Calcium-activated chloride current amplifies the response to urine in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is an odor detection system that mediates many pheromone-sensitive behaviors. Vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs), located in the VNO, are the initial site of interaction with odors/pheromones. However, how an individual VSN transduces chemical signals into electrical sign...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of general physiology 2010-01, Vol.135 (1), p.3-13
Main Authors: Yang, Chun, Delay, Rona J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Calcium
Calcium - metabolism
Cells, Cultured
Chloride Channels - drug effects
Chloride Channels - physiology
Chlorine
Ion Channel Gating - drug effects
Ion Channel Gating - physiology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Neurons
Olfactory Receptor Neurons - drug effects
Olfactory Receptor Neurons - physiology
Rodents
Signal transduction
Urine
Vomeronasal Organ - cytology
Vomeronasal Organ - drug effects
Vomeronasal Organ - physiology
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Summary:The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is an odor detection system that mediates many pheromone-sensitive behaviors. Vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs), located in the VNO, are the initial site of interaction with odors/pheromones. However, how an individual VSN transduces chemical signals into electrical signals is still unresolved. Here, we show that a Ca2+-activated Cl- current contributes approximately 80% of the response to urine in mouse VSNs. Using perforated patch clamp recordings with gramicidin, which leaves intracellular chloride undisrupted, we found that the urine-induced inward current (V(hold) = -80 mV) was decreased in the presence of chloride channel blockers. This was confirmed using whole cell recordings and altering extracellular chloride to shift the reversal potential. Further, the urine-induced currents were eliminated when both extracellular Ca2+ and Na+ were removed. Using inside-out patches from dendritic tips, we recorded Ca2+-activated Cl- channel activity. Several candidates for this Ca2+-activated Cl- channel were detected in VNO by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In addition, a chloride cotransporter, Na+-K+-2Cl- isoform 1, was detected and found to mediate much of the chloride accumulation in VSNs. Collectively, our data demonstrate that chloride acts as a major amplifier for signal transduction in mouse VSNs. This amplification would increase the responsiveness to pheromones or odorants.
ISSN:0022-1295
1540-7748
DOI:10.1085/jgp.200910265