title: Multiple effects of nordihydroguaiaretic acid on ionic currents in rat isolated type I carotid body cells.
abstract: 1. The effects of the lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) on the ionic currents of rat carotid body type I cells were investigated by use of whole-cell and outside-out patch clamp techniques. 2. NDGA (5-50 microM) produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of whole-cell K+ currents at all activating test potentials (holding potential -70 mV). The time-course of the inhibition was also concentration-dependent and the effects of NDGA were only reversible following brief periods of exposure (<2 min). Another lipoxygenase inhibitor, phenidone (5 microM), was without effect on whole-cell K+ currents in carotid body type I cells. 3. NDGA (5-50 microM) also inhibited whole-cell Ca2+ channel currents (recorded with Ba2+ as charge carrier) in a concentration-dependent manner. 4. Isolation of voltage-gated K+ channels by use of high [Mg2+] (6 mM), low [Ca2+] (0.1 mM) solutions revealed a direct inhibition of the voltage-sensitive component of the whole-cell K+ current by NDGA (50 microM). 5. In excised, outside-out patches NDGA (20-50 microM) increased large conductance, Ca2+ activated K+ channel activity approximately 10 fold, an effect which could be reversed by either tetraethylammonium (10 mM) or charybdotoxin (30 nM). 6. It is concluded that NDGA activates maxi-K+ channels in carotid body type I cells and over the same concentration range inhibits voltage-sensitive K+ and Ca2+ channels. The inhibition of whole cell K+ currents seen is most likely due to a combination of direct inhibition of the voltage-sensitive K+ current and indirect inhibition of maxi-K+ channel activity through blockade of Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cardiovascular Research, University of Leeds.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hatton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009637:Masoprocol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011720:Pyrazoles; D009637:Masoprocol; C015429:phenidone