title: Extracellular sodium removal increases release of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity from rat brain hypothalamic synaptosomes: involvement of intracellular acidification.
abstract: Rat hypothalamic synaptosomes were exposed via superfusion to various stimuli and the release of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) was measured by means of radioimmunoassay procedures. High KCl (15-50 mM) concentration dependently evoked NPY-LI release; the evoked overflow reached a plateau at 30 mM KCl and was abolished in the absence of Ca2+ ions. Furthermore, a remarkable NPY-LI overflow was obtained when extracellular Na+ ions were removed. Low external Na(+)-evoked NPY-LI release was independent of the presence of Ca2+ ions from the superfusion medium. It is well known that the reduction of external Na+ ions activates the release of several neurotransmitters through an inversion of the uptake-carrier working direction; but such mechanisms, involving Na(+)-dependent uptake, have never been described for neuropeptides. The alteration of the extracellular Na+ concentration is able to modify the concentration of the intracellular Ca2+ and H+ ions. In fact, the concentrations of these two ions are regulated through Na(+)-dependent exchange mechanisms across the membrane. Amiloride, blocking the Na+/H+ exchanger, was able to maintain low Na(+)-evoked NPY-LI release, underlying that the blockade of the exchanger preserves the H+ accumulation induced by the reduction of the external Na+ ions. NPY-LI release could also be stimulated by nigericine, a proton ionophore, showing that the intracellular acidification is responsible for NPY-LI release. Intracellular acidification may stimulate Ca2+ ion release from intracellular stores, as has been shown by other workers. Large dense-core vesicles containing the peptide appear to be more sensitive to local intracellular Ca2+ release compared with extracellular Ca2+ ion entry through voltage-dependent channels.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Catholic University of S. Heart, School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martire
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preziosi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mores
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fuxe
mesh_terms: D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism*; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D010042:Ouabain; D000584:Amiloride; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium