RGS4-dependent attenuation of M4 autoreceptor function in striatal cholinergic interneurons following dopamine depletion

Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder whose symptoms are caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons innervating the striatum. As striatal dopamine levels fall, striatal acetylcholine release rises, exacerbating motor symptoms. This adaptation is commonly attributed to the loss of interneuronal regulation by inhibitory D-2 dopamine receptors. Our results point to a completely different, new mechanism. After striatal dopamine depletion, D2 dopamine receptor modulation of calcium (Ca2+) channels controlling vesicular acetylcholine release in interneurons was unchanged, but M-4 muscarinic autoreceptor coupling to these same channels was markedly attenuated. This adaptation was attributable to the upregulation of RGS4-an autoreceptor-associated, GTPase-accelerating protein. This specific signaling adaptation extended to a broader loss of autoreceptor control of interneuron spiking. These observations suggest that RGS4-dependent attenuation of interneuronal autoreceptor signaling is a major factor in the elevation of striatal acetylcholine release in Parkinson disease.