Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv7.1 , Slo1

Title: Inhibitory effects of volatile anesthetics on currents produced on heterologous expression of KvLQT1 and minK in Xenopus oocytes.

Authors: Xiangdong Chen, Michiaki Yamakage, Yohichi Yamada, Noritsugu Tohse, Akiyoshi Namiki

Journal, date & volume: Vascul. Pharmacol., 2002 Jul , 39, 33-8

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12616988

Abstract
The slowly activating component of delayed rectifier K+ current (IKs) in the heart modulates the repolarization of cardiac action potential. We investigated the effects of the volatile anesthetics isoflurane and sevoflurane on cloned IKs coexpressed by KvLQT1 and minK. Currents were induced following injection into oocytes of KvLQT1 mRNA (10 ng) with or without minK mRNA (1 ng), which were transcribed in vitro from cDNAs of normal rats hearts. A two-electrode voltage-clamp recording technique was used to investigate the effects of isoflurane (0-1.5 minimum alveolar concentration, MAC) and sevoflurane (0-1.5 MAC) on IKs (KvLQT1 with minK) and KvLQT1 alone currents. Currents were activated by step depolarizations to a series of potentials from a holding potential of -80 mV and measured as the deactivating tail current on repolarization to -60 mV. Following a 2-s depolarization to 40 mV, isoflurane and sevoflurane caused potency-dependent reductions in IKs and KvLQT1 currents. Both of the volatile anesthetics tested accelerated the deactivation of IKs and KvLQT1 currents. We conclude that the significant inhibitory effect of volatile anesthetics on the cloned IKs may partly contribute to the clinical observations of the prolongation of the ventricular repolarization (Q-T interval) by the anesthetics.