CGC Bibliography Paper 5446

Selective electrical silencing of mammalian neurons in vitro by the use of invertebrate ligand-gated chloride

Slimko EM, McKinney S, Anderson DJ, Davidson N, Lester HA

Medline:

Citation:

Journal of Neuroscience 22: 7373-7379 2002

Type:

ARTICLE

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Abstract:

Selectively reducing the excitability of specific neurons will (1) allow for the creation of animal models of human neurological disorders and (2) provide insight into the global function of specific sets of neurons. We focus on a combined genetic and pharmacological approach to silence neurons electrically. We express invertebrate ivermectin (IVM)-sensitive chloride channels (Caenorhabditis elegans GluCl alpha and beta) with a Sindbis virus and then activate these channels with IVM to produce inhibition via a CL conductance. We constructed a three-ciston Sindbis virus that expresses the alpha and beta subunits of a glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) along with the green fluorescent protein (EGFP) marker. Expression of the C. elegans channel does not affect the normal spike activity of GABA/glutamate postsynaptic currents of cultured embryonic day 18 hippocampal neurons. At concentrations as low as 5 nm, IVM activates a Cl current large enough to silence infected neurons effectively. This conductance reverses in 8hr. These low concentrations of EVM do not potentiate GABA responses. Comparable results are observed with plasmid transfection of yellow fluorescent protein-tagged (EYFP) GluCl alpha and cyan fluorescent protein-tagged (ECFP) GluCl beta. The present study provides an in vitro model mimicking conditions that can be obtained in transgenic mice and in viral-mediated gene therapy. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of using invertebrate ligand-activated Cl channels as an approach to modulate excitability.