期刊名称:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN:0027-8424
电子版ISSN:1091-6490
出版年度:2004
卷号:101
期号:17
页码:6752-6757
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0308636100
语种:English
出版社:The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要:Acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) 1a subunit is expressed in synapses of central neurons where it contributes to synaptic plasticity. However, whether these channels can conduct Ca2+ and thereby raise the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]c, and possibly alter neuronal physiology has been uncertain. We found that extracellular acidosis opened ASIC1a channels, which provided a pathway for Ca2+ entry and elevated [Ca2+]c in wild-type, but not ASIC1-/-, hippocampal neurons. Acid application also raised [Ca2+]c and evoked Ca2+ currents in heterologous cells expressing ASIC1a. Although ASIC2a is also expressed in central neurons, neither ASIC2a homomultimeric channels nor ASIC1a/2a heteromultimers showed H+-activated [Ca2+]c elevation or Ca2+ currents. Because extracellular acidosis accompanying cerebral ischemia contributes to neuronal injury, we tested the effect of acidosis on cell death measured as lactate dehydrogenase release. Eliminating ASIC1a from neurons or treating ASIC1a-expressing cells with the ASIC blocker amiloride attenuated acidosis-induced cell injury. These results indicate that ASIC1a provides a non-voltage-gated pathway for Ca2+ to enter neurons. Thus, it may provide a target for modulation of [Ca2+]c.