title: L-type calcium channels mediate acetylcholine receptor aggregation on cultured muscle.
abstract: Agrin activation of muscle specific kinase (MuSK) initiates postsynaptic development on skeletal muscle that includes the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs; Glass et al. [1996]: Cell 85: 513-523; Gautam et al. [1996]: Cell 85: 525-535). Although the agrin/MuSK signaling pathway remains largely unknown, changes in intracellular calcium levels are required for agrin-induced AChR aggregation (Megeath and Fallon [1998]: J Neurosci 18: 672-678). Here, we show that L-type calcium channels (L-CaChs) are required for full agrin-induced aggregation of AChRs and sufficient to induce agrin-independent AChR aggregation. Blockade of L-CaChs in muscle cultures inhibited agrin-induced AChR aggregation but not tyrosine phosphorylation of MuSK or AChR beta subunits. Activation of L-CaChs in the absence of agrin induced AChR aggregation but not tyrosine phosphorylation of MuSK or AChR beta subunits. Agrin responsiveness was significantly reduced in primary muscle cultures from the muscular dysgenesis mouse, a natural mutant, which does not express the L-CaCh. Our results establish a novel role for L-CaChs as important sources of the intracellular calcium necessary for the aggregation of AChRs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona 85724-5044, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca B R
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Milholland
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dulla
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D018171:Agrin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019000:Phosphotyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018171:Agrin; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; C511695:MuSK protein, mouse; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D009543:Nifedipine