title: Differential inhibition of glial K(+) currents by 4-AP.
abstract: Spinal cord astrocytes express four biophysically and pharmacologically distinct voltage-activated potassium (K(+)) channel types. The K(+) channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) exhibited differential and concentration-dependent block of all of these currents. Specifically, 100 microM 4-AP selectively inhibited a slowly inactivating outward current (K(SI)) that was insensitive to dendrototoxin (< or = 10 microM) and that activated at -50 mV. At 2 mM, 4-AP inhibited fast-inactivating, low-threshold (-70 mV) A-type currents (K(A)) and sustained, TEA-sensitive noninactivating delayed-rectifier-type currents (K(DR)). At an even higher concentration (8 mM), 4-AP additionally blocked inwardly rectifying, Cs(+)- and Ba(2+)-sensitive K(+) currents (K(IR)). Current injection into current-clamped astrocytes in culture or in acute spinal cord slices induced an overshooting voltage response reminiscent of slow neuronal action potentials. Increasing concentrations of 4-AP selectively modulated different phases in the repolarization of these glial spikes, suggesting that all four K(+) currents serve different roles in stabilization and repolarization of the astrocytic membrane potential. Our data suggest that 4-AP is an useful, dose-dependent inhibitor of all four astrocytic K(+) channels. We show that the slowly inactivating astrocytic K(+) currents, which had not been described as separate current entities in astrocytes, contribute to the resting K(+) conductance and may thus be involved in K(+) homeostatic functions of astrocytes. The high sensitivity of these currents to micromolar 4-AP suggests that application of 4-AP to inhibit neuronal A-currents or to induce epileptiform discharges in brain slices also may influence astrocytic K(+) buffering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bordey
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sontheimer
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D004594:Electrophysiology; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D000098854:Kcnj10 Channel
chemical_list: D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D000098854:Kcnj10 Channel; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D015761:4-Aminopyridine