title: Cytoplasmic alkalinization increases high-threshold calcium current in chick dorsal root ganglion neurones.
abstract: Changes of calcium currents with intracellular pH (pHi) were investigated in chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurones. High-threshold calcium currents decreased after extracellular application of a permeable weak acid, sodium acetate (CH3COONa), and increased when applying a permeable weak base, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), whereas both compounds were ineffective against the low-threshold calcium current. These weak electrolytes, employed to change pHi, did not alter the kinetic and steady-state parameters of activation and inactivation of the calcium current. Extracellular application of concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin to elevate pHi increased the high-threshold calcium current. Their effect developed within 2-5 min and was independent of lectin concentration varied from 0.1 to 1 mg/ml. The lectin effects were greatly diminished if Na/H exchange was blocked by amiloride or suppressed by low external sodium. Succinilated Con A and Con A in the presence of D-mannose were less effective. Calcium currents were recorded simultaneously with the pHi, monitored with a proton-sensitive microelectrode. It was found that 50% inhibition of the calcium current occurred at pHi of 6.5. Histidine-specific reagents--diethylpyrocarbonate, Rose Bengal and Methylene Blue--prevented the modulation of the calcium conductance by CH3COONa and NH4Cl. Extracellular baclofen and theophylline or intracellular phorbol esters, staurosporine, calmodulin antagonists R24571 and W-13, and neomycine failed to prevent the modulation of the calcium current by weak electrolytes. These observations are consistent with an interaction between intracellular protons and calcium channels.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry, Planegg-Martinsried, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mironov
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Lux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003208:Concanavalin A; D002118:Calcium