title: Differential expression of ryanodine receptors in the rat cochlea.
abstract: This study examined the localization and functional expression of ryanodine receptors (RyR) within the cochlea using a combination of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunolabeling techniques, and confocal Ca2+ imaging. All three RyR isoform mRNA transcripts were detected in the adult rat cochlea. Immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence labeling showed that the three isoforms were differentially expressed. The most pronounced RyR protein expression, involving all three isoforms, occurred in the cell bodies of the spiral ganglion neurons. RyR3 labeling extended to the synaptic terminals innervating the inner and outer hair cells. RyR2 expression also occurred in the inner hair cells and supporting cells of the organ of Corti, while cells associated with ion homeostasis in the cochlea, such as the interdental cells of the spiral limbus (RyR1), and the epithelial cells of the spiral prominence and basal cells of the stria vascularis (RyR2 and RyR3), were also immunopositive. The functionality of RyR-gated Ca2+ stores in the spiral ganglion neurons was shown by confocal calcium imaging of fluo-4 fluorescence in rat cochlear slices. Caffeine (5 mM) evoked an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the cell bodies of the spiral ganglion neurons which occurred inthe absence of external Ca2+. Ryanodine (50 nm-1 microM) evoked comparable increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. These findings suggest that RyR-mediated Ca2+ release may be involved in auditory neurotransmission, sound transduction, and cochlear electrochemical homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Private Bag 92019, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Morton-Jones
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Cannell
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jeyakumar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Housley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003051:Cochlea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D012433:Ryanodine; D002110:Caffeine; D002118:Calcium