title: Effects of KCNQ channel modulators on the M-type potassium current in primate retinal pigment epithelium.
abstract: Recently, we demonstrated the expression of KCNQ1, KCNQ4, and KCNQ5 transcripts in monkey retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and showed that the M-type current in RPE cells is blocked by the specific KCNQ channel blocker XE991. Using patch-clamp electrophysiology, we investigated the pharmacological sensitivity of the M-type current in isolated monkey RPE cells to elucidate the subunit composition of the channel. Most RPE cells exhibited an M-type current with a voltage for half-maximal activation of approximately -35 mV. The M-type current activation followed a double-exponential time course and was essentially complete within 1 s. The M-type current was inhibited by micromolar concentrations of the nonselective KCNQ channel blockers linopirdine and XE991 but was relatively insensitive to block by 10 μM chromanol 293B or 135 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA), two KCNQ1 channel blockers. The M-type current was activated by 1) 10 μM retigabine, an opener of all KCNQ channels except KCNQ1, 2) 10 μM zinc pyrithione, which augments all KCNQ channels except KCNQ3, and 3) 50 μM N-ethylmaleimide, which activates KCNQ2, KCNQ4, and KCNQ5, but not KCNQ1 or KCNQ3, channels. Application of cAMP, which activates KCNQ1 and KCNQ4 channels, had no significant effect on the M-type current. Finally, diclofenac, which activates KCNQ2/3 and KCNQ4 channels but inhibits KCNQ5 channels, inhibited the M-type current in the majority of RPE cells but activated it in others. The results indicate that the M-type current in monkey RPE is likely mediated by channels encoded by KCNQ4 and KCNQ5 subunits.
authors.affiliation: Univ. of Michigan, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
authors.forename: Bikash R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Pattnaik
authors.forename: Bret A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002219:Carbamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002839:Chromans / Q000494:pharmacology; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051656:KCNQ Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010655:Phenylenediamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002219:Carbamates; D002839:Chromans; D007211:Indoles; D051656:KCNQ Potassium Channels; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010655:Phenylenediamines; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011725:Pyridines; D013449:Sulfonamides; C101866:ezogabine; C103474:6-cyano-4-(N-ethylsulfonyl-N-methylamino)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylchromane; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; C061017:linopirdine; D005033:Ethylmaleimide; C010423:pyrithione zinc; D011188:Potassium