title: Pb2+ inhibits the hyperpolarization-activated current in acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons.
abstract: The hyperpolarization-activated h channel current (Ih) reported to be present in acutely isolated rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons is inhibited by Cs+ and ZD7288. It was recently reported that lead (Pb2+) inhibits voltage-gated Ca2+ and K+ channels in DRG neurons but the effect of Pb2+ on Ih has so far not been reported. Using whole-cell patch clamp technique we show that Pb2+ specifically inhibited Ih. External application of 0.1, 1 and 10 microM Pb2+ reversibly reduced the amplitude of Ih in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 3.7 microM and a Hill coefficient of 1.1. Pb2+ shifted the activation curve of Ih by 9.3 mV but had no effect on the slope factor. Pb2+ inhibited Ih in a voltage-dependent manner and slowed down the activation process, indicating an action of Pb2+ on the activation kinetics of h channels. Our studies thus demonstrated that Pb2+ is a dose-dependent, voltage-dependent and reversible blocker of Ih in DRG neurons.
authors.affiliation: Membrane Protein Research Group, Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada. xdai@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: X-Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karpinski
authors.forename: X-Z
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054815:Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D064428:Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D007854:Lead / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015221:Potassium Channels; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D054815:Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels; D064428:Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D007854:Lead