Modified 5-HT_3A receptor function by co-expression of alternatively spliced human 5-HT_3A receptor isoforms

Abstract

Serotonin (5-HT) exerts fast excitatory responses by activation of 5-HT₃ receptors, irrespective of whether they are homomerically composed of 5-HT_3A subunits or heteromerically assembled of 5-HT_3A and 5-HT_3B subunits. Here we describe a short, truncated (h5-HT_3AT) and a long (h5-HT_3AL) splice variant of the human 5-HT_3A (h5-HT_3A) receptor subunit. The deduced protein of the short isoform consists of 238 amino acids (aa) with a single transmembrane domain (M1). Compared to the known 5-HT_3A receptor, the long isoform contains 32 additional aa in the extracellular loop between M2 and M3. Both splice variants are co-expressed together with the 5-HT_3A subunit in the amygdala and hippocampus, whereas in the placenta only the short variant is co-expressed. Both splice variants, when expressed in transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells, are not able to form functional homomeric receptors, but modify 5-HT response at heteromeric h5-HT_3A receptors. Co-expression of the short variant considerably decelerates the desensitization of the 5-HT₃ receptor; thus, heteromeric assemblies of h5-HT_3A and the h5-HT_3AT subunit exhibit 5-HT-induced cation fluxes which are much larger than those of homomeric h5-HT_3A receptors. In contrast, heteromeric complexes containing the h5-HT_3AL subunit display reduced cation fluxes. In conclusion, the splice variants increase the functional diversity of 5-HT₃ receptors.