PKCε upregulates voltage-dependent calcium channels in cultured astrocytes

Astrocytes express voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) that are upregulated in the context of the reactive astrogliosis occurring in several CNS pathologies. Moreover, the ability of selective calcium channel blockers to inhibit reactive astrogliosis has been revealed in a variety of experimental models. However, the functions and regulation of VGCC in astrocytes are still poorly understood. Interestingly, protein kinase C epsilon (PKCe), one of the known regulators of VGCC in several cell types, induces in astrocytes a stellated morphology similar to that associated to gliosis. Thereby, here we explored the possible regulation of VGCC by adenovirally expressed PKCe in astrocytes. We found that PKCe potently increases the mRNA levels of two different calcium channel α1 subunits, CaV1.2 (L-type channel) and CaV2.1 (P/Q-type channel). The mRNA upregulation was followed by a robust increase in the corresponding peptides. Moreover, the new calcium channels formed as a consequence of PKCe activation are functional, since overexpression of constitutively-active PKCe increased significantly the calcium current density in astrocytes. PKCe raised currents carried by both L- and P/Q-type channels. However, the effect on the P/Q-type channel was more prominent since an increase of the relative contribution of this channel to the whole cell calcium current was observed. Finally, we found that PKCe-induced stellation was significantly reduced by the specific L-type channel blocker nifedipine, indicating that calcium influx through VGCC mediates the change in astrocyte morphology induced by PKCe. Therefore, here we describe a novel regulatory pathway involving VGCC that participates in PKCe-dependent astrocyte activation. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.