title: The inhibitory effects of nano-Ag on voltage-gated potassium currents of hippocampal CA1 neurons.
abstract: The application of the nano-sized materials continues to grow at a rapid rate in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and environmental technology. Voltage-gated potassium currents play a key role in excitable cellular viability and function, especially in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to investigate the actions of silver nano-particles (nano-Ag) on voltage-activated potassium currents in hippocampal CA1 neurons using whole cell patch-clamp technique. The hydrodynamic mean diameter of nano-Ag (10(-5) g mL(-1) ) was 223.9 nm in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). Both types, transient potassium (I(A) ) and delayed rectifier potassium (I(K) ) current amplitudes were inhibited by the nano-Ag (10(-5) g mL(-1) ). The nano-Ag particles produced a hyperpolarizing shift in the activation-voltage curve of I(K) and inactivation-voltage curve of I(A) and also delayed the recovery of I(A) from inactivation. The results suggest that nano-Ag may have potential to alter the excitability of neurons by depressing the potassium channels.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, College of Medicine, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Zhaowei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guogang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D012834:Silver