Effects of hydrogen peroxide on sodium current in acutely isolated rat hippocampal CA1 neurons

The effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on sodium currents (Na+ currents) in freshly dissociated rat hippocampal neurons were studied using the whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. H2O2 caused a reversible increase of the voltage-activated Na+ currents in a concentration- and voltage-dependent manner. The half-increasing concentration (EC50) of H2O2 on Na+ currents was 10.79 microM. In addition, 10 microM H2O2 shifted the steady-state inactivation curve of Na+ currents toward positive potential (control Vh = -64.58 +/- 1.22 mV, H2O2 Vh = -53.55 +/- 0.94 mV, n = 10, P < 0.01 without changing the slope factor). However, the steady-state activation curve was not affected. These results indicated that H2O2 could increase the amplitudes of Na+ currents and change the inactivation properties of Na+ channels even in very low concentration.