The P-type calcium channel is a type of voltage-dependent calcium channel. Similar to many other high-voltage-gated calcium channels, the α1 subunit determines most of the channel's properties. The 'P' signifies cerebellar Purkinje cells, referring to the channel's initial site of discovery. P-type calcium channels play a similar role to the N-type calcium channel in neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic terminal and in neuronal integration in many neuronal types.
History The calcium channel experiments that led to the discovery of P-type calcium channels were initially completed by Llinás and Sugimori in 1980. P type calcium channels were named in 1989 because they were discovered within mammalian Purkinje neurons. They were able to use an in vitro preparation to examine the ionic currents that account for Purkinje cells' electrophysiological properties. They found that there are calcium dependent action potentials which rise slowly and fall quickly then undergo hyperpolarization. The action potentials were voltage dependent and the afterhyperpolarizing potentials were connected to the spike bursts, located within the dendrites of the Purkinje cells. Without calcium flux in the Purkinje cells, action potentials fire sporadically at a high frequency.
Basic features and structure
P-type calcium channels are voltage-dependent calcium channels that are classified under the high voltage activated class channel, along with L-, N-, Q- and R-type channels. These channels require a strong depolarization in order to be activated. They are found at axon terminals, as well as in somatodendritic areas of neurons within the central and peripheral nervous system. P-type calcium channels are also critical to vesicle release, specifically neurotransmitters and hormones at synaptic terminals of excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Voltage-gated P-type calcium channels consist of a main pore-forming α1 subunit (which is more specifically referred to as CaV2.1), an α2δ subunit and a β subunit. There can be γ subunits found in calcium channels of skeletal muscles. The α1 subunit is encoded specifically by the CACNA1A gene and is composed of four domains, each containing six transmembrane (S1-S6) spanning α helices. The S1-S2 loop and the S6 region are thought to be responsible for the channel's inactivation, the S4 region serves as the voltage sensor and S5-S6 loop forms the pore. There are seven subunits within the α1 subunit. The A subunit, called α1ACa2+, corresponds to what is functionally defined as the P-type and Q-type isoforms. P-type and Q-type calcium channels are closely related as they are produced from the same gene via alternative splicing. As a complication of the alternative splicing, P-type and Q-type channels may have different subunit compositions. The β subunit regulates the kinetics and expression of the channel, along with the α2δ subunit.
Channel distribution The majority of P-type calcium channels are located in the nervous system and heart. Antibody labeling is the primary method used to identify channel location. Areas of high expression in mammalian systems include:
Purkinje cell dendrites Smooth endoplasmic reticulum Cell membrane Periglomerular cells in the olfactory bulb Cerebellar cortex Neurons in the brainstem, entorhinal and piriform cortices, and the habenula.
Channel blockers P-type calcium channel blockers act to impede the flow of calcium. The blocking of calcium currents may cause the organism to experience impaired functioning and viability. These effects can lead to various diseases which are described in more detail in the section below. The pore of P-type calcium channels are sensitive to compounds that can be divided into three groups:
Peptide ion channel blockers Low molecular weight compounds Therapeutics There are only two peptide toxins that selectively block P-type channels: ω-agatoxin IVA and ω-agatoxin IVB. The other blockers mentioned, such as the low molecular weight and therapeutic blockers, are nonselective. This means they can act on P-type channels as well as other channels.
Selective peptide toxin ω-agatoxin
The two known blockers which are specific to P-type calcium channels are peptides derived from the spider venom of Agelenopsis aperta. The toxins from this venom which show selectivity for P-type channels are ω-agatoxin IVA and ω-agatoxin IVB. Each of these peptide toxins are made of 48 amino acids which are bound by four disulfide bonds. Although ω-agatoxin IVA and ω-agatoxin IVB have the same affinity and selectivity for P-type channels, their kinetics are different. The ω-agatoxin IVA effects the gating mechanism of the P-type channel. When there is a strong depolarization to activate the channel, ω-agatoxin IVA can no longer block the channel. Therefore, ω-agatoxin IVA has a very low affinity for the channel when it is open. It binds to the α1A subunit on the outside of the pore. The ω-agatoxin IVA receptor on the P-type channel is located at the S3-S4 linker. On the other hand, channel blocking by ω-agatoxin IVB occurs much more slowly. Yet, similar to ω-agatoxin IVA, ω-agatoxin IVB cannot bind to the channel upon a strong depolarization.
Non-selective peptide toxins ω-Grammotoxin SIA is a peptide toxin derived from the venom of the spider Grammostola spatulata. It acts to modify the P-type channel gating. ω-PnTx3-3, PnTx3-3, and phonetoxin IIA are all toxins from the spider Phonoetrica nigriventer which act to block the current through the P-type calcium channels. DW13.3 is a peptide toxin from the spider Filistata hibernalis and it is composed of 74 amino acids. It also functions to block the current through P-type calcium channels. ω-Conotoxins are derived from the venom of cone snails. ω-Conotoxin MVIIC acts within the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons to block the P-type channels. Also, within the hippocampal CA3 neurons, this toxin blocks synaptic transmission. Its effects are slow. Calcicludine is from venom of Dendroaspis angusticeps, which is a green mamba. It has the ability to voltage-dependently block P-type channels. Kurotoxin is from venom of the scorpion Parabuthus. In neurons in the thalamus, kurtoxin decreases high threshold calcium currents, however, in the Purkinje cells, it increases the calcium currents.
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