M‐type K + currents in rat cultured thoracolumbar sympathetic neurones and their role in uracil nucleotide‐evoked noradrenaline release

Cultured sympathetic neurones are depolarized and release noradrenaline in response to extracellular ATP, UDP and UTP. We examined the possibility that, in neurones cultured from rat thoracolumbar sympathetic ganglia, inhibition of the M‐type potassium current might underlie the effects of UDP and UTP. Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction indicated that the cultured cells contained mRNA for P2Y 2 ‐, P2Y 4 ‐ and P2Y 6 ‐receptors as well as for the KCNQ2‐ and KCNQ3‐subunits which have been suggested to assemble into M‐channels. In cultures of neurones taken from newborn as well as from 10 day‐old rats, oxotremorine, the M‐channel blocker Ba 2+ and UDP all released previously stored [ 3 H]‐noradrenaline. The neurones possessed M‐currents, the kinetic properties of which were similar in neurones from newborn and 9–12 day‐old rats. UDP, UTP and ATP had no effect on M‐currents in neurones prepared from newborn rats. Oxotremorine and Ba 2+ substantially inhibited the current. ATP also had no effect on the M‐current in neurones prepared from 9–12 day‐old rats. Oxotremorine and Ba 2+ again caused marked inhibition. In contrast to cultures from newborn animals, UDP and UTP attenuated the M‐current in neurones from 9–12 day‐old rats; however, the maximal inhibition was less than 30%. The results indicate that inhibition of the M‐current is not involved in uracil nucleotide‐induced transmitter release from rat cultured sympathetic neurones during early development. M‐current inhibition may contribute to release at later stages, but only to a minor extent. The mechanism leading to noradrenaline release by UDP and UTP remains unknown.British Journal of Pharmacology (2000) 129 , 709–723; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703096