title: The effect of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome antibody on slow action potentials in mouse cardiac ventricle.
abstract: Immunoglobulin G (IgG) from Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) patients acts at motor nerve terminal Ca2+ channels. It was injected into mice to investigate effects on cardiac Ca2+ channels. Intracellular recordings were made of slow action potentials in right ventricular muscle cells in the presence of high K+ concentrations and isoprenaline (1 microM). Reduction in Ca2+ concentration reduced the rate of rise and amplitude, but not the duration, of slow action potentials whereas verapamil (1 microM) blocked them. They were not blocked by tetrodotoxin (10 microM), and 4-aminopyridine (1 mM) prolonged the decay phase without affecting the rate of rise and amplitude. The rate of rise, amplitude and duration of slow action potentials were not affected by LEMS IgG. These results show that LEMS IgG does not act on Ca2+ channel currents that underlie slow action potentials in mouse ventricles, suggesting antigenic differences between Ca2+ channels at motor nerve terminals and heart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, U.K.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newsom-Davis
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wray
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013577:Syndrome; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016276:Ventricular Function; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D015220:Calcium Channels; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D014700:Verapamil