omega-agatoxin-iva and Amyotrophic-Lateral-Sclerosis

Voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (VGCCs) mediate calcium entry into neuronal cells in response to membrane depolarisation and play an essential role in a variety of physiological processes. In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord, intracellular calcium dysregulation has been shown, while no studies have been carried out on VGCCs. Here we show that the subtype N-type Ca(2+) channels are over expressed in G93A cultured cortical neurons and in motor cortex of G93A mice compared to Controls. In fact, by western blotting, immunocytochemical and electrophysiological experiments, we observe higher membrane expression of N-type Ca(2+) channels in G93A neurons compared to Controls. G93A cortical neurons filled with calcium-sensitive dye Fura-2, show a net calcium entry during membrane depolarization that is significantly higher compared to Control. Analysis of neuronal vitality following the exposure of neurons to a high K(+) concentration (25 mM, 5h), shows a significant reduction of G93A cellular survival compared to Controls. N-type channels are involved in the G93A higher mortality because ω-conotoxin GVIA (1 μM), which selectively blocks these channels, is able to abolish the higher G93A mortality when added to the external medium. These data provide robust evidence for an excess of N-type Ca(2+) expression in G93A cortical neurons which induces a higher mortality following membrane depolarization. These results may be central to the understanding of pathogenic pathways in ALS and provide novel molecular targets for the design of rational therapies for the ALS disorder.

Topics: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Calcium Channel Blockers; Calcium Channels, N-Type; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Cerebral Cortex; Cytophotometry; Disease Models, Animal; Electric Stimulation; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Membrane Potentials; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Motor Neurons; omega-Agatoxin IVA; omega-Conotoxin GVIA; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Sodium Channel Blockers; Superoxide Dismutase; Tetrodotoxin

Recent work has suggested that one factor in the etiology of the neuromuscular disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), may be an autoimmune mechanism in which presynaptic voltage-sensitive calcium channels are an antigenic target. We have developed a fluorescence technique to measure rapid Ca2+ influx through presynaptic calcium channels in isolated nerve terminals (synaptosomes) from rat cerebral cortex. Depolarization of the synaptosomes by elevated external K+ concentration caused a rapid increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+, as measured by a change in fluorescence of the Ca2+ chelating dye, Fura-2, which was loaded inside the synaptosomes. Pharmacological characterization suggests that the P- and Q-subtypes of voltage-sensitive calcium channels mediate the majority of this Ca2+ influx. The synaptosome preparation has been used as a model system to investigate the effects of IgG, purified from eight ALS patients, on presynaptic calcium channel function. IgG (1 microgram ml-1 to 1 mg ml-1) was preincubated with the synaptosomes prior to depolarization. IgG, from these eight ALS patients, had no systematic effects on presynaptic Ca2+ influx. Thus, using this system, we find no evidence for an effect of ALS IgG on the function of presynaptic calcium channels.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Animals; Calcium; Calcium Channel Blockers; Calcium Channels; Drug Synergism; Electrophysiology; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Male; Middle Aged; omega-Agatoxin IVA; omega-Conotoxins; Peptides; Presynaptic Terminals; Rats; Spider Venoms