Abstract
Slow synaptic potentials are generated when metabotropic G-protein-coupled receptors activate heterotrimeric G-proteins, which in turn modulate ion channels. Many neurons generate excitatory postsynaptic potentials mediated by G-proteins of the Gαq/11 family, which in turn activate phospholipase C-β. Accessory GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) are thought to be required to accelerate GTP hydrolysis and rapidly turn off G-proteins, but the involvement of GAPs in neuronal Gαq/11 signaling has not been examined. Here, we show that regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins provide necessary GAP activity at neuronal Gαq/11 subunits. We reconstituted inhibition of native 2-pore domain potassium channels in cerebellar granule neurons by expressing chimeric Gα subunits that are activated by Gαi/o-coupled receptors, thus bypassing endogenous Gαq/11 subunits. RGS-insensitive variants of these chimeras mediated inhibition of potassium channels that developed and recovered more slowly than inhibition mediated by RGS-sensitive (wild-type) chimeras or native Gαq/11 subunits. These changes were not accompanied by a change in agonist sensitivity, as might be expected if RGS proteins acted primarily as effector antagonists. The slowed recovery from potassium channel inhibition was largely reversed by an additional mutation that mimics the RGS-bound state. These results suggest that endogenous RGS proteins regulate the kinetics of rapid Gαq/11-mediated signals in central nervous system neurons by providing GAP activity.
- Received September 16, 2005.
- Accepted December 20, 2005.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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