The Journal of Neuroscience, August 1, 1999, 19(15):6327-6337
Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide Activates a
Phospholipase C-Dependent Signal Pathway in Chick Ciliary Ganglion
Neurons that Selectively Inhibits
7-Containing Nicotinic
Receptors
Desiree
Pardi and
Joseph F.
Margiotta
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical College of Ohio,
Toledo, Ohio 43614-5804
Neuropeptide receptors couple via G-proteins to two principal
signaling pathways that elevate cAMP through adenylate cyclase (AC) or
mobilize intracellular Ca2+ through phospholipase C
(PLC)-stimulated inositol phosphate (IP) turnover and production of
inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). We showed
previously that high-affinity receptors for pituitary adenylate
cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) are present on chick ciliary
ganglion neurons and that receptor occupation increases cAMP
production, resulting in enhanced acetylcholine sensitivity. After we
suppressed AC activity and cAMP production with 2'-5' dideoxyadenosine,
however, PACAP no longer increased acetylcholine sensitivity but
instead reduced it, suggesting that an AC-independent signal pathway
activated by PACAP inhibits some nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
(AChRs). We now use fast-perfusion, imaging, and biochemical methods to
identify the AChRs modulated by PACAP and to characterize the signal
pathway responsible for their inhibition. Without previous AC block,
both the rapidly desensitizing,
-bungarotoxin (
Bgt)-sensitive
7-AChRs and the slowly desensitizing,
Bgt-insensitive
3*-AChRs on the neurons were potentiated by PACAP. After AC blockade, however, PACAP inhibited
7-AChRs but left
3*-AChRs unaffected. The
selective inhibition of
7-AChRs appeared to use a PLC signaling
pathway because it was not seen after lowering PLC activity or
buffering intracellular Ca2+ and was mimicked by
dialyzing neurons with an IP3 receptor agonist. PACAP also
induced IP turnover and increased
[Ca2+]i assessed directly with
Fluo-3AM imaging. Given our previous findings that PACAP receptors
couple to AC, the present results demonstrate a remarkable ability of a
single neuropeptide to activate two signaling pathways and in so doing
selectively regulate two classes of downstream ion channel targets.
Key words:
neuropeptide; acetylcholine; ion channel; modulation; fast perfusion; Ca2+ imaging; whole-cell
recording
Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/99/19156327-11$05.00/0