Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons

The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in the central regulation of nociceptive transmission by affecting the descending inhibitory pathway. In the present study, we have addressed the functional role of presynaptic glycine receptors in spontaneous glutamatergic transmission. Spontaneous EPSCs (s...

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Main Authors: Kwi-Hyung Choi, Michiko Nakamura, Il-Sung Jang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/954302
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author Kwi-Hyung Choi
Michiko Nakamura
Il-Sung Jang
author_facet Kwi-Hyung Choi
Michiko Nakamura
Il-Sung Jang
author_sort Kwi-Hyung Choi
collection DOAJ
description The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in the central regulation of nociceptive transmission by affecting the descending inhibitory pathway. In the present study, we have addressed the functional role of presynaptic glycine receptors in spontaneous glutamatergic transmission. Spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) were recorded in mechanically dissociated rat PAG neurons using a conventional whole-cell patch recording technique under voltage-clamp conditions. The application of glycine (100 µM) significantly increased the frequency of sEPSCs, without affecting the amplitude of sEPSCs. The glycine-induced increase in sEPSC frequency was blocked by 1 µM strychnine, a specific glycine receptor antagonist. The results suggest that glycine acts on presynaptic glycine receptors to increase the probability of glutamate release from excitatory nerve terminals. The glycine-induced increase in sEPSC frequency completely disappeared either in the presence of tetrodotoxin or Cd2+, voltage-gated Na+, or Ca2+ channel blockers, suggesting that the activation of presynaptic glycine receptors might depolarize excitatory nerve terminals. The present results suggest that presynaptic glycine receptors can regulate the excitability of PAG neurons by enhancing glutamatergic transmission and therefore play an important role in the regulation of various physiological functions mediated by the PAG.
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spelling doaj-art-2eb37dd2558a469aaa8ef3ae5a58dd592025-08-20T02:38:50ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432013-01-01201310.1155/2013/954302954302Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray NeuronsKwi-Hyung Choi0Michiko Nakamura1Il-Sung Jang2Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-412, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-412, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-412, Republic of KoreaThe periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in the central regulation of nociceptive transmission by affecting the descending inhibitory pathway. In the present study, we have addressed the functional role of presynaptic glycine receptors in spontaneous glutamatergic transmission. Spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) were recorded in mechanically dissociated rat PAG neurons using a conventional whole-cell patch recording technique under voltage-clamp conditions. The application of glycine (100 µM) significantly increased the frequency of sEPSCs, without affecting the amplitude of sEPSCs. The glycine-induced increase in sEPSC frequency was blocked by 1 µM strychnine, a specific glycine receptor antagonist. The results suggest that glycine acts on presynaptic glycine receptors to increase the probability of glutamate release from excitatory nerve terminals. The glycine-induced increase in sEPSC frequency completely disappeared either in the presence of tetrodotoxin or Cd2+, voltage-gated Na+, or Ca2+ channel blockers, suggesting that the activation of presynaptic glycine receptors might depolarize excitatory nerve terminals. The present results suggest that presynaptic glycine receptors can regulate the excitability of PAG neurons by enhancing glutamatergic transmission and therefore play an important role in the regulation of various physiological functions mediated by the PAG.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/954302
spellingShingle Kwi-Hyung Choi
Michiko Nakamura
Il-Sung Jang
Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
Neural Plasticity
title Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
title_full Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
title_fullStr Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
title_full_unstemmed Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
title_short Presynaptic Glycine Receptors Increase GABAergic Neurotransmission in Rat Periaqueductal Gray Neurons
title_sort presynaptic glycine receptors increase gabaergic neurotransmission in rat periaqueductal gray neurons
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/954302
work_keys_str_mv AT kwihyungchoi presynapticglycinereceptorsincreasegabaergicneurotransmissioninratperiaqueductalgrayneurons
AT michikonakamura presynapticglycinereceptorsincreasegabaergicneurotransmissioninratperiaqueductalgrayneurons
AT ilsungjang presynapticglycinereceptorsincreasegabaergicneurotransmissioninratperiaqueductalgrayneurons