title: N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels mediate transmitter release with a similar cooperativity at rat hippocampal autapses.
abstract: The relationship between extracellular Ca2+ concentration and EPSC amplitude was investigated at excitatory autapses on cultured hippocampal neurons. This relationship was steeply nonlinear, implicating the cooperative involvement of several Ca2+ ions in the release of each vesicle of transmitter. The cooperativity was estimated to be 3.1 using a power function fit and 3.3 using a Hill equation fit. However, simulations suggest that these values underestimate the true cooperativity. The role of different Ca2+ channel subtypes in shaping the Ca2+ dose-response relationship was studied using the selective Ca2+ channel blockers omega-agatoxin GIVA (omega-Aga), which blocks P/Q-type channels, and omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CTx), which blocks N-type channels. Both blockers broadened the dose-response relationship, and the Hill coefficient was reduced to 2.5 by omega-Aga and to 2.6 by omega-CTx. This broadening is consistent with a nonuniform distribution of Ca2+ channel subtypes across presynaptic terminals. The similar Hill coefficients in omega-Aga or omega-CTx suggest that there was no difference in the degree of cooperativity for transmitter release mediated via N- or P/Q-type Ca2+ channels. A model of the role of calcium in transmitter release is developed. It is based on a modified Dodge-Rahamimoff equation that includes a nonlinear relationship between extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ concentration, has a cooperativity of 4, and incorporates a nonuniform distribution of Ca2+ channel subtypes across presynaptic terminals. The model predictions are consistent with all of the results reported in this study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bekkers
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clements
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008433:Mathematics; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA
chemical_list: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D002104:Cadmium; D002118:Calcium; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D010455:Peptides; D013111:Spider Venoms; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA