Synaptic inhibition by volatile ansethetics

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Volatile anesthetics achieve their anesthetic effects partly by depressing excitatory glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Evidence suggests that depression of glutamatergic synaptic transmission is caused by inhibition of transmitter release. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying inhibition of transmitter release remain unclear. Based on our preliminary results, I hypothesize that volatile anesthetics depress glutamatergic synaptic transmission by reducing the presynaptic Ca2+ influx by two mechanisms: 1) inhibition of presynaptic Na+ channels, which decreases the action potential amplitude and thus the action potential-evoked Ca2+ influx, and 2) inhibition of presynaptic Ca2+ channels. We will test this hypothesis at a glutamatergic synapse in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body in rat brainstem slices. This synapse offers a significant advantage over other synapses, because it has a large nerve terminal that allows for direct recordings of presynaptic action potentials, Na+, K+ and Ca2+ currents and fluorescence recordings of Ca2+ influx. These presynaptic recordings can be performed simultaneously with recordings of the postsynaptic excitatory current (EPSC) at the same synapse, which allows us to quantitatively evaluate the involvement of each presynaptic ion channel type in controlling action potential-evoked transmitter release. With these techniques, we will study the action of three commonly used volatile anesthetics, isoflurane, halothane and sevoflurane at clinically relevant concentrations. We will characterize the effects of these anesthetics on presynaptic Na+, K+ and Ca2+ channels and the contribution of each of these effects to depression of the EPSC. In addition, we will investigate whether these anesthetics also inhibit the EPSC by a mechanism independent of modulation of ion channels, i.e., direct inhibition of the release machinery. By revealing mechanisms underlying volatile anesthetic-induced depression of glutamate release, the proposed work will significantly contribute to our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of general anesthesia, and may ultimately help to design better general anesthetics.