title: Nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside inhibits the acetylcholine-induced K+ current in identified Aplysia neurons.
abstract: The effects of bath-applied sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, on an acetylcholine ACh-induced K+ current recorded from identified neurons (R9 and R10) of Aplysia kurodai were investigated with conventional voltage-clamp and pressure ejection techniques. Bath-applied SNP (25-50 microM) reduced the ACh-induced K+ current in the neurons without affecting the resting membrane conductance and holding current. The suppressing effects of SNP on the current were completely reversible. Intracellular injection of 1 mM guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) or bath-applied 50 microM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a nonspecific phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, also inhibited the ACh-induced current, thus mimicking the effect of the NO donor on the ACh-induced current. In contrast, pretreatment with methylene blue (10 microM), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, and hemoglobin (50 microM), a nitric oxide scavenger, decreased the SNP-induced inhibition of the ACh-induced current. These results suggest that SNP, a NO donor, inhibits the ACh-induced K+ current, and that the mechanism of NO inhibition of the ACh-induced current recorded from identified Aplysia neurons involves cGMP-dependent protein kinase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichinose
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D009599:Nitroprusside; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000109:Acetylcholine