Physiological patterns of electrical stimulation can induce neuronal gene expression by activating N-type calcium channels.
Activity-dependent neuronal gene expression is thought to require activation of L-type calcium channels, a view based primarily on studies in which chronic potassium (K(+)) depolarization was used to mimic neuronal activity. However, N-type calcium channels are primarily inactivated during chronic depolarization, and their potential contribution to gene expression induced by physiological patterns of stimulation has not been defined. In the present study, electrical stimulation of dissociated primary sensory neurons at 5 Hz, or treatment with elevated K(+), produced a large increase in the percentage of neurons that express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA and protein. However, blockade of L-type channels, which completely inhibited K(+)-induced expression, had no effect on TH expression induced by patterned stimulation. Conversely, blockade of N-type channels completely inhibited TH induction by patterned stimulation, whereas K(+)-induced expression was unaffected. Similar results were obtained for depolarization-induced expression of the immediate early genes Nurr1 and Nur77. In addition, TH induction by patterned stimulation was significantly reduced by inhibitors of PKA and PKC but was unaffected by inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. On the other hand, K(+)-induced TH expression was significantly reduced by inhibition of the MAPK pathway but was unaffected by inhibitors of PKA or PKC. These results demonstrate that N-type calcium channels can directly link phasic membrane depolarization to gene expression, challenging the view that activation of L-type channels is required for nuclear responses to physiological patterns of activity. Moreover, our data show that phasic and chronic depolarizing stimuli act through distinct mechanisms to induce neuronal gene expression.
Brosenitsch
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TA
Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
Katz
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DM
D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005453:Fluorescence; D017950:Ganglia, Sensory / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C539820:Nr4a1 protein, rat; C539884:Nr4a2 protein, rat; D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D011188:Potassium