Gi/o protein-coupled receptors in dopamine neurons inhibit the sodium leak channel NALCN.

Dopamine (D2) receptors provide autoinhibitory feedback onto dopamine neurons through well-known interactions with voltage-gated calcium channels and G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels. Here, we reveal a third major effector involved in D2R modulation of dopaminergic neurons - the sodium leak channel, NALCN. We found that activation of D2 receptors robustly inhibits isolated sodium leak currents in wild-type mice but not in NALCN conditional knockout mice. Intracellular GDP-ßS abolished the inhibition, indicating a G protein-dependent signaling mechanism. The application of dopamine reliably slowed pacemaking even when GIRK channels were pharmacologically blocked. Furthermore, while spontaneous activity was observed in nearly all dopaminergic neurons in wild-type mice, neurons from NALCN knockouts were mainly silent. Both observations demonstrate the critical importance of NALCN for pacemaking in dopaminergic neurons. Finally, we show that GABA-B receptor activation also produces inhibition of NALCN-mediated currents. Therefore, we identify NALCN as a core effector of inhibitory G protein-coupled receptors.

Interactions between calcium channels and SK channels in midbrain dopamine neurons and their impact on pacemaker regularity: Contrasting roles of N- and L-type channels.

Although small-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (SK) channels and various types of voltage-gated Ca(2+) (Cav) channels have been described in midbrain dopaminergic neurons, the nature of their interactions is unclear. More particularly, the role of various Cav channel types in either promoting irregularity of firing (by generating an inward current during SK channel blockade) or promoting regularity of firing (by providing the source of Ca(2+) for the activation of SK channels) has not been systematically explored. We addressed this question using intracellular and extracellular recordings from substantia nigra, pars compacta (SNc), dopaminergic neurons in rat midbrain slices. Neurons were pharmacologically isolated from their differences. When examining the ability of various Cav channel blockers to inhibit the SK-mediated afterhyperpolarization (AHP), we found that only the N-type Cav channel blocker ω-conotoxin-GVIA was able to reduce the apamin-sensitive AHP, but only partially (~40%). Specific blockers of L, P/Q, T or R channels had no effect on this AHP. Combining ω-conotoxin-GVIA and other specific blockers did not yield greater block and even the broad Cav blocker Cd(2+) induced a submaximal (~75%) effect. Extracellular recordings examining firing regularity yielded congruent results: none of the specific blockers was able to increase firing irregularity to the extent that the specific SK blocker apamin did. The irregularity of firing observed with apamin could only be reversed by blocking L-type Ca(2+) channels. Thus various sources of Ca(2+) appear to be required for SK channel activation in SNc neurons (some of them still unidentified), ensuring robustness of pacemaking regularity.

Differential Somatic Ca2+ Channel Profile in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons.

UNLABELLED: Dopaminergic (DA) neurons located in the ventral midbrain continuously generate a slow endogenous pacemaker activity, the mechanism of which is still debated. It has been suggested that, in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the pacemaking relies more on Ca(2+) channels and that the density of L-type Ca(2+) channels is higher in these DA neurons than in those located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). This might lead to a higher Ca(2+) load in SNc DA neurons and explain their higher susceptibility to degeneration. However, direct evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. We found that the L-type current and channel density are indeed higher in the somata of rat SNc DA neurons and that this current undergoes less inactivation in this region. Nonstationary fluctuation analysis measurements showed a much higher number of L-type channels in the soma of SNc DA neurons, as well as a smaller single-channel conductance, pointing to a possible different molecular identity of L-type channels in DA neurons from the two areas. A major consequence of this is that pacemaking and, even more so, bursting are associated with a larger Ca(2+) entry through L-type channels in SNc DA neurons than in their VTA counterparts. Our results establish a molecular and functional difference between two populations of midbrain DA neurons that may contribute to their differential sensitivity to neurodegeneration. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Dopamine neurons from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) are involved in various brain functions, such as movement initiation and goal directed behavior, respectively. This work shows that, although both neurons fire in a similar regular and slow pacemaker mode, this firing activity is supported by different calcium channel landscapes. Indeed, the L-type calcium current is larger in the soma of dopamine neurons of the SNc, leading to a higher charge transfer through L-type channels during pacemaking and bursting. Therefore, these neurons may be physiologically exposed to a larger stress than their neighbors from the VTA.

The interactions of apamin and tetraethylammonium are differentially affected by single mutations in the pore mouth of small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels.

Valine residues in the pore region of SK2 (V366) and SK3 (V520) were replaced by either an alanine or a phenylalanine to evaluate the impact on the interactions with the allosteric blocker apamin. Unlike TEA which showed high sensitivity to phenylalanine mutated channels, the binding affinity of apamin to the phenylalanine mutants was strongly reduced. In addition, currents from phenylalanine mutants were largely resistant to block by apamin. On the other hand, when the valine residue was replaced by an alanine residue, an increase of the binding affinity and the amount of block by apamin was observed for alanine mutated SK2 channels, but not for mutated SK3 channels. Interestingly, the VA mutation reduced the sensitivity to TEA. In silico data confirmed these experimental results. Therefore, such mutations in the pore region of SK channels show that the three-dimensional structure of the SK tetramers can be disorganized in the outer pore region leading to reduced interaction of apamin with its target.