title: Single channel sodium current in rat cardiomyocytes: use-dependent block by ethacizin.
abstract: Ethacizin is a phenothiazine derivative antiarrhythmic agent that blocks sodium current. The cell-attached patch clamp of single adult rat ventricular cells was used to investigate mechanisms of use-dependent block of sodium current. Under control conditions peak open probability, first latency, fraction of null sweeps, mean open time and single channel current amplitude were not different at both 1 and 4 Hz. Ethacizin (5 microM) caused a significant decrease in the peak open probability, a significant increase in the first latency and an increase in the fraction of null sweeps at 4 Hz compared with 1 Hz; mean open time and single channel current amplitude were unchanged. These observations support a model of antiarrhythmic action which proposes complete block of single channel conductance resulting from drug binding. A "runs analysis" revealed nonrandom clustering of null traces in the presence of ethacizin and no clustering in control patches. Increasing stimulation frequency makes this nonrandom behavior more apparent. We conclude that the relatively slow cycling of a few channels between blocked and unblocked states induces null sweeps clustering. The implications of these findings for mechanisms of drug block of the Na channel are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Heart Electrophysiology, Cardiology Research Center, Moscow, USSR.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Undrovinas
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Burnashev
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Nesterenko
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Makielski
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Fleidervish
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Fozzard
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Rosenshtraukh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011336:Probability; D051381:Rats; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines; D015222:Sodium Channels; C046818:ethacizine