Open AccessThe General Anesthetic Propofol Inhibits Transmembrane Calcium Current in Chick Sensory Neurons
Author(s) -
Riccardo Olcese,
Cesare Usai,
E. Maestrone,
Mario Nobile
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/00000539-199405000-00021
Subject(s) - medicine , propofol , anesthetic , sensory system , calcium , anesthesia , neuroscience , transmembrane protein , current (fluid) , pharmacology , receptor , biology , electrical engineering , engineering
The action of propofol on voltage-gated calcium channels was investigated in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons from chick embryos. The Ca2+ current was measured by using the patch-clamp technique in whole cell configuration. Low-voltage-activated (LVA) and high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ currents were selected by means of appropriate stimulation protocols. Propofol (0.3 mM) inhibited the LVA T-type current by 80% (P < 0.001). The same concentration of propofol reduced the HVA Ca2+ current with a high variability (10%-75%). The inactivation time constant of the HVA current was also shortened to 50% by propofol. omega-Conotoxin and nifedipine were used to discriminate between the HVA N- and L-type current components. Only the L-type component was strongly depressed (75%) by propofol (P < 0.001); different effects on the HVA current might, therefore, reflect different percentages of L- and N-type channels in neurons. We conclude that propofol inhibits the T-type and L-type components of the Ca2+ current. This inhibition may play a role in the cardiovascular side effects clinically observed.