Cloning and pharmacological characterization of the guinea pig P2X7 receptor orthologue.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The human, rat, and mouse P2X(7) receptors have been previously characterized, and in this study we report the cloning and pharmacological properties of the guinea pig orthologue. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: A cDNA encoding for the guinea pig P2X(7) receptor was isolated from a guinea pig brain library. The receptor was expressed in U-2 OS cells using the BacMam viral expression system. A monoclonal antibody was used to confirm high levels of cell surface expression and the functional properties were determined in ethidium bromide accumulation studies. KEY RESULTS: The predicted guinea pig protein is one amino acid shorter than the human and rat orthologues and over 70% identical to the rat and human receptors. In contrast to human and rat P2X(7) receptors, 2'-&3'-O-(4benzoylbenzoyl)ATP (BzATP) was a partial agonist of the guinea pig P2X(7) receptor when compared to ATP and acted as an antagonist in some assays. However, as at other species orthologues, BzATP was more potent than ATP. The guinea pig P2X(7) receptor possessed higher affinity for 1-[N,O-bis(5-isoquinoline sulphonyl)-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN62), suramin and Coomassie Brilliant Blue than human or rat P2X(7) receptors suggesting that it is pharmacologically different to other rodent or human P2X(7) receptors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The guinea pig recombinant P2X(7) receptor displays a number of unique properties that differentiate it from the human, rat and mouse orthologues and this structural and functional information should aid in our understanding of the interaction of agonists and antagonist with the P2X(7) receptor.

Studies with neuronal cells: From basic studies of mechanisms of neurotoxicity to the prediction of chemical toxicity.

Neurotoxicology considers that chemicals perturb neurological functions by interfering with the structure or function of neural pathways, circuits and systems. Using in vitro methods for neurotoxicity studies should include evaluation of specific targets for the functionalism of the nervous system and general cellular targets. In this review we present the neuronal characteristics of primary cultures of cortical neurons and of cerebellar granule cells and their use in neurotoxicity studies. Primary cultures of cortical neurons are constituted by around 40% of GABAergic neurons, whereas primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells are mainly constituted by glutamatergic neurons. Both cultures express functional GABAA and ionotropic glutamate receptors. We present neurotoxicity studies performed in these cell cultures, where specific neural targets related to GABA and glutamate neurotransmission are evaluated. The effects of convulsant polychlorocycloalkane pesticides on the GABAA, glycine and NMDA receptors points to the GABAA receptor as the neural target that accounts for their in vivo acute toxicity, whereas NMDA disturbance might be relevant for long-term toxicity. Several compounds from a list of reference compounds, whose severe human poisoning result in convulsions, inhibited the GABAA receptor. We also present cell proteomic studies showing that the neurotoxic contaminant methylmercury affect mitochondrial proteins. We conclude that the in vitro assays that have been developed can be useful for their inclusion in an in vitro test battery to predict human toxicity.

Agonist potency at P2X7 receptors is modulated by structurally diverse lipids.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The P2X(7) receptor exhibits a high degree of plasticity with agonist potency increasing after prolonged receptor activation. In this study we investigated the ability of lipids to modulate agonist potency at P2X(7) receptors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: A variety of lipids, including lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingosylphosphorylcholine and hexadecylphosphorylcholine were studied for their effect on P2X(7) receptor-stimulated ethidium bromide accumulation in cells expressing human recombinant P2X(7) receptors and on P2X(7) receptor-stimulated interleukin-1 beta (IL1 beta) release from THP-1 cells. The effects of the lipids were also assessed in radioligand binding studies on human P2X(7) receptors. KEY RESULTS: At concentrations (3-30 microM) below the threshold to cause cell lysis, the lipids increased agonist potency and/or maximal effects at P2X(7) receptors in both ethidium accumulation and IL1 beta release studies. There was little structure activity relationship (SAR) for this effect and sub-lytic concentrations of Triton X-100 partially mimicked the effects of the lipids. The lipids caused cell lysis and increased intracellular calcium at higher concentrations (30-100 microM) which complicated interpretation of their effects in functional studies. However, the lipids (3-100 microM) also increased agonist potency 30-100 fold in radioligand binding studies. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study demonstrates that a diverse range of lipids increase agonist potency at the P2X(7) receptor in functional and binding studies. The broad SAR, including the effect of Triton X-100, suggests this may reflect changes in membrane properties rather than a direct effect on the P2X(7) receptor. Since many of the lipids studied accumulate in disease states they may enhance P2X(7) receptor function under pathophysiological conditions.

Species and response dependent differences in the effects of MAPK inhibitors on P2X(7) receptor function.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have implicated the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in cellular permeability changes following P2X(7) receptor activation in native tissues. In this study we have further studied the effect of MAPK inhibitors on recombinant and native P2X(7) receptors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The MAPK inhibitors SB-203580, SB-202190 and SB-242235 were examined in HEK293 cells expressing recombinant P2X(7) receptors and in THP-1 cells expressing native human P2X(7) receptors using a range of experimental approaches. KEY RESULTS: At human recombinant P2X(7) receptors, SB-203580 and SB-202190 were weak, non-competitive inhibitors (pIC(50)= 4.8 - 6.4) of ethidium accumulation stimulated by 2'- & 3'-O-(4benzoylbenzoyl)-ATP (BzATP) but SB-242235 (0.1-10 microM) had no effect. SB-203580 and SB-202190 had no effect on rat or mouse recombinant P2X(7) receptors and studies with chimeric P2X(7) receptors suggested that SB-203580 was only effective in chimeras containing the N-terminal 255aa of the human P2X(7) receptor. SB-203580 did not consistently affect BzATP-mediated increases in cell calcium levels and, in electrophysiological studies, it slightly decreased responses to 30 microM BzATP but potentiated responses to 100 microM BzATP. In THP1 cells, SB-203580 modestly inhibited BzATP-stimulated ethidium accumulation (pIC(50) 5.7 - < 5) but SB-202190 had no effect. Finally, SB-203580 did not block BzATP-stimulated interleukin-1beta release in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that high concentrations of SB-203580 and SB-202190 can block human P2X(7) receptor-mediated increases in cellular ethidium accumulation but suggest this is not related to MAPK inhibition. Overall, the data cast doubt on a general role of MAPK in mediating P2X(7) receptor mediated changes in cellular permeability.

Mercury interaction with the GABA(A) receptor modulates the benzodiazepine binding site in primary cultures of mouse cerebellar granule cells.

Mercury compounds are neurotoxic compounds with a great specificity for cerebellar granule cells. The interaction of mercury compounds with proteins in the central nervous system may underlie some of their effects on neurotransmission. In this work we study the interaction of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and methylmercury (MeHg) with the GABA(A) receptor in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells. Both compounds increased, dose dependently, the binding of [3H]flunitrazepam to the benzodiazepine recognition site. EC50 values for this effect were 3.56 and 15.24 microM for HgCl2 and MeHg, respectively, after 30 min exposure of intact cultured cerebellar granule cells. The increase of [3H]flunitrazepam binding by mercury compounds was completely inhibited by the GABA(A) receptor antagonists bicuculline and picrotoxinin, and by the organochlorine pesticide alpha-endosulfan. It was also partially inhibited by the anion transporter blocker DIDS, however this effect could be due to a possible chelation of mercury by DIDS. Intracellular events, like intracellular calcium, kinase activation/inactivation or antioxidant conditions did not affect [3H]flunitrazepam binding or its increase induced by mercury compounds. The sulfhydryl alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide mimicked the effect of mercury compounds on [3H]flunitrazepam binding suggesting a common mechanism. We conclude that mercury compounds interact with the GABA(A) receptor by the way of alkylation of SH groups of cysteinyl residues found in GABA(A) receptor subunit sequences.

The organochlorine pesticides gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane), alpha-endosulfan and dieldrin differentially interact with GABA(A) and glycine-gated chloride channels in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells.

The neurotoxic organochlorine pesticides gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane, alpha-endosulfan and dieldrin induce in mammals a hyperexcitability syndrome accompanied by convulsions. They reduce the GABA-induced Cl(-) flux. The strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor also regulates Cl(-)-flux inhibitory responses. We studied the effects of these compounds on Cl(-) channels associated with glycine receptors in cultured cerebellar granule cells in comparison to the GABA(A) receptor. Both GABA (EC(50): 5 microM) and glycine (EC(50): 68 microM) increased (36)Cl(-) influx. This increase was antagonized by bicuculline and strychnine, respectively. Lindane inhibited with similar potency both GABA(A) (IC(50): 6.1 microM) and glycine (5.0 microM) receptors. alpha-Endosulfan and dieldrin inhibited the GABA(A) receptor (IC(50) values: 0.4 microM and 0.2 microM, respectively) more potently than the glycine receptor (IC(50) values: 3.5 microM and 3 microM, respectively). Picrotoxinin also inhibited the glycine receptor, although with low potency (IC(50)>100 microM). A 3D pharmacophore model, consisting of five hydrophobic regions and one hydrogen bond acceptor site in a specific three-dimensional arrangement, was developed for these compounds by computational modelling. We propose that the hydrogen bond acceptor moiety and the hydrophobic region were responsible for the affinity of these compounds at the GABA(A) receptor whereas only the hydrophobic region of the molecules was responsible for their interaction with the glycine receptors. In summary, these compounds could produce neuronal hyperexcitability by blocking glycine receptors besides the GABA(A) receptor. We propose that two zones of the polychlorocycloalkane pesticide molecules (a lipophilic zone and a polar zone) differentially contribute to their binding to GABA(A) and glycine receptors.

Cloning and pharmacological characterization of the dog P2X7 receptor.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Human and rodent P2X7 receptors exhibit differences in their sensitivity to antagonists. In this study we have cloned and characterized the dog P2X7 receptor to determine if its antagonist sensitivity more closely resembles the human or rodent orthologues. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: A cDNA encoding the dog P2X7 receptor was isolated from a dog heart cDNA library, expressed in U-2 OS cells using the BacMam viral expression system and characterized in electrophysiological, ethidium accumulation and radioligand binding studies. Native P2X7 receptors were examined by measuring ATP-stimulated interleukin-1beta release in dog and human whole blood. KEY RESULTS: The dog P2X7 receptor was 595 amino acids long and exhibited high homology (>70%) to the human and rodent orthologues although it contained an additional threonine at position 284 and an amino acid deletion at position 538. ATP possessed low millimolar potency at dog P2X7 receptors. 2'-&3'-O-(4benzoylbenzoyl) ATP had slightly higher potency but was a partial agonist. Dog P2X7 receptors possessed relatively high affinity for a number of selective antagonists of the human P2X7 receptor although there were some differences in potency between the species. Compound affinities in human and dog blood exhibited a similar rank order of potency as observed in studies on the recombinant receptor although absolute potency was considerably lower. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Dog recombinant and native P2X7 receptors display a number of pharmacological similarities to the human P2X7 receptor. Thus, dog may be a suitable species for assessing target-related toxicity of antagonists intended for evaluation in the clinic.

The role of TRPM channels in cell death.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels of the melastatin-like family (TRPM) play critical roles in mediating cellular responses to a wide range of physiological stimuli that, under certain situations, can induce cell death. To date, two TRPM family members, TRPM2 and TRPM7, have been implicated directly as central components of cell death pathways. TRPM2, a Ca(2+)-permeant, non-selective cation channel, senses and responds to oxidative stress levels in the cell. TRPM7 is required for cell viability and has been proposed recently to mediate stress-induced cell death in the central nervous system. We review here the evidence for the involvement of these TRPM channels in cell death processes and discuss the mechanisms by which TRPM channel activation occurs. The ability to attenuate expression levels and functionality of these channels is necessary to understand the involvement of TRPM in cell death and we evaluate current approaches for modulation of TRPM channel function. Finally, we discuss the possibility that TRPM channels may provide therapeutic targets for degenerative diseases involving oxidative stress-related pathologies including diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

Amyloid beta-peptide(1-42) and hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity are mediated by TRPM2 in rat primary striatal cultures.

Amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) is the main component of senile plaques which characterize Alzheimer's disease and may induce neuronal death through mechanisms which include oxidative stress. To date, the signalling pathways linking oxidant stress, a component of several neurodegenerative diseases, to cell death in the CNS are poorly understood. Melastatin-like transient receptor potential 2 (TRPM2) is a Ca(2+)-permeant non-selective cation channel, which responds to increases in oxidative stress levels in the cell and is activated by oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide. We demonstrate here that Abeta and hydrogen peroxide both induce death in cultured rat striatal cells which express TRPM2 endogenously. Transfection with a splice variant that acts as a dominant negative blocker of TRPM2 function (TRPM2-S) inhibited both hydrogen peroxide- and Abeta-induced increases in intracellular-free Ca(2+) and cell death. Functional inhibition of TRPM2 activation by the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitor SB-750139, a modulator of intracellular pathways activating TRPM2, attenuated hydrogen peroxide- and Abeta-induced cell death. Furthermore, a small interfering RNA which targets TRPM2, reduced TRPM2 mRNA levels and the toxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide and Abeta. These data demonstrate that activation of TRPM2, functionally expressed in primary cultures of rat striatum, contributes to Abeta- and oxidative stress-induced striatal cell death.

Translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor in cerebellar granule cells exposed to neurotoxic agents inducing oxidative stress.

We have previously shown that the neurotoxic compounds colchicine, methylmercury (MeHg) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) cause apoptosis in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells (CGC), characterized by nuclear condensation and high-molecular weight DNA fragmentation. However, only colchicine triggers the activation of caspases, suggesting that factors other than caspase-activated DNase (CAD) are responsible for DNA cleavage in the other two models. Here we report that the two agents that cause oxidative stress, MeHg (1 micro m) and H2O2 (50 micro m), induce translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from the mitochondria to the nucleus in CGC. Our data suggest that, in absence of caspase activity, AIF translocation could be a key event leading to chromatin condensation and DNA degradation in CGC exposed to MeHg and H2O2.