ÿþIn both cases, however, membrane potential was below the converse shoes reversal potential for Na (see Methods for details). Under these conditions, if a fraction of postsynaptic current is mediated by cation-selective ASICs, it would be expected that the block of ASICs will decrease the inward current, but increase the outward ones.5b (novel blocker of ASICs) suppresses inward GABAergic currents in HEPES 2' solution. In the same series of experiments during each sweep evoked PSCs were recorded below their reversal potential as inward currents ( a ), and above the reversal potential, as outward ones ( b ) - see Methods for details.
In control, absolute amplitudes of inward and outward currents (mean ± S.D) in this series of experiments were: -196.3 ± 92.6 pA; 193.1 ± 119.6 pAA non-selective converse cdg blocker of ASICs amiloride suppresses inward GABAergic currents. In the same series of experiments during each sweep evoked PSCs (2 PSCSs with 100 ms interval) were recorded below their reversal potential as inward currents ( a ), and above the reversal potential, as outward converse hi tops ones ( b ), see Methods for details. Superimposed traces of original current traces (averages of 10 sequential PSCs) before (solid lines) and after (dotted lines) amiloride (25 ¼M) application are shown on the right panel, summary graphs ( n = 5) are shown on the left panel.
In spite of growing evidence indicating that the density of ASICs is substantially higher in GABAergic interneurons than in glutamatergic cells [ 17 ] and recent demonstration of functional crosstalk between ASICs and GABA A -receptors [ 10 converse c d g , 11 ], the possible involvement of ASICs in the regulation of GABAergic transmission remained unclear. In our work we present evidence for the first time that ASICs play a functional role at hippocampal GABAergic synapses. This role is mediated, at least partially, by a postsynaptic but (predominantly) modulatory mechanism.We found that GABAergic postsynaptic currents, recorded below their reversal potential as inward currents, are suppressed by all the employed blockers of ASICs.
Activation of GABA A -receptors strongly changed ASIC-currents amplitude and pharmacological sensitivity [ 10 ], and the effect was blocked by antagonists of GABA A receptors [ 10 ]. On the other hand, a modulatory effect of ASIC activation on GABA A -currents was also observed in HEK293 cells co-transfected with GABA A and ASIC1a or in primary cultured DRG neurons. The immunoassays showed that both GABA A and ASIC1a proteins were co-immunoprecipitated mutually either in HEK293 cells co-transfected with GABA A and ASIC1a or in cdg converse primary cultured DRG neurons [ 11 ]. These data suggest direct protein-protein mechanism of interaction between GABA A and ASICs.
This suggestion is also indirectly supported by the observation that modulatory effect of GABA A -receptors activation on ASICs-currents can be observed in excised patches [ 10 ]. We assume that an interaction between ASICs and GABA A -receptors is quite likely to occur at GABAergic synapses upon acidification at the synaptic cleft. This assumption can be supported by the lack of the apparent effect of 5b on inward PSCS in the presence of bicuculline, observed in our experiments.