title: Effect of ethanol on [3H]nitrendipine binding to calcium channels in brain membranes.
abstract: We examined the effect of ethanol on [3H]nitrendipine binding to rat brain membranes, to investigate the possibility that voltage-dependent calcium channels are involved in synaptic actions of ethanol. Ethanol inhibited specific [3H]nitrendipine binding with Ki = 460 mM, by decreasing binding affinity without altering the maximal number of sites labeled. At a lower concentration (100 mM), ethanol had no effect on inhibition of binding by verapamil or diltiazem. The high concentrations of ethanol required to produce alterations in [3H]nitrendipine binding suggest that ethanol and classical calcium channel antagonists influence calcium-mediated synaptic processes by separate mechanisms.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009568:Nitrendipine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D000431:Ethanol; D009568:Nitrendipine; D014700:Verapamil; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium