title: Tumor necrosis factor modulates Ca2+ currents in cultured sympathetic neurons.
abstract: The effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF) on calcium currents of cultured neurons from neonatal rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG) was studied using whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We found that rhTNF-treated SCG neurons exhibited increased calcium current density without significant alteration in the steady-state parameters of activation and availability. The fraction of the current sensitive to dihydropyridines and omega-conotoxin also remained unchanged. Recovery from slow inactivation of the current, but not recovery from fast inactivation, was prolonged in rhTNF-treated cells when compared to that of control cells. We conclude that immune peptides such as rhTNF can alter cellular functions of sympathetic neurons via modulating ionic conductances. However, these changes observed in calcium currents of SCG neurons cannot account for the effect of rhTNF on norepinephrine secretion observed in a previous study. It is proposed that rhTNF exerts an additional effect at a later event in the exocytotic process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soliven
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albert
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001464:Barium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004553:Electric Conductivity / Q000187:drug effects; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020960:omega-Conotoxins
chemical_list: D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020960:omega-Conotoxins; C053423:Conus magus toxin; D001464:Barium; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium