title: High-density expression of Ca2+-permeable ASIC1a channels in NG2 glia of rat hippocampus.
abstract: NG2 cells, a fourth type of glial cell in the mammalian CNS, undergo reactive changes in response to a wide variety of brain insults. Recent studies have demonstrated that neuronally expressed acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are implicated in various neurological disorders including brain ischemia and seizures. Acidosis is a common feature of acute neurological conditions. It is postulated that a drop in pH may be the link between the pathological process and activation of NG2 cells. Such postulate immediately prompts the following questions: Do NG2 cells express ASICs? If so, what are their functional properties and subunit composition? Here, using a combination of electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging and immunocytochemistry, we present evidence to demonstrate that NG2 cells of the rat hippocampus express high density of Ca2+-permeable ASIC1a channels compared with several types of hippocampal neurons. First, nucleated patch recordings from NG2 cells revealed high density of proton-activated currents. The magnitude of proton-activated current was pH dependent, with a pH for half-maximal activation of 6.3. Second, the current-voltage relationship showed a reversal close to the equilibrium potential for Na+. Third, psalmotoxin 1, a blocker specific for the ASIC1a channel, largely inhibited proton-activated currents. Fourth, Ca2+ imaging showed that activation of proton-activated channels led to an increase of [Ca2+]i. Finally, immunocytochemistry showed co-localization of ASIC1a and NG2 proteins in the hippocampus. Thus the acid chemosensor, the ASIC1a channel, may serve for inducing membrane depolarization and Ca2+ influx, thereby playing a crucial role in the NG2 cell response to injury following ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Department of Anesthesiology, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Chu
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu-Chao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Cheng-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lien
mesh_terms: D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015222:Sodium Channels; D002118:Calcium