L-Type Calcium Channel Modulates Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound-Induced Excitation in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons.

As a noninvasive technique, ultrasound stimulation is known to modulate neuronal activity both in vitro and in vivo. The latest explanation of this phenomenon is that the acoustic wave can activate the ion channels and further impact the electrophysiological properties of targeted neurons. However, the underlying mechanism of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS)-induced neuro-modulation effects is still unclear. Here, we characterize the excitatory effects of LIPUS on spontaneous activity and the intracellular Ca homeostasis in cultured hippocampal neurons. By whole-cell patch clamp recording, we found that 15 min of 1-MHz LIPUS boosts the frequency of both spontaneous action potentials and spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents (sEPSCs) and also increases the amplitude of sEPSCs in hippocampal neurons. This phenomenon lasts for > 10 min after LIPUS exposure. Together with Ca imaging, we clarified that LIPUS increases the [Ca] level by facilitating L-type Ca channels (LTCCs). In addition, due to the [Ca] elevation by LIPUS exposure, the Ca-dependent CaMKII-CREB pathway can be activated within 30 min to further regulate the gene transcription and protein expression. Our work suggests that LIPUS regulates neuronal activity in a Ca-dependent manner via LTCCs. This may also explain the multi-activation effects of LIPUS beyond neurons. LIPUS stimulation potentiates spontaneous neuronal activity by increasing Ca influx.