title: The effect of pumiliotoxin-B on the excitability of bullfrog sympathetic neurons.
abstract: The effects of the alkaloid pumiliotoxin-B were investigated on neurons from bullfrog paravertebral ganglia using current-clamp techniques. Pumiliotoxin-B (2 microM) induced repetitive action potential discharge or bursting pacemaker activity in response to a single stimulus. The toxin had no significant effect on the mean resting potential or action potential characteristics of single action potentials evoked prior to the action potential discharge onset. During the action potential discharge, action potential threshold and afterhyperpolarization amplitude were decreased. In the presence of pumiliotoxin-B, single action potentials were followed by a depolarizing afterpotential. Pumiliotoxin-B still induced action potential discharge in Ca2+-free or Cd2+-containing solutions. Brief superfusion with a Na+-free or tetrodotoxin-containing solution abolished the pumiliotoxin-B-induced action potential discharge prior to the blockade of directly elicited single action potentials. These solutions decreased or abolished the depolarizing afterpotential. Pumiliotoxin-B increases membrane excitability and can induce a stimulation-dependent action potential discharge which appears to result from a tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+-sensitive potential.
authors.affiliation: Section of Electrophysiology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD 20852.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Weight
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007212:Indolizines; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010880:Piperidines; D011892:Rana catesbeiana; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D007212:Indolizines; D010880:Piperidines; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; C031598:pumiliotoxin B; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium