1. Heterodimer of A2A and Oxytocin Receptors Regulating Glutamate Release in Adult Striatal Astrocytes
- Author
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Sarah Amato, Monica Averna, Diego Guidolin, Marco Pedrazzi, Simone Pelassa, Michela Capraro, Mario Passalacqua, Matteo Bozzo, Elena Gatta, Deanna Anderlini, Guido Maura, Luigi F. Agnati, Chiara Cervetto, and Manuela Marcoli
- Subjects
Male ,Receptor, Adenosine A2A ,Glutamic Acid ,Molecular modeling ,Oxytocin ,Catalysis ,Astrocyte processes ,Striatum ,Inorganic Chemistry ,Rats, Sprague-Dawley ,Animals ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,Molecular Biology ,Spectroscopy ,heterodimers ,astrocyte processes ,striatum ,neuroglia ,glutamate ,rat ,molecular modeling ,Glutamate ,Heterodimers ,Neuroglia ,Rat ,Organic Chemistry ,General Medicine ,Corpus Striatum ,Computer Science Applications ,Rats ,Neostriatum ,Receptors, Oxytocin ,Astrocytes - Abstract
Background: Roles of astrocytes in the modulatory effects of oxytocin (OT) in central nervous system are increasingly considered. Nevertheless, OT effects on gliotransmitter release have been neglected. Methods: In purified astrocyte processes from adult rat striatum, we assessed OT receptor (OTR) and adenosine A2A receptor expression by confocal analysis. The effects of receptors activation on glutamate release from the processes were evaluated; A2A-OTR heteromerization was assessed by co-immunoprecipitation and PLA. Structure of the possible heterodimer of A2A and OT receptors was estimated by a bioinformatic approach. Results: Both A2A and OT receptors were expressed on the same astrocyte processes. Evidence for A2A-OTR receptor-receptor interaction was obtained by measuring the release of glutamate: OT inhibited the evoked glutamate release, while activation of A2A receptors, per se ineffective, abolished the OT effect. Biochemical and biophysical evidence for A2A-OTR heterodimers on striatal astrocytes was also obtained. The residues in the transmembrane domains 4 and 5 of both receptors are predicted to be mainly involved in the heteromerization. Conclusions: When considering effects of OT in striatum, modulation of glutamate release from the astrocyte processes and of glutamatergic synapse functioning, and the interaction with A2A receptors on the astrocyte processes should be taken into consideration.
- Published
- 2022