title: A role for calcineurin in the desensitization of the P2X3 receptor.
abstract: The sensory neurone-specific ATP-gated cation channel P2X3, when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, desensitizes rapidly. Complete removal of extracellular calcium abolishes desensitization. Pretreatment of oocytes with cyclosporin also abolishes P2X3 desensitization. When the calcineurin auto-inhibitory peptide (CaN A457-481) was injected into oocytes, the rate of desensitization of P2X3 decreased on consecutive applications of ATP, suggesting a role for calcineurin in the regulation of desensitization. Truncated P2X3 clones initiating at Met-75 lack the N-terminal intracellular region, but express functional channels in oocytes that do not desensitize. Taken together, these data suggest that P2X3 desensitizes through a calcium-dependent calcineurin-mediated dephosphorylation involving N-terminal residues that are phosphorylated in functional channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College, London, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Akopian
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnstock
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000502:physiology*; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology*; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3; D019703:Calcineurin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D002118:Calcium