title: Effects of progesterone, epipregnanolone and RU 38486 on potassium uptake in cultured cortical neurons.
abstract: It was previously reported that progesterone and its metabolites influence electrical properties of the CNS in many different ways. In the present study we elicited the effects of progesterone, its 5 beta reduced metabolite epipregnanolone and the anti-progestin compound RU 38486 on potassium uptake in cultured cortical neurons. K+ was substituted by the tracer substance 86Rb. When hormone treatment (10(-9)-10(-7) M/l) was performed for 3 days, addition of progesterone and epipregnanolone led to a significant decrease of 86Rb uptake whereas treatment with RU 38486 markedly increased 86Rb uptake. The effect of the anti-progestin could be reversed by the addition of increasing amounts of progesterone. Hormone actions were dose-dependent and most distinct when performed from the very first day of culture. Short-term (15 min) hormone treatment of neurons did not significantly alter 86Rb uptake. These findings suggest a specific receptor mediated progestin action which, in a long-term course, controls potassium uptake across excitable membranes.
authors.affiliation: Institut f. Molekularbiologie, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Salzburg.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011278:Pregnanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012414:Rubidium Radioisotopes; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase
chemical_list: D011278:Pregnanes; D012414:Rubidium Radioisotopes; D015735:Mifepristone; D011374:Progesterone; D010042:Ouabain; D005665:Furosemide; D011280:Pregnanolone; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D011188:Potassium