title: Pharmacological characterization of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels present in synaptosomes from rat and chicken central nervous system.
abstract: The voltage-dependent calcium channels present in mammalian and chicken brain synaptosomes were characterized pharmacologically using specific blockers of L-type channels (1,4-dihydropyridines), N-type channels (omega-conotoxin GVIA), and P-type channels [funnel web toxin (FTX) and omega-agatoxin IVA]. K(+)-induced Ca2+ uptake by chicken synaptosomes was blocked by omega-conotoxin GVIA (IC50 = 250 nM). This toxin at 5 microM did not block Ca2+ entry into rat frontal cortex synaptosomes. FTX and omega-agatoxin IVA blocked Ca2+ uptake by rat synaptosomes (IC50 = 0.17 microliter/ml and 40 nM, respectively). Likewise, in chicken synaptosomes, FTX and omega-agatoxin IVA affected Ca2+ uptake, FTX (3 microliters/ml) exerted a maximal inhibition of 40% with an IC50 similar to the one obtained in rat preparations, whereas with omega-agatoxin IVA saturation was not reached even at 5 microM. In chicken preparations, the combined effect of saturating concentrations of FTX (1 microliter/ml) and different concentrations of omega-conotoxin GVIA showed no additive effects. However, the effect of saturating concentrations of FTX and omega-conotoxin GVIA was never greater than the one observed with omega-conotoxin GVIA. We also found that 60% of the Ca2+ uptake by rat and chicken synaptosomes was inhibited by omega-conotoxin MVIID (1 microM), a toxin that has a high index of discrimination against N-type channels. Conversely, nitrendipine (10 microM) had no significant effect on Ca2+ uptake in either the rat or the chicken. In conclusion, Ca2+ uptake by rat synaptosomes is potently inhibited by different P-type Ca2+ channel blockers, thus indicating that P-type channels are predominant in this preparation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alvarez Maubecin
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rosato Siri
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Cherksey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugimori
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Llinás
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Uchitel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008297:Male; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D011073:Polyamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; C071920:FTX, spider toxin; D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D011073:Polyamines; D002104:Cadmium; D011188:Potassium