Protein kinase and G-protein regulation of Ca2+ currents in Hermissenda photoreceptors by 5-HT and GABA.

The effects of serotonin (5-HT) and GABA on two Ca2+ currents, a transient low-voltage-activated current (tLVA) and a sustained high-voltage-activated current (sHVA) were examined in isolated photoreceptors of Hermissenda. The sHVA current was blocked by 5-HT and reduced by activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The effects of 5-HT were transiently reversed by staurosporine and partially blocked by the PKC inhibitor peptide [PKC(19-36)]. GABA enhanced both the tLVA and sHVA currents at low concentrations (5 nM to 5 microM) and reduced the sHVA current at high concentrations (>10 microM). The GABA-mediated enhancement of the Ca2+ current at low concentrations was sensitive to block by picrotoxin. The protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor peptide [PKI(6-22)amide] blocked enhancement of both Ca2+ currents produced by cAMP analogs and GABA, suggesting that the effects at low concentrations may be PKA mediated. Caged GTP-gamma-S released by flash photolysis reduced the sHVA current, and pretreatment of the photoreceptors with pertussis toxin blocked the effects of higher concentrations of GABA, indicating that at higher concentrations, the effects may be G-protein mediated.