title: Functional alpha 7-containing nicotinic receptors of NG2-expressing cells in the hippocampus.
abstract: In the postnatal central nervous system, glial cells expressing the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan NG2 (NG2-cells) constitute a cell population exhibiting several properties of oligodendrocyte precursors such as the ability to proliferate. One particular feature of NG2-cells is that they express several glutamatergic and GABAergic ionotropic receptors activated by synaptic neurotransmitter release. Here, we used patch-clamp recordings, immunostaining, calcium imaging, and intracellular labeling to test for the presence of ionotropic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in NG2-cells identified in acute hippocampal slices of mice. We demonstrated that these cells express functional nAChRs during the second postnatal week, i.e., the period in which they become the most abundant proliferative cell type of CA1 stratum radiatum. Pharmacological experiments showed that NG2-cells express alpha 7-containing nAChRs. In particular, the powerful positive allosteric modulator of these receptors PNU-120596 induced a 20-fold increase of agonist-induced currents and revealed rises in intracellular calcium concentration upon agonist applications. In addition, nanomolar concentrations of nicotine, which did not induce any response in these cells, largely desensitized nAChR-mediated currents. These data indicate that the functional expression of Ca(2+)-permeable alpha 7-containing nAChRs in hippocampal slices is not restricted to neurons and that the receptors of NG2-cells can be desensitized by low concentrations of nicotine.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U603, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mateo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vélez-Fort
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Audinat
authors.forename: María Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angulo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000494:Allosteric Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007555:Isoxazoles; D009538:Nicotine; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4; C508388:1-(5-chloro-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)urea; C579166:Chrna7 protein, mouse