These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Effects of serotonin on caudal raphe neurons: inhibition of N- and P/Q-type calcium channels and the afterhyperpolarization.
    Author: Bayliss DA, Li YW, Talley EM.
    Journal: J Neurophysiol; 1997 Mar; 77(3):1362-74. PubMed ID: 9084603.
    Abstract:
    We characterized whole cell barium currents through calcium channels and investigated the effects of serotonin (5-HT) on calcium channel currents and firing behavior in visualized caudal raphe neurons of the neonatal rat in brain stem slices (n = 201). A subpopulation of recorded neurons was recovered after staining for tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the 5-HT synthesizing enzyme (n = 21); of those cells, 86% were TPH immunoreactive, suggesting that the majority of recorded neurons was serotonergic. Calcium channel currents began to activate at about -40 mV in caudal raphe neurons and showed a peak amplitude of 952.2 +/- 144.2 (SE) pA at -10 mV. A small low-voltage activated current was also observed (approximately 22 pA). Calcium channel currents were potently inhibited by bath-applied 5-HT in most cells tested (approximately 90%). The EC50 for inhibition of calcium current by 5-HT was 0.1 microM; a saturating concentration (1.0 microM) blocked approximately 40% of the current evoked at 0 mV from a holding potential of -70 mV (n = 101). Current inhibition was associated with a slowing of activation kinetics and a shift in the peak of the current-voltage relationship, and was partially relieved by strong depolarizations. Current inhibition by 5-HT was mimicked by 8-OH-DPAT, a specific 5-HT1A agonist, and blocked by the 5-HT1a antagonists NAN 190 and (+) WAY 100135, but was unaffected by ketanserin, a 5-HT2A/C antagonist. omega-Conotoxin GVIA (omega-CgTx)-sensitive N-type channels and omega-agatoxin IVA (omega-AgaIVA)-sensitive P/Q-type channels together accounted for most of the calcium current (36 and 37%, respectively). Nimodipine had no effect on the calcium current, indicating that caudal raphe neurons do not express dihydropyridine-sensitive L-type currents. A substantial residual current (27%) remained after application of omega-CgTx, omega-AgaIVA, and nimodipine. Most of the 5-HT-sensitive calcium current was blocked by omega-CgTx and omega-AgaIVA; 5-HT had little effect on the residual current. Inhibition of calcium current by 5-HT was irreversible when GTP gamma S, a nonhydrolyzable guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) analogue, was substituted for GTP in the pipette. In addition, the effects of 5-HT were blocked by pretreating slices with pertussis toxin (PTX). Together these data indicate that inhibition of N- and P/Q-type calcium current in serotonergic caudal raphe neurons is mediated by a 5-HT1A receptor via PTX-sensitive G proteins. Under current clamp, calcium channel toxins (omega-CgTx and omega-AgaIVA) and 5-HT each caused a decrease in the spike afterhyperpolarization and enhanced the repetitive firing response to injected current. The similar effects of 5-HT and the calcium channel toxins on firing behavior suggest that those effects of 5-HT were secondary to inhibition of N- and P/Q-type calcium channels.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]