Title: | A diacylglycerol-gated cation channel in vomeronasal neuron dendrites is impaired in TRPC2 mutant mice: mechanism of pheromone transduction |
Author(s): | Lucas P; Ukhanov K; Leinders-Zufall T; Zufall F; |
Address: | "Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA" |
DOI: | 10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00675-5 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0896-6273 (Print) 0896-6273 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Vomeronasal sensory neurons play a crucial role in detecting pheromones, but the chemoelectrical transduction mechanism remains unclear and controversial. A major barrier to the resolution of this question has been the lack of an activation mechanism of a key transduction component, the TRPC2 channel. We have identified a Ca(2+)-permeable cation channel in vomeronasal neuron dendrites that is gated by the lipid messenger diacylglycerol (DAG), independently of Ca(2+) or protein kinase C. We demonstrate that ablation of the TRPC2 gene causes a severe deficit in the DAG-gated channel, indicating that TRPC2 encodes a principal subunit of this channel and that the primary electrical response to pheromones depends on DAG but not Ins(1,4,5)P(3), Ca(2+) stores, or arachidonic acid. Thus, a previously unanticipated mechanism involving direct channel opening by DAG underlies the transduction of sensory cues in the accessory olfactory system" |
Keywords: | Alkaloids/pharmacology Animals Arachidonic Acid/pharmacology Benzylisoquinolines/pharmacology Boron Compounds/pharmacology Calcium/metabolism Calcium Channel Blockers/pharmacology Calcium Channels/genetics/*physiology Dendrites/*drug effects/physiology Di; |
Notes: | "MedlineLucas, Philippe Ukhanov, Kyrill Leinders-Zufall, Trese Zufall, Frank eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 2003/12/04 Neuron. 2003 Oct 30; 40(3):551-61. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00675-5" |