谷氨酸在初级感觉传入中的作用

谷氨酸被认为是初级传入神经元的兴奋性递质。初级传入神经元兴奋时,谷氨酸既能向其中枢末端释放,与脊髓背角的相应受体结合;也能向脊神经的外周端释放,与外周神经末梢的谷氨酸受体结合。谷氨酸及位于脊髓和外周的受体共同介导初级感觉传入,特别是对痛觉传入进行调制和整合。谷氨酸和其他神经递质在初级感觉传入中也存在相互作用。     

大鼠脊髓蛛网膜下腔注射γ-氨基丁酸受体激动剂对降低血压和徐缓心率的作用

给大鼠脊髓蛛网膜下腔注射γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)受体激动剂异鹅羔胺(0.125—0.25μg)能显著降低动物的动脉血压和心率。这种作用可被 GABA 受体阻断剂氯甲基荷包牡丹碱(1.0μg)所翻转,且具有剂量-效应关系。另一种 GABA 受体激动剂 THIP(5μg)以及GABA(500μg)也同样具有降低血压和心率的作用。说明激活脊髓内 GABA 受体具有降低血压和减慢心率的作用。肾上腺素α受体阻断剂育亨宾(30μg)能翻转可乐宁(0.25μg)的降压作用,但不能对抗异鹅羔胺的作用;GABA 受体阻断剂氯甲基荷包牡丹碱可翻转异鹅羔胺的作用,对可乐宁则无效。说明脊髓内异鹅羔胺和可乐宁降血压和减慢心率的作用没有相互的依存关系。     

刺激大鼠颈體背外侧束诱发的脊髓电场电位

电刺激大鼠颈髓背外侧束(DLF),在脊髓腰段用微电极记录到—诱发场电位,将其长时程慢电位正波称为 DLF-FP。DLF-FP 的潜伏期为7.22±1.41ms,达峰时间为15.12±5.58ms,时程为93.92±9.06ms。绘制 DLF-FP 等电位图发现:其负电场中心位于背表面下1.0—1.3mm,与外周传入诱发的场电位(P_1-FP)的起源部位基本一致。印防己毒素抑制DLF-FP,士的宁加强 DLF-FP。在一定时间范围内,先后刺激腓肠神经和 DLF,两者所诱发的场电位具有总和和抑制现象。这些结果表明 DLF-FP 是初级传入末梢去极化的反映,可能和刺激外周神经诱发的场电位共用脊髓环路。     

小鼠脊髓内存在抑制性含锌神经元

目的探讨小鼠脊髓中是否含有抑制性的含锌神经元。方法应用锌金属自显影技术、免疫电镜技术和共聚焦激光扫描显微术,研究游离锌离子、锌转运蛋白(zinc transporter 3,ZnT3)与(glutamic acid decarboxylate,GAD)在小鼠脊髓内的共存情况。结果小鼠脊髓内至少有三种含锌神经元轴突终末,其中大多数为GAD阳性即γ-氨基丁酸能含锌神经元轴突终末,另外两种分别为GAD阴性含扁圆形小泡的甘氨酸能含锌神经元轴突终末和含圆形清亮小泡的兴奋性谷氨酸能含锌神经元轴突终末。结论在哺乳动物脊髓内存在大量的抑制性含锌神经元。锌离子从抑制性含锌神经元轴突终末释放到突触间隙内,作为神经调质作用于突触后的GABA受体或甘氨酸受体,参与脊髓运动和感觉功能的调控。     

Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性终末与γ-氨基丁酸阳性神经元在小鼠腰髓背角的分布及联系

目的 研究Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体(vesicular glutamate transporter 2,VgluT2)阳性终末与γ-氨基丁酸(γ-aminobutyric acid,GABA)阳性神经元在小鼠腰髓背角的分布和联系。方法采用免疫组织化学方法研究VgluT2阳性终末与GABA阳性神经元在小鼠腰髓背角的分布;采用免疫荧光组织化学双重标记方法研究VgluT2阳性终末与GABA阳性神经元在小鼠腰髓背角的联系。结果VgluT2阳性终末与GABA阳性神经元在小鼠腰髓背角各层均有分布,特别是在Ⅱ层内侧部二分布都较为密集,免疫荧光双重标记后在激光共聚焦显微镜下可见GABA阳性神经元周围有许多VGluT2阳性终末与其胞体或突起密切接触。结论小鼠腰髓背角Ⅱ层内侧部GABA阳性神经元直接接受兴奋性传入。     

GABA能神经功能有了新发现

美国耶鲁大学S.A.Tomiko等最近以电生理实验表明,GABA通过荷包牡丹碱(bicuculline,BC)-阻滞性受体,直接作用分离出的大鼠促黑激素(MSH)细胞,结果Cl~-电导增加,膜电位朝Cl~-平衡电位的方向发展,引起静息部位去极化或使高K~ 诱发的去极化难以进行。作者发现GABA首先刺激MSH释放,尔后抑制之,同时抑制K~ 诱发的MSH分泌。作者提供的药理学证据提示,上述分泌和电生理活动所涉及的受体相同。GABA能神经直接作用MSH细胞,改变其释放量,并受GABA产生的电生理特性的变化而影响其功能,这是GABA能神经功能的新发现。多采用大鼠为实验对象,先分离垂体后叶中间部细胞,体外短期培养,并置于柱形器皿内,持续灌流并测定MSH释放量。     

可视膜片钳法记录初级传入纤维介导的脊髓背角神经元突触后电流

本文描述了用明胶半包埋法制备带背根脊髓薄片的实验步骤,和在脊髓背角记录由初级传入纤维介导的突触后电流的可视膜片钳法。手术制备一段带背根的脊髓标本,并用20％的明胶包埋在琼脂块上,再用振动切片机切片获得带背根的脊髓薄片。通过红外线可视的引导,在脊髓背角神经元上建立全细胞封接模式。在钳制电压为-70mV条件下,记录自发的和背根刺激引起的兴奋性突触后电流。以传入纤维的传导速度与刺激阈值为指标,可以区分A样纤维与C样纤维兴奋性突触后电流。在钳制电压为0mV条件下,记录自发的和背根刺激引起的抑制性突触后电流。用5μmol／L的士宁或20μmol／L的荷包牡丹碱分离出γ-氨基丁酸能或甘氨酸能的抑制性突触后电流。用可视膜片钳方法可以准确测量脊髓背角神经元的突触后电流,从而研究初级传入突触的传递过程。更重要的是,在红外线可视观察的帮助下,建立膜片钳封接的成功率显著提高,同时也使记录研究脊髓背角深层神经元变得更加容易。本研究为探索初级传入突触传递过程提供了一个有效的方法。     

咖啡因对大鼠背根神经节急性分离神经元GABA-激活电流的抑制作用

应用全细胞膜片钳记录技术,在大鼠新鲜分离背根神经节(dorsal root ganglion,DRG)神经元上,观察预加咖啡因对GABA-激活电流(IGABA)的调制作用。实验中,大部分受检细胞(97．4％,l13／116)对外加GABA敏感。1-1000μmol／L GABA引起一剂量依赖性、有明显上敏感作用的内向电流。在受检的108个DRG细胞中,约有半数(53．7％,58／108)对胞外加咖啡因(0．1-100μmol／L)敏感．产生一幅值很小的内向电流。倾加咖啡因(0．1～100μmol／L)30s后再加GABA能明显抑制GABA(100μmol／L)激活电流的幅值。预加咖啡因后GABA量效曲线明显下移;GABA-激活电流的最人值较之对照下降约57％;而Kd值(30μmol／L)几乎不变,表示此种抑制为非竞争性的。预加安定(diazepam,1μmol／L)对GABA(100μmol／L)激活电流有增强作用,而预加咖啡因(10μmol／L)有拈抗安定增强IGABA的作用。胞内透析H-8后,几乎可以完全消除咖啡因对,IGABA的抑制作用。已知GABA作用于初级感觉神经元能引起初级传入去极化,因而实验结果提示,咖啡因有可能在初级传入末梢产生对抗突触前抑制的效应。     

GABA_A和GABA_B受体介导的蟾蜍背根神经节神经元胞体膜反应

实验在蟾蜍离体背根神经节(DRG)标本进行细胞内记录。浴槽滴加10~(-4)-10~(-3)mol/LGABA引起膜电位改变如下:(1)去极化(79/100);(2)双相反应;先为去极化,继后为超极化(10/100);(3)无反应(11/100)。以上去极化反应均可为荷包牡丹碱所阻断。GABA-去极化时膜电导增加,逆转电位值为-15——25mV。低Cl~-和高Cl~-任氏液分别使GABA-去极化反应增大和减小。10~(-4)mol/Lbaclofen不引起膜电位改变。在GABA-去极化期间,观察到大部分细胞的动作电位时程(ApD)缩短。ApD的此种变化可为baclofen所模拟,但不为荷包牡丹碱所阻断。结果提示:蟾蜍DRG神经元胞体膜有GABA_A和GABA_B受体共存,前者介导膜电位的改变,后者介导ApD的缩短。本文并联系到初级传入终末的突触前抑制的产生机制进行了讨论。     

电刺激大鼠腓肠神经引起Aδ、 C类传入神经纤维的背根反射

在距脊髓约 15mm处切断大鼠L5背根 ,将中枢端分成 4～ 5条细束 ,电刺激腓肠神经在背根细束上记录背根反射 (dorsalrootreflex ,DRR)。共记录到DRR 5 1例 ,根据引起DRR所兴奋的腓肠神经纤维类别和DRR在背根逆向传出的纤维类别将DRR分为 5类 :Aαβ Aαβ·DRR、Aβδ Aδ·DRR、Aβδ C·DRR、Aαβδδ C·DRR和C C·DRR。结果证明 ,电刺激外周神经激活各类纤维不但能引起A类 (包括Aδ)纤维的DRR ,而且也能引起C类纤维的DRR。记录的Aδ·DRR和C·DRR为细纤维传入终末产生突触前抑制提供了客观指标 ,为DRR逆向传出冲动到达外周组织 ,释放神经肽类递质 ,调节外周效应器的功能提供了证据     

Presynaptic Inhibition in Cuneate blocked by GABA Antagonists

BICUCULLINE has been shown to have an action essentially similar to Picrotoxin in antagonizing both synaptically evoked postsynaptic inhibition and the depressant action of γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) on cuneate neurones¹. This supports the hypothesis that GABA is the postsynaptic inhibitory transmitter in the cuneate². However, evidence³ indicates that GABA has a dual action in the cuneate, not only depressing the excitability of postsynaptic neurones, but also increasing the excitability of primary afferent terminals in a manner which might be expected of a presynaptic inhibitory transmitter. The experiments reported here show that the alkaloids bicuculline and picrotoxin block presynaptic inhibition and that this action is consistent with them exerting a GABA-antagonist action at primary afferent terminals.     

GABAergic modulation of primary gustatory afferent synaptic efficacy

Modulation of synaptic transmission at the primary sensory afferent synapse is well documented for the somatosensory and olfactory systems. The present study was undertaken to test whether GABA impacts on transmission of gustatory information at the primary afferent synapse. In goldfish, the vagal gustatory input terminates in a laminated structure, the vagal lobes, whose sensory layers are homologous to the mammalian nucleus of the solitary tract. We relied on immunoreactivity for the GABA-transporter, GAT-1, to determine the distribution of GABAergic synapses in the vagal lobe. Immunocytochemistry showed dense, punctate GAT-1 immunoreactivity coincident with the layers of termination of primary afferent fibers. The laminar nature and polarized dendritic structure of the vagal lobe make it amenable to an in vitro slice preparation to study early synaptic events in the transmission of gustatory input. Electrical stimulation of the gustatory nerves in vitro produces synaptic field potentials (fEPSPs) predominantly mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors. Bath application of either the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol or the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen caused a nearly complete suppression of the primary fEPSP. Coapplication of the appropriate GABA(A) or GABA(B) receptor antagonist bicuculline or CGP-55845 significantly reversed the effects of the agonists. These data indicate that GABAergic terminals situated in proximity to primary gustatory afferent terminals can modulate primary afferent input via both GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors. The mechanism of action of GABA(B) receptors suggests a presynaptic locus of action for that receptor.     

Synaptic and electotonic contacts on primary afferent axons in the lamprey <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lampetra fluviatilis</Emphasis> spinal cord

Distribution of GABA and glycine immunoreactivity was studied in synapses on primary afferent axons of the lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis spinal cord using a double labelling technique. Approximately 25% of synapses exhibit GABA immunoreactivity, while more than 70% are immunoreactive to both neurotransmitters. As in other vertebrates, axo-axonal contacts represent three-component synaptic complexes, the so-called triads, where the immunoreactive terminal make synaptic contact simultaneously with the afferent axon and the dendrite contacting this afferent. Contact zones with gap junction-like cell membrane specializations were found between adjacent afferents suggesting the presence of electrotonic interaction between them. This interaction appears to serve for the synchronization of the afferent flow and represents a structural correlate of the mechanism of rapid interneuronal communication between functionally uniform neurons, which is an important element in the organization of coordinated locomotor acts. Besides, our studies provide evidence that afferent–afferent interaction may be mediated not only electrotonically but also with the aid of chemical synapses. This finding suggests that glutamate-induced depolarization of primary afferents results not only from autoreception but also from the direct effect of glutamate on the afferent’s cell membrane.     

Electrophysiological actions of benzodiazepines

Electrophysiological investigations have revealed that benzodiazepines, applied either locally or systemically, reduce central nervous system excitability. The studies summarized here indicate that this depression of excitability by benzodiazepines is a result of an increase in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mediated inhibition. This increase in inhibition may result from benzodiazepines increasing the activity of some GABAergic neurons and also from a modulatory action of benzodiazepines on GABA actions at some postsynaptic receptor sites. The modulatory action is observed with doses of benzodiazepines that do not cause any direct effects on neuronal excitability or membrane polarization. Specificity tests indicate that benzodiazepines do not enhance inhibition mediated by glycine or monoamines such as norepinephrine or serotonin. Results of experiments with a convulsant benzodiazepine compound, which causes a specific reduction in GABA-mediated inhibition, are also presented, The data are discussed in terms of a model in which the benzodiazepine receptor, the GABA receptor, and the chloride ionophore are functionally linked. Furthermore, it is proposed that some postsynaptic actions of GABA may be continually regulated by the occupancy of a benzodiazepine receptor, and that occupancy of the benzodiazepine receptor may be permissive for the GABA-elicited increase in chloride ion permeability.     

GABA- and glycine-immunoreactive synapses in spinal cord of frog <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rana temporaria</Emphasis>

Using the method of the double immune label combined with two antibodies, i.e., monoclonal antibodies to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and polyclonal antibodies to glycine, the distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid- and glycine-immunoreactive synapses on motoneurons and primary afferent axons was studied in the frog Rana temporaria spinal cord. An analysis of all labeled boutons on the dendrites and soma of motoneurons showed the existence of three categories of immunoreactive synapses as follows: 7% were labeled for GABA, 23% were labeled for glycine, and approximately 70% were immunoreactive to both GABA and glycine. These results confirm the predominant role of glycine in the postsynaptic inhibition of motoneuronal activity. Three similar populations of synaptic boutons were also founded on primary afferent axons, including one GABA-immunoreactive (25%) and one glycine-immunoreactive (5%); the majority of the immunoreactive synapses had the colocalization of two inhibitory transmitters. As a rule, the higher proportion of axo-axonal synapses was organized in synaptic triads. The possible simultaneous roles of glycine as a transmitter of postsynaptic inhibition and as a transmitter that mediates the process of the autoreception of glutamate in the axo-axonal synapses on the primary afferent fibers are discussed.     

Synaptic Neurotransmitter-Gated Receptors

Since the discovery of the major excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters and their receptors in the brain, many have deliberated over their likely structures and how these may relate to function. This was initially satisfied by the determination of the first amino acid sequences of the Cys-loop receptors that recognized acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA, and glycine, followed later by similar determinations for the glutamate receptors, comprising non-NMDA and NMDA subtypes. The last decade has seen a rapid advance resulting in the first structures of Cys-loop receptors, related bacterial and molluscan homologs, and glutamate receptors, determined down to atomic resolution. This now provides a basis for determining not just the complete structures of these important receptor classes, but also for understanding how various domains and residues interact during agonist binding, receptor activation, and channel opening, including allosteric modulation. This article reviews our current understanding of these mechanisms for the Cys-loop and glutamate receptor families.To understand how neurons communicate with each other requires a fundamental understanding of neurotransmitter receptor structure and function. Neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, also known as ionotropic receptors, are responsible for fast synaptic transmission. They decode chemical signals into electrical responses, thereby transmitting information from one neuron to another. Their suitability for this important task relies on their ability to respond very rapidly to the transient release of neurotransmitter to affect cell excitability.In the central nervous system (CNS), fast synaptic transmission results in two main effects: neuronal excitation and inhibition. For excitation, the principal neurotransmitter involved is glutamate, which interacts with ionotropic (integral ion channel) and metabotropic (second-messenger signaling) receptors. The ionotropic glutamate receptors are permeable to cations, which directly cause excitation. Acetylcholine and serotonin can also activate specific cation-selective ionotropic receptors to affect neuronal excitation. For controlling cell excitability, inhibition is important, and this is mediated by the neurotransmitters GABA and glycine, causing an increased flux of anions. GABA predominates as the major inhibitory transmitter throughout the CNS, whereas glycine is of greater importance in the spinal cord and brainstem. They both activate specific receptors—for GABA, there are ionotropic and metabotropic receptors, whereas for glycine, only ionotropic receptors are known to date.Together with acetylcholine- and serotonin-gated channels, GABA and glycine ionotropic receptors form the superfamily of Cys-loop receptors, which differs in many aspects from the superfamily of ionotropic glutamate receptors. Over the last two decades, our knowledge of the structure and function of ionotropic receptors has grown rapidly. In this article, we summarize our current understanding of the molecular operation of these receptors and how we can now begin to interpret the role of receptor structure in agonist binding, channel activation, and allosteric modulation of Cys-loop and glutamate receptor families. Further details on the regulation and trafficking of neurotransmitter receptors in synaptic structure and plasticity can be found in accompanying articles.     

Asymmetric cross-inhibition between GABAA and glycine receptors in rat spinal dorsal horn neurons

Presynaptic nerve terminals of inhibitory synapses in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and brain stem can release both GABA and glycine, leading to coactivation of postsynaptic GABAA and glycine receptors. In the present study we have analyzed functional interactions between GABAA and glycine receptors in acutely dissociated neurons from rat sacral dorsal commissural nucleus. Although the application of GABA and glycine activates pharmacologically distinct receptors, the current induced by a simultaneous application of these two transmitters was less than the sum of currents induced by applying two transmitters separately. Sequential application of glycine and GABA revealed that the GABA-evoked current is more affected by glycine than glycine-evoked responses by GABA. Activation of glycine receptors decreased the amplitude and accelerated the rate of desensitization of GABA-induced currents. This asymmetric cross-inhibition is reversible, dependent on the agonist concentration applied, but independent of both membrane potential and intracellular calcium concentration or changes in the chloride equilibrium potential. During sequential applications, the asymmetric cross-inhibition was prevented by selective GABAA or glycine receptor antagonists, suggesting that occupation of binding sites did not suffice to induce glycine and GABAA receptors functional interaction, and receptor channel activation is required. Furthermore, inhibition of phosphatase 2B, but not phosphatase 1 or 2A, prevented GABAA receptor inhibition by glycine receptor activation, whereas inhibition of phosphorylation pathways rendered cross-talk irreversible. Taken together, our results demonstrated that there is an asymmetric cross-inhibition between glycine and GABAA receptors and that a selective modulation of the state of phosphorylation of GABAA receptor and/or mediator proteins underlies the asymmetry in the cross-inhibition.     

Receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid and voltage-dependent chloride channels as targets for drugs and toxicants

The function of chloride (Cl-) channel proteins is to regulate the transport of Cl- across membranes. There are two major kinds of Cl- channels: 1) those activated by binding of a transmitter such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, or glutamate, and thus are receptors; and 2) those activated by membrane depolarization or by calcium. There are two kinds of GABA receptors: GABAA is the major inhibitory receptor of vertebrate brain and the one that operates a Cl- channel, and the GABAB receptor, which is proposed to regulate cAMP production that is stimulated by other receptors. Except for binding of GABA, these two GABA receptors differ completely in their drug specificities. However, there are many similarities among the GABAA receptor, the glycine receptor, and the voltage-dependent Cl- channel. The two receptors and Cl- channels bind avermectin, whereas bicuculline binds only to mammalian GABAA and glycine receptors, not to the insect brain GABAA receptor. Barbiturates bind to GABAA and voltage-dependent Cl- channels, possibly directly activating them. Benzodiazepines potentiate both the glycine and GABAA receptors. Several insecticides act on the GABAA receptor and voltage-dependent Cl- channel. It is suggested that the GABAA receptor is the primary target for the action of toxaphene and cyclodiene insecticides but a secondary target for lindane and type II pyrethroids. On the other hand, the Cl- channel may be a primary target for avermectin and lindane but a secondary one for cyclodienes. The similarity in certain drug specificities and the operation of Cl- channels suggest a degree of homology between the subunits of GABAA and glycine receptors and the voltage-dependent Cl- channels.     

Inhibitory influences of vagal afferences on the oesophageal EMG peristaltic pattern

The influence of vagal afferents on the EMG peristaltic pattern was studied in pigeon oesophagus. Bilateral vagotomy did not abolish the primary peristalsis, but induced significant modifications of the peristaltic pattern parameters. Vagal afferent stimulation induced an inhibitory effect consisting of a temporary break or definitive block of the EMG peristaltic activity already in progress. Vagal afferent stimulation also induced a reduction of the spontaneous EMG activity and this effect was abolished either by glossopharyngeal bilateral section or ganglionic block. Likewise vagal afferent stimulation, the crop distension caused inhibitory effects on EMG peristaltic pattern. This effect was abolished by bilateral vagotomy. These results indicate that vagal afferents, originating from the crop, could influence the central neurons responsible for the peristaltic motor programme.     

Mechanisms for picrotoxin block of alpha2 homomeric glycine receptors

It is well known that the convulsant alkaloid picrotoxin (PTX) can inhibit neuronal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and homomeric glycine receptors (GlyR). However, the mechanism for PTX block of alpha(2) homomeric GlyR is still unclear compared with that of alpha(1) homomeric GlyR, GABA(A), and GABA(C) receptors. Furthermore, PTX effects on GlyR kinetics have been poorly explored at the single-channel level. Hence, we used the patch-clamp technique in the outside-out configuration to investigate the mechanism of PTX suppression of currents carried by alpha(2) homomeric GlyRs stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells. PTX inhibited the alpha(2) homomeric GlyR current elicited by glycine in a concentration-dependent and voltage-independent manner. Both competitive and noncompetitive mechanisms were observed. PTX decreased the mean open time of the GlyR channel in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that PTX can block channel openings and bind to the receptor in the open channel conformation. When PTX and glycine were co-applied, a small rebound current was observed during drug washout. Application of PTX during the deactivation phase of glycine-induced currents eliminated the rebound current and accelerated the deactivation time course in a concentration-dependent manner. PTX could not bind to the unbound conformation of GlyR, but could be trapped at its binding site when the channel closed during glycine dissociation. Based on these observations, we propose a kinetic Markov model in which PTX binds to the alpha(2) homomeric GlyR in both the open channel state and the fully liganded closed state. Our data suggest a new allosteric mechanism for PTX inhibition of wild-type homomeric alpha(2) GlyR.