TY - JOUR
T1 - Gap junctions coordinate the propagation of glycogenolysis induced by norepinephrine in the pineal gland
AU - Eugenin, Eliseo A.
AU - Valdebenito, Silvana
AU - Gorska, Anna Maria
AU - Martínez, Agustin D.
AU - Bitran, Marcela
AU - Sáez, Juan C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by The National Institute of Mental Health, grant MH096625, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NS105584, and UTMB internal funding (to E.A.E). Also, the ICM‐Economía P09‐022‐F Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso (to J.C.S. and A.D.M.). The authors declare no competing interests. All experiments were conducted in compliance with the ARRIVE guidelines.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 International Society for Neurochemistry
PY - 2019/12/1
Y1 - 2019/12/1
N2 - Chemical and electrical synapses are the two major communication systems that permit cell-to-cell communication within the nervous system. Although most studies are focused on chemical synapses (glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, and other neurotransmitters), clearly both types of synapses interact and cooperate to allow the coordination of several cell functions within the nervous system. The pineal gland has limited independent axonal innervation and not every cell has access to nerve terminals. Thus, additional communication systems, such as gap junctions, have been postulated to coordinate metabolism and signaling. Using acutely isolated glands and dissociated cells, we found that gap junctions spread glycogenolytic signals from cells containing adrenoreceptors to the entire gland lacking these receptors. Our data using glycogen and lactate quantification, electrical stimulation, and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, demonstrate that gap junctional communication between cells of the rat pineal gland allows cell-to-cell propagation of norepinephrine-induced signal that promotes glycogenolysis throughout the entire gland. Thus, the interplay of both synapses is essential for coordinating glycogen metabolism and lactate production in the pineal gland. (Figure presented.).
AB - Chemical and electrical synapses are the two major communication systems that permit cell-to-cell communication within the nervous system. Although most studies are focused on chemical synapses (glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, and other neurotransmitters), clearly both types of synapses interact and cooperate to allow the coordination of several cell functions within the nervous system. The pineal gland has limited independent axonal innervation and not every cell has access to nerve terminals. Thus, additional communication systems, such as gap junctions, have been postulated to coordinate metabolism and signaling. Using acutely isolated glands and dissociated cells, we found that gap junctions spread glycogenolytic signals from cells containing adrenoreceptors to the entire gland lacking these receptors. Our data using glycogen and lactate quantification, electrical stimulation, and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, demonstrate that gap junctional communication between cells of the rat pineal gland allows cell-to-cell propagation of norepinephrine-induced signal that promotes glycogenolysis throughout the entire gland. Thus, the interplay of both synapses is essential for coordinating glycogen metabolism and lactate production in the pineal gland. (Figure presented.).
KW - connexin
KW - electrical and chemical synapses
KW - glycogen
KW - hemichannels
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U2 - 10.1111/jnc.14846
DO - 10.1111/jnc.14846
M3 - Article
C2 - 31381153
AN - SCOPUS:85074354716
SN - 0022-3042
VL - 151
SP - 558
EP - 569
JO - Journal of neurochemistry
JF - Journal of neurochemistry
IS - 5
ER -