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Dopamine enhances a voltage-dependent transient K+ current in the MMQ cell, a clonal pituitary line expressing
I S Login1, J J Pancrazio, Y I Kim
1Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
Abstract:
The influence of dopamine on voltage-dependent K+ current (IK) was studied in cultured MMQ cells using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. IK in nearly all MMQ cells revealed a transient outward current component and inactivated during maintained depolarization lasting 60 ms. The transient component was inhibited by prepulse potentials more positive than -40 mV or by addition of 4 mM 4-aminopyridine to the bathing solution and was insensitive to the external Ca2+ concentration. Thus, this transient K+ current resembled the A-current (IA) found in other cells. Dopamine at 1 microM increased by 50% (P less than 0.001) the peak of IK evoked by a test potential to +80 mV and the response was prevented by pretreatment with 100 nM haloperidol, a D2 receptor antagonist. These data suggest that MMQ clonal pituitary cells possess a voltage-gated K+ A-current and that this current can be modulated by dopamine via D2 receptors.