title: C31 enhances voltage-gated calcium channel currents in undifferentiated PC12 cells.
abstract: C31, consisting of 31 amino acid residues, is generated from the carboxyl terminal fragments (CTFs) of amyloid precursor protein (APP). It has been shown that C31 causes apoptosis in neurons and is present in brains of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. Using whole-cell patch clamp techniques, we investigated effects of C31 on voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) currents and the protective effects of beta-estradiol on PC12 cells. The results demonstrated that C31 induced a significant increase of the VGCC currents in PC12 cells, which was blocked by beta-estradiol. These results suggest that modulation of intracellular calcium levels by VGCC may in part be involved in C31 induced neuronal death associated with AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Qingdao University; Neuroscience Center of Shandong Province, Dengzhou Road 38#, Qingdao 266021, China.
authors.forename: Ze-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jun-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001464:Barium; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D016716:PC12 Cells; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: C066649:C31 protein, mouse; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D015220:Calcium Channels; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D001464:Barium; D004958:Estradiol