Tyrosine kinases enhance the function of glycine receptors in rat hippocampal neurons and human α1β glycine receptors

Glycine receptors (GlyRs) are transmitter-gated channels that mediate fast inhibitory neuro-transmission in the spinal cord and brain. The GlyR beta subunit contains a putative tyrosine phosphorylation site whose functional role has not been determined. To examine if protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) regulate the function of GlyRs, we analysed whole-cell currents activated by applications of glycine to CA1 hippocampal neurons and spinal neurons. The role of a putative site for tyrosine phosphorylation at position 413 of the beta subunit was examined using site-directed mutagenesis and expression of recombinant (alpha(1)Beta(Y413F)) receptors in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells. Lavendustin A, an inhibitor of PTKs, depressed glycine-evoked currents (I-Gly) in CA1 neurons and spinal neurons by 31 % and 40 %, respectively. In contrast, the intracellular application of the exogenous tyrosine kinase, cSrc, enhanced I-Gly in CA1 neurons by 56 %. cSrc also accelerated GlyR desensitization and increased the potency of glycine 2-fold (control EC50 = 143 muM; cSrc EC50 = 74 muM). Exogenous cSrc, applied intracellularly, upregulated heteromeric alpha(1)beta receptors but not homomeric alpha(1) receptors. Substitution mutation of the tyrosine to phenylalanine at position beta-413 prevented this enhancement. Furthermore, a selective inhibitor of the Src family kinases, PP2, down-regulated wild-type alpha(1)beta but not alpha(1)beta(Y413F) receptors. Together, these findings indicate that GlyR function is upregulated by PTKs and this modulation is dependent on the tyrosine-413 residue of the beta subunit.