Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kir2.1 , Kir2.2 , Kir3.1 , Kir3.2

Title: Ethanol opens G-protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channels.

Authors: T Kobayashi, K Ikeda, H Kojima, H Niki, R Yano, T Yoshioka, T Kumanishi

Journal, date & volume: Nat. Neurosci., 1999 Dec , 2, 1091-7

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10570486

Abstract
Ethanol affects many functions of the brain and peripheral organs. Here we show that ethanol opens G-protein-activated, inwardly rectifying K + (GIRK) channels, which has important implications for inhibitory regulation of neuronal excitability and heart rate. At pharmacologically relevant concentrations, ethanol activated both brain-type GIRK1/2 and cardiac-type GIRK1/4 channels without interaction with G proteins or second messengers. Moreover, weaver mutant mice, which have a missense mutation in the GIRK2 channel, showed a loss of ethanol-induced analgesia. These results suggest that the GIRK channels in the brain and heart are important target sites for ethanol.