title: Maitotoxin activates a nonselective cation channel and stimulates Ca2+ entry in MDCK renal epithelial cells.
abstract: We examined the mechanisms of maitotoxin (MTX), a water-soluble polyether from the marine dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus, in stimulation of Ca2+ entry into Mardin-Darby canine kidney cells. In the presence of bath Ca2+, MTX (3 nM) caused an elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), which was partially inhibited by SK&F 96365 (25 microM) or La3+ (100 microM). A stimulation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels in cell-attached membrane patches coincided with this rise in [Ca2+]i and was also partially inhibited by SK&F 96365. Before the rise in [Ca2+]i, a nonselective cation current (Ins), studied by the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, was irreversibly activated. Ins poorly discriminated between Na+, K+, and Cs+, was unaffected by replacement of Cl- with gluconate-, and was not voltage gated. MTX-induced Ins was partially blocked by La3+ ions (100 microM) but not by SK&F 96365 (25 microM) or nifedipine (10 microM). SK&F 96365 by itself induced a small but significant stimulation of Ins and a rise in [Ca2+]i. The activation of Ins by MTX was instantaneous and depended on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ ions. In the absence of other cations, the inward current of Ins was dependent on the bath Ca2+ concentration. Cell-attached and excised single-channel measurements revealed that MTX activated a SK&F 96365-insensitive, approximately 40-pS, nonselective cation channel from the outside. We conclude that the initial action of MTX is the stimulation of a nonselective cation channel, which requires the presence of extracellular Ca2+ ions. The subsequent rise in [Ca2+]i is at least in part caused by another, SK&F 96365-sensitive, Ca2+ entry pathway, which may be activated as a result of or independently of Ins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dietl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völkl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D004594:Electrophysiology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035964:Oxocins; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D007093:Imidazoles; D007473:Ion Channels; D008387:Marine Toxins; D035964:Oxocins; D015221:Potassium Channels; C020394:maitotoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins; C063159:1-(2-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxy)-4-methoxyphenylethyl)-1H-imidazole