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Expression of K2P Channels in Sensory and Motor Neurons of the Autonomic Nervous System

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Abstract

Several types of neurons within the central and peripheral somatic nervous system express two-pore-domain potassium (K2P) channels, providing them with resting potassium conductances. We demonstrate that these channels are also expressed in the autonomic nervous system where they might be important modulators of neuronal excitability. We observed strong mRNA expression of members of the TRESK and TREK subfamilies in both the mouse superior cervical ganglion (mSCG) and the mouse nodose ganglion (mNG). Motor mSCG neurons strongly expressed mRNA transcripts for TRESK and TREK-2 subunits, whereas TASK-1 and TASK-2 subunits were only moderately expressed, with only few or very few transcripts for TREK-1 and TRAAK (TRESK ≈ TREK-2 > TASK-2 ≈ TASK-1 > TREK-1 > TRAAK). Similarly, the TRESK and TREK-1 subunits were the most strongly expressed in sensorial mNG neurons, while TASK-1 and TASK-2 mRNAs were moderately expressed, and fewer TREK-2 and TRAAK transcripts were detected (TRESK ≈ TREK-1 > TASK-1 ≈ TASK-2 > TREK-2 > TRAAK). Moreover, cell-attached single-channel recordings showed a major contribution of TRESK and TREK-1 channels in mNG. As the level of TRESK mRNA expression was not statistically different between the ganglia analysed, the distinct expression of TREK-1 and TREK-2 subunits was the main difference observed between these structures. Our results strongly suggest that TRESK and TREK channels are important modulators of the sensorial and motor information flowing through the autonomic nervous system, probably exerting a strong influence on vagal reflexes.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Government (MICINN BFU2008-02952/BFI and CONSOLIDER CSD2008-00005), the Galician Government (INBIOMED 2009/063) and the University of Vigo to JAL. SGIker technical and human support (UPV/EHU) is gratefully acknowledged. We also thank Vanesa Domínguez for her technical assistance.

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  1. Montse Pérez

    Present address: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Subida a radio faro 50, 36390, Vigo, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Functional Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain

    Alba Cadaveira-Mosquera, Montse Pérez, Antonio Reboreda, Paula Rivas-Ramírez, Diego Fernández-Fernández & J. Antonio Lamas

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  1. Alba Cadaveira-Mosquera
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  2. Montse Pérez
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  6. J. Antonio Lamas
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Correspondence to J. Antonio Lamas.

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Alba Cadaveira-Mosquera and Montse Pérez contributed equally to this work.

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Cadaveira-Mosquera, A., Pérez, M., Reboreda, A. et al. Expression of K2P Channels in Sensory and Motor Neurons of the Autonomic Nervous System. J Mol Neurosci 48, 86–96 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-012-9780-y

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