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Protein kinase C activity blocks neuropeptide Y-mediated inhibition of glutamate release and contributes to excitability of the hippocampus in status epilepticus

Ana P. Silva^*,, Joana Lourenço, Sara Xapelli, Raquel Ferreira, Heidi Kristiansen, David P. D. Woldbye, Catarina R. Oliveira^, and João O. Malva^,,1

^* Institute of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and

Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal;

Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal;

Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rigshospitalet University Hospital and Department of Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

¹Correspondence: Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004–504 Coimbra, Portugal. E-mail: jomalva{at}fmed.uc.pt

The unbalanced excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter function in the neuronal network afflicted by seizures is the main biochemical and biophysical hallmark of epilepsy. The aim of this work was to identify changes in the signaling mechanisms associated with neuropeptide Y (NPY)-mediated inhibition of glutamate release that may contribute to hyperexcitability. Using isolated rat hippocampal nerve terminals, we showed that the KCl-evoked glutamate release is inhibited by NPY Y₂ receptor activation and is potentiated by the stimulation of protein kinase C (PKC). Moreover, we observed that immediately after status epilepticus (6 h postinjection with kainate, 10 mg/kg), the functional inhibition of glutamate release by NPY Y₂ receptors was transiently blocked concomitantly with PKC hyperactivation. The pharmacological blockade of seizure-activated PKC revealed again the Y₂ receptor-mediated inhibition of glutamate release. The functional activity of PKC immediately after status epilepticus was assessed by evaluating phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 (Ser-831), a substrate for PKC. Moreover, NPY-stimulated [³⁵S]GTPS autoradiographic binding studies indicated that the common target for Y₂ receptor and PKC on the inhibition/potentiation of glutamate release was located downstream of the Y₂ receptor, or its interacting G-protein, and involves voltage-gated calcium channels.—Silva, A. P., Lourenço, J., Xapelli, S., Ferreira, R., Kristiansen, H., Woldbye, D. P. D., Oliveira, C. R., Malva, J. O. Protein kinase C activity blocks neuropeptide Y-mediated inhibition of glutamate release and contributes to excitability of the hippocampus in status epilepticus.

Key Words: Y₂ receptor • nerve terminal • seizures • phosphorylation