title: Effect of butyrate on membrane potential, ionic currents and intracellular Ca2+ concentration in cultured rat myenteric neurones.
abstract: Myenteric neurones from 1-10-day-old rats were isolated from the small and large intestine by enzymatic digestion with collagenase. Single cells were collected and kept in culture for up to 1 week. After 1-5 days in culture, membrane potential and ionic currents were measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The intracellular Ca2+ concentration was measured with the fura-2 method. The short-chain fatty acid butyrate (50 mmol L-1) induced a reversible hyperpolarization of the myenteric neurones by about 10 mV. This hyperpolarization was concomitant with an inhibition of a TTX-sensitive Na+ current. The hyperpolarization could be suppressed by intracellular application of Cs+, a nonselective K+ channel blocker. Fura-2 experiments revealed that butyrate induced an increase of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The butyrate response was suppressed by thapsigargin, indicating that butyrate stimulates the release of intracellular Ca2+. This release is responsible for the voltage response, because intracellular chelation of Ca2+ inhibited the butyrate induced hyperpolarization. Consequently, butyrate acts on enteric neurones by releasing Ca2+ from intracellular stores with the consequence of the activation of K+ channels, followed by a hyperpolarization.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Physiology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haschke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schafer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diener
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D007473:Ion Channels; D002118:Calcium