Activation of G proteins bidirectionally affects apoptosis of cultured cerebellar granule neurons.

Cultured cerebellar granule neurons maintained in depolarizing concentrations of K+ (25 mM) and then switched to physiological concentrations of K+ (5 mM) undergo apoptosis. We now report that activation of specific G proteins robustly and bidirectionally affects apotosis of cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. Stimulation of Gs with cholera toxin completely blocks apoptosis induced by nondepolarizing concentrations of K+, whereas stimulation of Go/Gi with the wasp venom peptide mastoparan induces apoptosis of cerebellar granule neurons even in high (depolarizing) concentrations of K+. Moreover, pretreatment of cerebellar granule neurons with cholera toxin attenuates neuronal death induced by mastoparan. By contrast, pertussis toxin, cell-permeable analogues of cyclic AMP, and activators of protein kinase A do not affect apoptosis of cultured cerebellar granule neurons. These data suggest that G proteins may function as key switches for controlling the programmed death of mammalian neurons, especially in the developing CNS.