title: The effects of nifedipine and other calcium antagonists on the glibenclamide-sensitive K+ currents in smooth muscle cells from pig urethra.
abstract: 1. The effects of nifedipine on both levcromakalim-induced membrane currents and unitary currents in pig proximal urethra were investigated by use of patch-clamp techniques (conventional whole-cell configuration and cell-attached patches). 2. Nifedipine had a voltage-dependent inhibitory effect on voltage-dependent Ba2+ currents at - 50 mV (Ki=30.6 nM). 3. In current-clamp mode, subsequent application of higher concentrations of nifedipine (> or =30 microM) caused a significant depolarization even after the membrane potential had been hyperpolarized to approximately -82 mV by application of 100 microM levcromakalim. 4. The 100 microM levcromakalim-induced inward current (symmetrical 140 mM K+ conditions, -50 mV) was inhibited by additional application of three different types of Ca antagonists (nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem, all at 100 microM). In contrast, Bay K 8644 (1 microM) possessed no activating effect on the amplitude of this glibenclamide-sensitive current. 5. When 100 microM nifedipine was included in the pipette solution during conventional whole-cell recording at -50 mV, application of levcromakalim (100 microM) caused a significant inward membrane current which was suppressed by 5 microM glibenclamide. On the other hand, inclusion of 5 microM glibenclamide in the pipette solution prevented levcromakalim from inducing an inward membrane current. 6. The levcromakalim-induced K+ channel openings in cell-attached configuration were suppressed by subsequent application of 5 microM glibenclamide but not of 100 microM nifedipine. 7. These results suggest that in pig proximal urethra, nifedipine inhibits the glibenclamide-sensitive 43 pS K+ channel activity mainly through extracellular blocking actions on the K+ channel itself.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Pharmacology, Oxford.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teramoto
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Brading
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019806:Cromakalim / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D014521:Urethra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D015221:Potassium Channels; D019806:Cromakalim; D001464:Barium; D009543:Nifedipine; D005905:Glyburide