Ethanol modulates BKCa channels by acting as an adjuvant of calcium.

ABSTRACT: Ethanol modulation of calcium- and voltage-gated potassium (slo1) channels alters neuronal excitability, cerebrovascular tone, brain function, and behavior, yet the mechanism of this modulation remains unknown. Using patch-clamp electrophysiology on recombinant BK(Ca) channels cloned from mouse brain and expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we demonstrate that ethanol, even at concentrations maximally effective to modulate BK(Ca) channel function (100 mM), fails to gate the channel in absence of activating calcium. Moreover, ethanol does not modify intrinsic, voltage- or physiological magnesium-driven gating. The alcohol works as an adjuvant of calcium by selectively facilitating calcium-driven gating. This facilitation, however, renders differential ethanol effects on channel activity: po

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2764333 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature