title: Zonisamide blocks T-type calcium channel in cultured neurons of rat cerebral cortex.
abstract: We investigated the effect of zonisamide, a new antiepileptic drug, on voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents in cultured neurons of rat cerebral cortex. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings demonstrated at least two distinct voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents: (1) a low-threshold, rapidly inactivating component, T-type Ca2+ current, which is sensitive to 100 microM Ni2+, and (2) a high-threshold, slowly inactivating (long-lasting) component, L-type Ca2+ current. Zonisamide, a new anticonvulsant effective against maximal electroshock (MES) seizures in mice reduced T-type Ca2+ current in a dose-dependent manner. The mean percentage of reduction was 59.5 +/- 7.2% at 500 microM, but zonisamide had no effect on L-type Ca2+ current. A methylated analog of zonisamide, which is ineffective against MES seizures in mice, was tested at a concentration of 500 microM, and reduced neither T-type nor L-type Ca2+ current. These findings suggest that the effects of zonisamide against MES seizures might occur through the reduction of T-type Ca2+ current. Because drugs that are effective against MES seizures are thought to prevent seizure discharge spread, T-type Ca2+ channels could underlie a cellular mechanism of spreading activity in epileptic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Shizuoka Higashi Hospital, National Epilepsy Center, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seino
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000078305:Zonisamide
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015220:Calcium Channels; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000078305:Zonisamide