Dynamics of Phosphoinositide-Dependent Signaling in Sympathetic Neurons.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] is a minor phospholipid in the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane. Depletion of PI(4,5)P2 via phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis leads to a decrease in exocytosis and alters electrical excitability in neurons. Restoration of PI(4,5)P2 is essential for a return to basal neuronal activity. However, the dynamics of phosphoinositide metabolism have not been analyzed in neurons. We studied the dynamics of phosphoinositide metabolism in sympathetic neurons upon muscarinic stimulation and used the kinetic information to develop a quantitative description of neuronal phosphoinositide metabolism. The measurements and analysis show a several-fold faster synthesis of PI(4,5)P2 in sympathetic neurons than in an electrically nonexcitable cell line, and provide a framework for future studies of PI(4,5)P2-dependent processes in neurons.