Regulation by GTP and its stable thiol derivatives of calcium current components in rat nodose ganglion neurons.

The calcium current components of acutely dissociated nodose ganglion neurons were characterized using the whole-cell variation of the patch-clamp technique. Many neurotransmitters regulate neuronal calcium currents via GTP binding (G) proteins and in some cases affect calcium current components selectively. To determine whether G proteins regulated these current components in the absence of ligand binding, recording pipettes contained 0.1 mM GTP, guanosine 5'-O-(thiodiphosphate) (GDP-beta-S), or guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP-gamma-S). Nodose ganglion neurons had three calcium current components, similar to T, N, and L current components found in other sensory neurons. Isolated T currents did not diminish in magnitude during a 20-min recording, but there was a progressive loss of currents containing the N and L current components. The reduction of current magnitude was primarily dependent on the extent of intracellular dialysis and not on the holding potential (Vh) or stimulus frequency. When GDP-beta-S was substituted for GTP in the pipette solution, there was no change in the T current or in the rate of run-down of N and L current components. Substitution of GTP-gamma-S for GTP in the pipette solution resulted in a moderate (approximately 40%) loss of isolated T current. This effect was most evident on T currents evoked at relatively positive clamp potentials (Vc, -30 to -15 mV) and occurred relatively late (approximately 10 min) in the recording. In the presence of GTP-gamma-S, currents evoked from Vh = -80 mV, containing the N and L current components, were reduced 40-60%, with a lesser effect on those currents evoked from Vh = -40 mV, containing primarily the L current component. The average time to peak current (Ip) was increased 3-4-fold in the presence of GTP-gamma-S, and the Vc at which the maximal peak current was evoked was shifted +10 to 20 mV. These effects were evident within 2-5 min after initiation of the whole-cell recording. Pretreatment of neurons with pertussis toxin attenuated or blocked the effects of GTP-gamma-S. We conclude that nodose ganglion neurons have T-, N-, and L-type calcium current components, which had different stability during whole-cell recording. Activation of G proteins with GTP-gamma-S reduced N greater than T much greater than L currents, effects reduced in the presence of pertussis toxin. Thus, the calcium current components of nodose ganglion neurons were regulated by cytosolic constituents and by Gi- or Go- type G proteins.