Antidepressant drug paroxetine blocks the open pore of Kv3.1 potassium channel

In patients with epilepsy, depression is a common comorbidity but difficult to be treated because many antidepressants cause pro-convulsive effects. Thus, it is important to identify the risk of seizures associated with antidepressants. To determine whether paroxetine, a very potent selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), interacts with ion channels that modulate neuronal excitability, we examined the effects of paroxetine on Kv3.1 potassium channels, which contribute to highfrequency firing of interneurons, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Kv3.1 channels were cloned from rat neurons and expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Paroxetine reversibly reduced the amplitude of Kv3.1 current, with an IC₅₀ value of 9.43 µM and a Hill coefficient of 1.43, and also accelerated the decay of Kv3.1 current. The paroxetine-induced inhibition of Kv3.1 channels was voltage-dependent even when the channels were fully open. The binding (k₊₁) and unbinding (k₋₁) rate constants for the paroxetine effect were 4.5 µM⁻¹s⁻¹ and 35.8 s⁻¹, respectively, yielding a calculated K(D) value of 7.9 µM. The analyses of Kv3.1 tail current indicated that paroxetine did not affect ion selectivity and slowed its deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon. Paroxetine inhibited Kv3.1 channels in a usedependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that paroxetine blocks the open state of Kv3.1 channels. Given the role of Kv3.1 in fast spiking of interneurons, our data imply that the blockade of Kv3.1 by paroxetine might elevate epileptic activity of neural networks by interfering with repetitive firing of inhibitory neurons.

Blockade of Kv1.5 by paroxetine, an antidepressant drug

Paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), has been reported to have an effect on several ion channels including human ether-a-go-go-related gene in a SSRI-independent manner. These results suggest that paroxetine may cause side effects on cardiac system. In this study, we investigated the effect of paroxetine on Kv1.5, which is one of cardiac ion channels. The action of paroxetine on the cloned neuronal rat Kv1.5 channels stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Paroxetine reduced Kv1.5 whole-cell currents in a reversible concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value and a Hill coefficient of 4.11 microM and 0.98, respectively. Paroxetine accelerated the decay rate of inactivation of Kv1.5 currents without modifying the kinetics of current activation. The inhibition increased steeply between -30 and 0 mV, which corresponded with the voltage range for channel opening. In the voltage range positive to 0 mV, inhibition displayed a weak voltage dependence, consistent with an electrical distance delta of 0.32. The binding (k(+1)) and unbinding (k(-1)) rate constants for paroxetine-induced block of Kv1.5 were 4.9 microM(-1)s(-1) and 16.1 s-1, respectively. The theoretical K(D) value derived by k(-1)/k(+1) yielded 3.3 microM. Paroxetine slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon when the tail currents, recorded in the presence and absence of paroxetine, were superimposed. Inhibition of Kv1.5 by paroxetine was use-dependent. The present results suggest that paroxetine acts on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker.

Blockade of Kv1.5 channels by the antidepressant drug sertraline

Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), has been reported to lead to cardiac toxicity even at therapeutic doses including sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmia. And in a SSRI-independent manner, sertraline has been known to inhibit various voltage-dependent channels, which play an important role in regulation of cardiovascular system. In the present study, we investigated the action of sertraline on Kv1.5, which is one of cardiac ion channels. The eff ect of sertraline on the cloned neuronal rat Kv1.5 channels stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Sertraline reduced Kv1.5 whole-cell currents in a reversible concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value and a Hill coefficient of 0.71 microM and 1.29, respectively. Sertraline accelerated the decay rate of inactivation of Kv1.5 currents without modifying the kinetics of current activation. The inhibition increased steeply between -20 and 0 mV, which corresponded with the voltage range for channel opening. In the voltage range positive to +10 mV, inhibition displayed a weak voltage dependence, consistent with an electrical distance delta of 0.16. Sertraline slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon when the tail currents, recorded in the presence and absence of sertraline, were superimposed. Inhibition of Kv1.5 by sertraline was use-dependent. The present results suggest that sertraline acts on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker.

Inhibitory Actions of HERG Currents by the Immunosuppressant Drug Cyclosporin A

The effect of cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunosuppressant, on human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channel as it is expressed in human embryonic kidney cells was studied using a whole-cell, patch-clamp technique. CsA inhibited the HERG channel in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value and a Hill coefficient of 3.17 microM and 0.89, respectively. Pretreatment with cypermethrine, a calcineurin inhibitor, had no effect on the CsA-induced inhibition of the HERG channel. The CsA-induced inhibition of HERG channels was voltage-dependent, with a steep increase over the voltage range of the channel opening. However, the inhibition exhibited voltage independence over the voltage range of fully activated channels. CsA blocked the HERG channels predominantly in the open and inactivated states rather than in the closed state. Results of the present study suggest that CsA acts directly on the HERG channel as an open-channel blocker, and it acts independently of its effect on calcineurin activity.

Open Channel Block of Kv3.1 Currents by Genistein, a Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor

The goal of this study was to analyze the effects of genistein, a widely used tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on cloned Shaw-type K+ currents, Kv3.1 which were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, using the whole-cell configuration of patch-clamp techniques. In whole-cell recordings, genistein at external concentrations from 10 to 100 micrometer accelerated the rate of inactivation of Kv3.1 currents, thereby concentration-dependently reducing the current at the end of depolarizing pulse with an IC50 value of 15.71+/-0.67 micrometer and a Hill coefficient of 3.28+/-0.35 (n=5). The time constant of activation at a 300 ms depolarizing test pulses from -80 mV to +40 mV was 1.01+/-0.04 ms and 0.90+/-0.05 ms (n=9) under control conditions and in the presence of 20 micrometer genistein, respectively, indicating that the activation kinetics was not significantly modified by genistein. Genistein (20 micrometer) slowed the deactivation of the tail current elicited upon repolarization to -40 mV, thus inducing a crossover phenomenon. These results suggest that drug unbinding is required before Kv3.1 channels can close. Genistein-induced block was voltage-dependent, increasing in the voltage range (-20 mV~0 mV) for channel opening, suggesting an open channel interaction. Genistein (20 micrometer) produced use-dependent block of Kv3.1 at a stimulation frequency of 1 Hz. The voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation of Kv3.1 was not changed by 20 micrometer genistein. Our results indicate that genistein blocks directly Kv3.1 currents in concentration-, voltage-, time-dependent manners and the action of genistein on Kv3.1 is independent of tyrosine kinase inhibition.

Direct Block of Cloned K+ Channels, Kv1.5 and Kv1.3, by Cyclosporin A, Independent of Calcineurin Inhibition

The interaction of cyclosporine A (CsA), an immunosuppressant, with rat brain Kv1.5 (Kv1.5) channels, which were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. CsA reversibly blocked Kv1.5 currents at +50 mV in a reversible concentration- dependent manner with an apparent IC50 of 1.0microM. Other calcineurin inhibitors (cypermethrin, autoinhibitory peptide) had no effect on Kv1.5 and did not prevent the inhibitory effect of CsA. Fast application of CsA led to a rapid and reversible block of Kv1.5, and the onset time constants of the CsA-induced block were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The CsA-induced block of Kv1.5 channels was voltage-dependent, with a steep increase over the voltage range of channel opening. However, the block exhibited voltage independence over the voltage range in which channels were fully activated. The rate constants for association and dissociation of CsA were 7.0microM-1s-1 and 8.1 s-1, respectively. CsA slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon. Block of Kv1.5 by CsA was use-dependent. CsA also blocked Kv1.3 currents at +50 mV in a reversible concentration-dependent manner with an apparent IC50 of 1.1microM. The same effects of CsA on Kv1.3 were also observed in excised inside-out patches when applied to the internal surface of the membrane. The present results suggest that CsA acts directly on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker, independently of the effects of CsA on calcineurin activity.