Open AccessDevelopment of a New Photochromic Ion Channel Blocker via Azologization of Fomocaine
Author(s) -
Matthias Schoenberger,
Arunas Damijonaitis,
Z Zhang,
Daniel M. Nagel,
Dirk Trauner
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acs chemical neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.158
H-Index - 69
ISSN - 1948-7193
DOI - 10.1021/cn500070w
Subject(s) - photochromism , ion channel , channel (broadcasting) , channel blocker , action (physics) , neuroscience , computer science , chemistry , nanotechnology , materials science , physics , telecommunications , psychology , biochemistry , receptor , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , calcium
Photochromic blockers of voltage gated ion channels are powerful tools for the control of neuronal systems with high spatial and temporal precision. We now introduce fotocaine, a new type of photochromic channel blocker based on the long-lasting anesthetic fomocaine. Fotocaine is readily taken up by neurons in brain slices and enables the optical control of action potential firing by switching between 350 and 450 nm light. It also provides an instructive example for "azologization", that is, the systematic conversion of an established drug into a photoswitchable one.