title: Nuclear calcium signaling evoked by cholinergic stimulation in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.
abstract: The cholinergic system is thought to play an important role in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. However, the mechanism of action of the cholinergic system in these actions in not well understood. Here we examined the effect of muscarinic receptor stimulation in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons using whole-cell recordings in acute brain slices coupled with high-speed imaging of intracellular calcium. Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors by synaptic stimulation of cholinergic afferents or application of muscarinic agonist in CA1 pyramidal neurons evoked a focal rise in free calcium in the apical dendrite that propagated as a wave into the soma and invaded the nucleus. The calcium rise to a single action potential was reduced during muscarinic stimulation. Conversely, the calcium rise during trains of action potentials was enhanced during muscarinic stimulation. The enhancement of free intracellular calcium was most pronounced in the soma and nuclear regions. In many cases, the calcium rise was distinguished by a clear inflection in the rising phase of the calcium transient, indicative of a regenerative response. Both calcium waves and the amplification of action potential-induced calcium transients were blocked the emptying of intracellular calcium stores or by antagonism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors with heparin or caffeine. Ryanodine receptors were not essential for the calcium waves or enhancement of calcium responses. Because rises in nuclear calcium are known to initiate the transcription of novel genes, we suggest that these actions of cholinergic stimulation may underlie its effects on learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School for Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sah
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012430:Ruthenium Red / Q000494:pharmacology; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000187:drug effects; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D012430:Ruthenium Red; D012433:Ryanodine; D002110:Caffeine; D006493:Heparin; D003620:Dantrolene; D002118:Calcium