title: Comparative analysis of P2X1, P2X2, P2X3, and P2X4 receptor subunits in rat nodose ganglion neurons.
abstract: Nodose ganglion (NG) neurons are visceral primary sensory neurons. The transmission and regulation of visceral sensation is mediated mainly by the P2X purinoceptor (P2X receptor). Although the characteristics of different P2X receptor subunits in the NG have been studied previously, comprehensive analyses have not been performed. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and whole cell patch clamp techniques to compare the expression and function of P2X1, P2X2, P2X3, and P2X4 receptor subunits in adult rat NG neurons. Polyclonal antibodies against the four P2X subunits labeled different subpopulations of NG neurons. P2X1 and P2X3 were expressed mainly in small-to-medium sized NG neurons, whereas P2X2 and P2X4 were located mostly in medium- and larger-sized NG neurons. Over 36% of NG neurons were P2X3 positive, which was higher than the other three P2X subunits. In addition, different types of currents were recorded from neurons expressing different P2X subunits. The fast type of ATP current was recorded from neurons containing P2X1-4 subunits, the intermediate type of current was recorded from neurons containing the P2X1, P2X3, and P2X4 subunits, the slow type was recorded from neurons expressing P2X1-3, and/or P2X4 subunits, whereas the very slow type was recorded from neurons containing the P2X2 and P2X3 subunits. These comparative results provide an anatomical verification of the different subunits in NG neurons, and offer direct support for the idea that various functional NG populations have distinct responses to ATP, which might be in part due to the different expression profiles of diverse P2X subunits.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; CNS Pharmacology & Ion Channel Group Shanghai Chempartner, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lizhao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pain Clinic, Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Huanhuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009620:Nodose Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D058474:Receptors, Purinergic P2X1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D058476:Receptors, Purinergic P2X2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058474:Receptors, Purinergic P2X1; D058476:Receptors, Purinergic P2X2; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate