Excitability parameters and sensitivity to anemone toxin ATX-II in rat small diameter primary sensory neurones discriminated by Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin IB4

Abstract

Sensory neurone subtypes (≤ 25 μm apparent diameter) express a variety of Na+ channels, where expression is linked to action potential duration, and associated with differential IB4-lectin binding. We hypothesized that sensitivity to ATX-II might also discriminate neurones and report that 1 μ. m has negligible or small effects on action potentials in IB4 +ve, but dramatically increased action potential duration in IB4 -ve, neurones. The toxin did not act on tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-r) NaV1.8 currents; discrimination was based on tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-s) Na+ channel expression. We also explored the effects of varying the holding potential on current threshold, and the effect of repetitive activation on action currents in IB4 +ve and -ve neurones. IB4 +ve neurones became more excitable with depolarization over the range -100 to -20 mV, but IB4 -ve neurones exhibited peak excitability near -55 mV, and were inexcitable at -20 mV. Eliciting action potentials at 2 Hz, we found that peak inward action current in IB4 +ve neurones was reduced, whereas changes in the current amplitude were negligible in most IB4 -ve neurones. Our findings are consistent with relatively toxin-insensitive channels including NaV1.7 being expressed in IB4 +ve neurones, whereas toxin sensitivity indicates that IB4 -ve neurones may express NaV1.1 or NaV1.2, or both. The retention of excitability at low membrane potentials, and the responses to repetitive stimulation are explained by the known preferential expression of NaV1.8 in IB4 +ve neurones, and the reduction in action current in IB4 +ve neurones with repetitive stimulation supports a novel hypothesis explaining the slowing of conduction velocity in C-fibres by the build-up of Na+ channel inactivation. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Physiological Society.