title: Proton-induced transformation in gating and selectivity of the calcium channel in neurons.
abstract: Steady-state elevation of [H+]o inhibits both Ca2+ and Na+ currents in neurons. Step changes in [H+]o, however, induce a transient inward Na+ current (INa(H] in isolated neurons. In outside-out patches of dorsal root ganglion cells, INa(H) was fully activated within 2 ms at pH 6.7, and inactivated with a time constant of 300 ms. Deactivation t1/2 was 3 ms at pH 7.9. INa(H) was blocked by Ca2+ channel blockers. This observation, and the finding that the voltage-gated ICa disappeared rapidly during activation of INa(H) and reappeared with inactivation of INa(H), suggested that INa(H) occurs through a transformed Ca2+ channel. The proton-sensitive site was located at the external mouth of Ca2+ channel. The single channel conductance of INa(H) was 28 ps in symmetrical 120 mM NaCl solutions. Increase of [H+]o during the activation of ICa suppressed ICa within 2 ms. Our studies suggest that the Ca2+ channel exists in two conformational states; a voltage-gated Ca2+-transporting state, and a proton-gated Na+-transporting state. The dominance of the proton-gated state over the voltage-gated state suggests that proton modification of the Ca2+ channel may be extremely important in neurophysiological and neurosecretory function.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physiology, Philadelphia 19104.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D011522:Protons; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011522:Protons; D015222:Sodium Channels; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D012964:Sodium