title: Calcium influx into dendrites of the leech Retzius neuron evoked by 5-hydroxytryptamine.
abstract: 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a ubiquitous neurotransmitter and neuromodulator that affects neural circuits and behaviours in vertebrates and invertebrates. In the present study, we have investigated 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) transients in subcellular compartments of Retzius neurons in the leech central nervous system using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and studied the effect of 5-HT on the electrical coupling between the Retzius neurons. Bath application of 5-HT (50mM) induced a Ca(2+) transient in axon, dendrites and cell body of the Retzius neuron. This Ca(2+) transient was significantly faster and larger in dendrites than in axon and cell body, and was half-maximal at a 5-HT concentration of 5-12mM. The Ca(2+) transient was suppressed in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+) and by methysergide (100mM), a non-specific antagonist of metabotropic 5-HT receptors, and was strongly reduced by bath application of the Ca(2+) channel blocker Co(2+) (2mM). Injection of the non-hydrolysable GTP analogue GTPgammaS increased and prolonged the dendritic 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) transient. The non-selective protein kinase inhibitor H7 (100mM) and the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 (500 mM) did not affect the Ca(2+) transient, and the membrane-permeable cAMP analogue dibutyryl-cAMP (500 mM) did not mimic the effect of 5-HT application. 5-HT reduced the apparent electrical coupling between the two Retzius neurons, whereas suppression of the Ca(2+) influx by removal of external Ca(2+) improved the transmission of action potentials at the electrical synapses which are located between the dendrites of the adjacent Retzius neurons. The results indicate that 5-HT induces a Ca(2+) influx through calcium channels located primarily in the dendrites, and presumably activated by a G protein-coupled 5-HT receptor. The dendritic Ca(2+) increase appears to modulate the excitability of, and the synchronization between, the two Retzius neurons.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Allgemeine Zoologie, Universität Kaiserslautern, Germany. abeck@rhrk.uni-ki.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lohr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Berthold
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Deitmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / Q000494:pharmacology; D017136:Ion Transport; D007865:Leeches / Q000166:cytology*; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate); D003035:Cobalt; D002118:Calcium; D008784:Methysergide