title: alpha2-Adrenoceptor-mediated potassium currents in acutely dissociated rat locus coeruleus neurones.
abstract: 1. The noradrenaline (NA)-activated response was investigated in neurones acutely dissociated from the rat locus coeruleus (LC) using nystatin-perforated, conventional whole-cell and inside-out patch recording modes under current- and voltage-clamp conditions. 2. Under current-clamp conditions, NA hyperpolarized the LC neurones, abolishing the spontaneous action potentials. In voltage-clamp studies, NA induced an inwardly rectifying K+ current (INA) in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-maximum effective concentration of 2.2 x 10(-7) M. 3. INA was mimicked by the alpha2-agonist UK14304 but was inhibited by either the alpha2B/alpha2C antagonist ARC239 or the alpha1- and alpha2B/alpha2C antagonist prazosin, suggesting the contribution of alpha2B/alpha2C adrenoceptors. 4. INA was inhibited by the intracellular application of GDPbetaS but fully activated by intracellular perfusion of GTPgammaS. 5. In the inside-out recording mode, the application of GTP to the cytoplasmic side of the patch membrane markedly enhanced the open probability of the NA-activated single channels which represented the inwardly rectifying properties. 6. These results indicate that the activation of alpha2B/alpha2C adrenoceptors coupled with GTP-binding protein directly activates the inwardly rectifying K+ currents in rat LC neurones, thus resulting in a decrease in the spontaneous firing activities.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physiology and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-82, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akaike
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / Q000494:pharmacology; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009761:Nystatin; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D007546:Isoquinolines; D010879:Piperazines; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D013873:Thionucleotides; D009761:Nystatin; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; D015016:Yohimbine; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate); D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; C023427:guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate); D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; C032994:AR-C239; D011188:Potassium; D011224:Prazosin