title: Regulation by spermine of native inward rectifier K+ channels in RBL-1 cells.
abstract: Polyamines have been shown to participate in the rectification of cloned inwardly rectifying potassium channels, a class of potassium channel proteins that conducts inward current more readily than outward current. Here, basophil leukemia cells were used to determine the effects of polyamines on a native, inwardly rectifying potassium current. Rat basophil leukemia cells were cultured in the presence of two different polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors, and both the electrophysiological properties and the polyamine levels were monitored. Treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine, a specific ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, resulted in no significant change of electrophysiological properties. In contrast, treatment with 5'-[(Z)-4-amino-2-butenyl]- methyl-amino-5'-deoxyadenosine (MDL73811), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, resulted in increased outward currents through inwardly rectifying potassium channels while intracellular putrescine was markedly increased and spermidine and spermine levels were decreased. Fluctuations of intracellular polyamine concentrations as imposed by MDL73811 were directly translated in an altered cell excitability. Based on these results we conclude that the rectification properties of native inwardly rectifying potassium channels are largely controlled by intracellular spermine.
authors.affiliation: Rammelkamp Center for Education and Research, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44109-1998, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taglialatela
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lundgren
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ficker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015471:Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013095:Spermidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D013096:Spermine; C065859:MDL 73811; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine; D000518:Eflornithine