title: Formation of carnosine-Cu(II) complexes prevents and reverts the inhibitory action of copper in P2X4 and P2X7 receptors.
abstract: To further analyze the action of copper on brain synaptic mechanisms, the brain dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) was tested in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the rat P2X4 or P2X7 receptors. Ten micromolar copper halved the currents evoked by ATP in both receptors; co-application of carnosine plus copper prevented the metal induced-inhibition with a median effective concentration of 12.1 +/- 3.9 and 12.0 +/- 5.5 microm for P2X4 and P2X7, respectively. Zinc potentiated only the P2X4 ATP-evoked currents; carnosine had no effect over this metal. The relative potency and selectivity of classical metal chelators to prevent the copper inhibition was compared between carnosine and penicillamine (PA), bathophenanthroline (BPh) or L-histidine (His). Their rank order of potency in P2X4 and P2X7 receptors was carnosine = PA = His > BPh > Glycine (Gly) and carnosine = BPh = His > PA > Gly, respectively. The potency to prevent the zinc-induced potentiation in the P2X4 receptor was BPh > PA > His; carnosine, Gly and beta-alanine were inactive. Whereas 1-100 microm carnosine or His alone did not modify the ATP-evoked currents, 10-100 microm PA augmented and 100 microm BPh decreased the ATP-evoked currents. Carnosine was able to revert the copper-induced inhibition restoring the maximal ATP gated current in a concentration-dependent manner. Electronic spectroscopy confirm the formation of carnosine-Cu(II) complexes, mechanism that can account for the prevention and reversal of the copper inhibition, revealing its potential in copper intoxication treatment.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Regulación Celular y Patología, Instituto MIFAB, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Unidad de Regulación Neurohumoral, y Departamento de Fisiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coddou
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villalobos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acuña-Castillo
authors.forename: Bárbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.forename: J Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Huidobro-Toro
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002336:Carnosine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003300:Copper / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D008845:Microinjections; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D051381:Rats; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; C548228:P2rx4 protein, rat; C546470:P2rx7 protein, rat; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D003300:Copper; D002336:Carnosine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate