title: Alpha subunit of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase enhances excitatory amino acid and synaptic responses of rat spinal dorsal horn neurons.
abstract: 1. Here we report that in acutely isolated rat spinal dorsal horn (DH) neurons, the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA)/kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors can be regulated by endogenous and exogenous calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-KII). Intracellularly applied, the alpha-subunit of CaM-KII enhanced AMPA/kainate and NMDA currents recorded with the use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique. 2. Microcystin, a nonselective phosphatases inhibitor, also enhances AMPA and NMDA responses. 3. Conventional intracellular recordings were made from substantia gelatinosa neurons in spinal cord slices to determine the effect of intracellular application of CaM-KII on excitatory synaptic potentials evoked by electrical stimulation of primary afferent fibers. Excitatory synaptic transmission was enhanced by CaM-KII, which is consistent with the importance of phosphorylation of the postsynaptic AMPA/kainate and NMDA receptor-ion complexes in the short- and long-term changes in synaptic transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolaj
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cerne
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brickey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Randić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000502:physiology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases