title: Properties of acid-induced currents in mouse dorsal root ganglia neurons.
abstract: Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are cation channels that are activated by protons (H(+)). They are expressed in neurons throughout the nervous system and may play important roles in several neurologic disorders including inflammation, cerebral ischemia, seizures, neurodegeneration, anxiety, depression, and migraine. ASICs generally produce transient currents that desensitize in response to a decrease in extracellular pH Under certain conditions, the inactivation of ASICs can be incomplete and allow them to produce sustained currents. Here, we characterize the properties of both transient and sustained acid-induced currents in cultured mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. At pH levels between 7.3 and 7.1 they include "window currents" through ASICs. With stronger acid signals sustained currents are maintained in the absence of extracellular Na(+) or the presence of the ASIC blockers amiloride and Psalmotoxin-1(PcTx1). These sustained responses may have several different origins in these cells, including acid-induced stimulation of inward Cl(-) currents, block of outward K(+) currents, and augmentation of inward H(+) currents, properties that distinguish these novel sustained currents from the well-characterized transient currents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ergonul
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York lgpalm@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Lawrence G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D062646:Acid Sensing Ion Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D062646:Acid Sensing Ion Channel Blockers; D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D000584:Amiloride
keywords: ASIC; Amiloride; Pc1Tx; Zn2+; sustained currents