentials, the fractional Ca2+ current is smaller (<0.1%) and the relative Ca2+permeability ( P Ca/ P Na) is estimated to be 0.10 at –60 mV.

1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (5) ◽  
pp. H1693-H1704
Author(s):  
C. F. Starmer ◽  
A. I. Undrovinas ◽  
F. Scamps ◽  
G. Vassort ◽  
V. V. Nesterenko ◽  
...  

The effect on calcium channels of the sodium channel antagonist, ethacizin, was studied in isolated frog ventricular cells using the whole cell voltage-clamp methodology. Ethacizin was found to block inward calcium current in a frequency-, voltage-, and concentration-dependent manner. The frequency-dependent blocking properties were modeled by considering the drug interaction with a voltage-dependent mixture of calcium channels harboring either an accessible or an inaccessible binding site. With repetitive stimulation, the pulse-to-pulse reduction in peak current is shown to be exponential, with a rate linearly related to the interstimulus interval and the drug concentration. Observed frequency- and concentration-dependent blocks were consistent with the predictions of the model, and mixture-specific rate constants were estimated from these data. The negligible shift in channel inactivation and the reduction of apparent binding and unbinding rates with more polarized membrane potentials imply the active moiety of ethacizin blocks open channels and is trapped within the channel at resting membrane potentials. The binding rate at 0 mV is similar to that observed in studies of interactions of other open channel blocking agents with voltage- and ligand-gated channels.


2002 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Prince ◽  
Richard A. Pennington ◽  
Steven M. Sine

We used single-channel kinetic analysis to study the inhibitory effects of tacrine on human adult nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) transiently expressed in HEK 293 cells. Single channel recording from cell-attached patches revealed concentration- and voltage-dependent decreases in mean channel open probability produced by tacrine (IC50 4.6 μM at −70 mV, 1.6 μM at −150 mV). Two main effects of tacrine were apparent in the open- and closed-time distributions. First, the mean channel open time decreased with increasing tacrine concentration in a voltage-dependent manner, strongly suggesting that tacrine acts as an open-channel blocker. Second, tacrine produced a new class of closings whose duration increased with increasing tacrine concentration. Concentration dependence of closed-times is not predicted by sequential models of channel block, suggesting that tacrine blocks the nAChR by an unusual mechanism. To probe tacrine's mechanism of action we fitted a series of kinetic models to our data using maximum likelihood techniques. Models incorporating two tacrine binding sites in the open receptor channel gave dramatically improved fits to our data compared with the classic sequential model, which contains one site. Improved fits relative to the sequential model were also obtained with schemes incorporating a binding site in the closed channel, but only if it is assumed that the channel cannot gate with tacrine bound. Overall, the best description of our data was obtained with a model that combined two binding sites in the open channel with a single site in the closed state of the receptor.


1989 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
R D Harvey ◽  
R E Ten Eick

The inward-rectifying K+ current (IK1) in cat ventricular myocytes, like inward-rectifying K+ currents in many other preparations, exhibited a negative slope conductance region at hyperpolarized membrane potentials that was time-dependent. This was evident as an inactivation of inward current elicited by hyperpolarizing voltage-clamp pulses resulting in a negative slope region of the steady-state current-voltage relationship at potentials negative to -140 mV. Removing extracellular Na+ prevented the development of the negative slope in this voltage region, suggesting that Na+ can block IK1 channels in a time- and voltage-dependent manner. The time and voltage dependence of Cs+-induced block of IK1 was also examined. Cs+ blocked inward current in a manner similar to that of Na+, but the former was much more potent. The fraction of current blocked by Cs+ in the presence of Na+ was reduced in a time- and voltage-dependent manner, which suggested that these blocking ions compete for a common or at least similar site of action. In the absence of Na+, inactivation of IK1 could also be induced by both Cs+ and Li+. However, Li+ was less potent than Na+ in this respect. Calculation of the voltage sensitivity of current block by each of these ions suggests that the mechanism of block by each is similar.


2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 1095-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Tanaka ◽  
S. Yasumoto ◽  
G. Hattori ◽  
S. Niiyama ◽  
S. Matsuyama ◽  
...  

The mechanisms underlying the depression of evoked fast excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) following superfusion with medium deprived of oxygen and glucose (in vitro ischemia) for a 4-min period in hippocampal CA1 neurons were investigated in rat brain slices. The amplitude of evoked fast EPSCs decreased by 85 ± 7% of the control 4 min after the onset of in vitro ischemia. In contrast, the exogenous glutamate-induced inward currents were augmented, while the spontaneous miniature EPSCs obtained in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 μM) did not change in amplitude during in vitro ischemia. In a normoxic medium, a pair of fast EPSCs was elicited by paired-pulse stimulation (40-ms interval), and the amplitude of the second fast EPSC increased to 156 ± 24% of the first EPSC amplitude. The ratio of paired-pulse facilitation (PPF ratio) increased during in vitro ischemia. Pretreatment of the slices with adenosine 1 (A1) receptor antagonist, 8-cyclopenthyltheophiline (8-CPT) antagonized the depression of the fast EPSCs, in a concentration-dependent manner: in the presence of 8-CPT (1–10 μM), the amplitude of the fast EPSCs decreased by only 20% of the control during in vitro ischemia. In addition, 8-CPT antagonized the enhancement of the PPF ratio during in vitro ischemia. A pair of presynaptic volleys and excitatory postsynaptic field potentials (fEPSPs) were extracellularly recorded in a proximal part of the stratum radiatum in the CA1 region. The PPF ratio for the fEPSPs also increased during in vitro ischemia. On the other hand, the amplitudes of the first and second presynaptic volley, which were abolished by TTX (0.5 μM), did not change during in vitro ischemia. The maximal slope of the Ca2+-dependent action potential of the CA3 neurons, which were evoked in the presence of 8-CPT (1 μM), nifedipine (20 μM), TTX (0.5 μM), and tetraethyl ammonium chloride (20 mM), decreased by 12 ± 6% of the control 4 min after the onset of in vitro ischemia. These results suggest that in vitro ischemia depresses the evoked fast EPSCs mainly via the presynaptic A1 receptors, and the remaining 8-CPT–resistant depression of the fast EPSCs is probably due to a direct inhibition of the Ca2+ influx to the axon terminals.


1997 ◽  
Vol 109 (6) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Polo-Parada ◽  
Stephen J. Korn

L-type Ca2+ channels select for Ca2+ over sodium Na+ by an affinity-based mechanism. The prevailing model of Ca2+ channel permeation describes a multi-ion pore that requires pore occupancy by at least two Ca2+ ions to generate a Ca2+ current. At [Ca2+] &lt; 1 μM, Ca2+ channels conduct Na+. Due to the high affinity of the intrapore binding sites for Ca2+ relative to Na+, addition of μM concentrations of Ca2+ block Na+ conductance through the channel. There is little information, however, about the potential for interaction between Na+ and Ca2+ for the second binding site in a Ca2+ channel already occupied by one Ca2+. The two simplest possibilities, (a) that Na+ and Ca2+ compete for the second binding site or (b) that full time occupancy by one Ca2+ excludes Na+ from the pore altogether, would imply considerably different mechanisms of channel permeation. We are studying permeation mechanisms in N-type Ca2+ channels. Similar to L-type Ca2+ channels, N-type channels conduct Na+ well in the absence of external Ca2+. Addition of 10 μM Ca2+ inhibited Na+ conductance by 95%, and addition of 1 mM Mg2+ inhibited Na+ conductance by 80%. At divalent ion concentrations of 2 mM, 120 mM Na+ blocked both Ca2+ and Ba2+ currents. With 2 mM Ba2+, the IC50 for block of Ba2+ currents by Na+ was 119 mM. External Li+ also blocked Ba2+ currents in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 97 mM. Na+ block of Ba2+ currents was dependent on [Ba2+]; increasing [Ba2+] progressively reduced block with an IC50 of 2 mM. External Na+ had no effect on voltage-dependent activation or inactivation of the channel. These data suggest that at physiological concentrations, Na+ and Ca2+ compete for occupancy in a pore already occupied by a single Ca2+. Occupancy of the pore by Na+ reduced Ca2+ channel conductance, such that in physiological solutions, Ca2+ channel currents are between 50 and 70% of maximal.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar C. Ceballos ◽  
Antonio C. Roque ◽  
Ricardo M. Leão

ABSTRACTA change of the input resistance (Rin) of the neuron involves a change in the membrane conductances by opening and closing of ion channels. In passive membranes, i.e., membranes with only linear leak conductances, the increase or decrease of these conductances leads to a decrease or increase of the Rin and the membrane time constant (τm). However, the presence of subthreshold voltage dependent currents can produce non-linear effects generating deviations from this relationship, especially the contradictory effect of negative conductances, as produced by the sodium-persistent current (INaP), on the Rin. In this work we aimed to analyze experimentally and theoretically the impact of the negative conductance produced by INaP on Rin. Experiments of whole-cell patch-clamp conducted in CA1 hippocampus pyramidal cells from brain slices showed a paradoxical voltage-dependent decrease of the Rin and the τm in subthreshold membrane potentials close to the firing threshold after the perfusion with TTX, which inhibits INaP. This effect is postulated to be a result of the negative slope conductance in the subthreshold region produced by this conductance. The analysis of the experimental data, together with simulations found that the slope conductance of INaP is negative for subthreshold membrane potentials and its magnitude is voltage dependent in the same range observed for the voltage-dependence of Rin and τm. The injection of an artificial INaP using dynamic-clamp in the presence of TTX restored the Rin and τm to its original values. Additionally the injection of an artificial leak current with a negative conductance in the presence of TTX restored the Rin and τm as the artificial Inap did. On the other hand, the injection of an artificial leak current with a positive conductance in the presence of TTX had no effect on the Rin and τm. We conclude that INaP increases the Rin and τm by the negative slope conductance observed in its non-monotonic I-V relationship. These results demonstrate that the effect of Inap on Rin and τm is stronger in potentials near the firing threshold, which could potentiate the temporal summation of the EPSPs increasing their temporal integration and facilitating action potential firing. Because of its negative slope conductance, INaP is more effective in increasing excitability near threshold than a depolarizing leak current.


2001 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyi Shi ◽  
Jianmin Cui

BK channels modulate neurotransmitter release due to their activation by voltage and Ca2+. Intracellular Mg2+ also modulates BK channels in multiple ways with opposite effects on channel function. Previous single-channel studies have shown that Mg2+ blocks the pore of BK channels in a voltage-dependent manner. We have confirmed this result by studying macroscopic currents of the mslo1 channel. We find that Mg2+ activates mslo1 BK channels independently of Ca2+ and voltage by preferentially binding to their open conformation. The mslo3 channel, which lacks Ca2+ binding sites in the tail, is not activated by Mg2+. However, coexpression of the mslo1 core and mslo3 tail produces channels with Mg2+ sensitivity similar to mslo1 channels, indicating that Mg2+ sites differ from Ca2+ sites. We discovered that Mg2+ also binds to Ca2+ sites and competitively inhibits Ca2+-dependent activation. Quantitative computation of these effects reveals that the overall effect of Mg2+ under physiological conditions is to enhance BK channel function.


1991 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 1329-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Lovinger

1. The effect of micromolar concentrations of divalent metal cations on ion current activated by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was investigated in NCB-20 neuroblastoma cells by the use of the whole-cell, patch-clamp technique. 2. Ion current activated by 5-HT in these cells was mimicked by 5-HT3 receptor agonists, blocked by nanomolar concentrations of selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and reversed polarity at approximately 0 mV. These properties indicate that this current is carried primarily if not exclusively by the nonspecific cation channel activated by the 5-HT3 receptor. 3. The Group IIb metal cations Cd2+ and Zn2+ and the Group Ib cation Cu2+ inhibited 5-HT-activated current with inhibition increasing in a concentration-dependent manner over micromolar concentrations of the ions. The order of potency of the ions for inhibiting 5-HT-activated current was Zn2+ (IC50 = 20 microM) greater than or equal to Cu2+ (IC50 = 25 microM) greater than Cd2+ (IC50 = 75 microM) at -50 mV. The other divalent metal cations tested (Ba2+, Co2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+) produced little or no inhibition of 5-HT-activated current at concentrations up to 200 microM. 4. Inhibition of 5-HT-activated current by Cd2+ and Zn2+ was dependent on membrane potential with the Kd increasing e-fold per 72 and 52 mV, respectively. Inhibition by Cu2+ was much less voltage dependent with the Kd increasing e-fold per 233 mV. 5. Inhibition by all three cations decreased with increasing concentration of agonist over a range of 5-HT concentrations from 1 to 10 microM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1992 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1633-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Takahashi ◽  
D. R. Copenhagen

1. Membrane potentials and cone-driven light responses were recorded from the H1-type horizontal cells in isolated retinas. Membrane potentials and intracellular pH were recorded also in enzymatically dissociated solitary horizontal cells. 2. In isolated retinas the glutamate analogue 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB) hyperpolarized horizontal cells and reduced their light responses in a dose-dependent manner (5-200 microM). 3. The action of APB depended on the formulation of the saline; APB was effective in L-15 saline buffered with N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) but not in a commonly used, nominally CO2-free bicarbonate/Tris-buffered saline. 4. The major factor controlling the potency of APB was intracellular pH. APB was ineffective during retinal perfusion with NH4Cl-containing or CO2-free bicarbonate saline, both of which are known to alkalinize cells. In contrast, APB was effective in salines formulated to acidify the retinal neurons. These included both HEPES and Tris-buffered salines containing a weak acid and bicarbonate/Tris-buffered saline gassed with CO2. 5. APB reduced the size of glutamate-evoked depolarizations in solitary horizontal cells but had no independent action in the absence of glutamate. This reduction of glutamate-induced depolarization was observed in salines formulated to block voltage-dependent calcium and potassium currents. 6. The magnitude of APB's antagonistic action on solitary horizontal cells increased in a dose-dependent manner from 10 to 200 microM. The antagonism was increased by intracellular acidification and was reduced or eliminated by alkalinization. 7. We conclude that APB can reduce glutamate-evoked and, by inference, the photoreceptor neurotransmitter-evoked depolarization of horizontal cells by acting directly on the horizontal cells. This effect of APB is modulated by intracellular pH.


1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 978-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Baxter ◽  
J. H. Byrne

1. In somata of sensory neurons in the pleural ganglia of Aplysia californica, serotonin (5-HT) modulates at least three K+ currents: the S K+ current (IK,S), a slow component of the Ca2(+)-activated K+ current (IK,Ca), and the delayed or voltage-dependent K+ current (IK,V). The modulation of IK,S and the slow component of IK,Ca by 5-HT has been shown previously to be mediated via adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). To determine whether the modulation of IK,V by 5-HT also is mediated via cAMP, we used two-electrode voltage-clamp techniques to compare the modulation of membrane current by cAMP and 5-HT. 2. Current responses were elicited by brief (200 ms) voltage-clamp pulses before and after the bath application of analogues of cAMP. At all voltage-clamp potentials examined (-40-30 mV), analogues of cAMP reduced the amplitude of the current response. The properties of the cAMP-sensitive component of membrane current were revealed by computer subtraction of current responses elicited in the presence of the analogue of cAMP from current responses elicited before application of the analogue. The characteristics of the resulting cAMP difference current (IcAMP) suggested that cAMP modulated a component of membrane current that was relatively voltage independent, did not inactivate, and was active over a wide range of membrane potentials. In addition, the current-voltage (I-V) relationship of the cAMP difference current had a positive slope. These properties of the cAMP difference current were consistent with those of IK,S but did not indicate that IK,V was modulated by cAMP. 3. The cAMP-independent modulation of membrane current by 5-HT was examined by eliciting current responses first in the presence of an analogue of cAMP and again after the addition of 5-HT to the bath, which still contained the analogue. The presence of the analogue of cAMP occluded further modulation of IK,S by 5-HT. However, the analogue of cAMP did not occlude the modulation of IK,V by 5-HT. This cAMP-independent effect of 5-HT on membrane current was revealed by computer subtraction of current responses elicited in the presence of 5-HT from current responses elicited before the application of 5-HT (the analogue of cAMP was present throughout). The resulting cAMP-independent 5-HT difference current (I5-HT) was highly voltage dependent, had complex kinetics, and its I-V relationship had a negative slope at membrane potentials above 0 mV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


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