Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique

Potassium channels on the myocardial cell membrane play an important role in the regulation of cell electrophysiological activities. Being one of the main ion channels, voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are closely associated with some serious heart diseases, such as drug-induced myocardial damage and myocardial infarction. In the present study, the whole-cell patch-clamp technique was employed to determine the effects of 1.5 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, a broad-spectrum potassium channel inhibitor) and aconitine (AC, 25 µM, 50 µM, 100 µM, and 200 µM) on the Kv channel current (IKv) in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. It was found that 4-AP inhibited the IKv by about 54%, while the inhibitory effect of AC on the IKv showed a dose-dependent trend (no effect for 25 µM, 30% inhibitory rate for 50 µM, 46% inhibitory rate for 100 µM and 54% inhibitory rate for 200 µM). Due to the characteristics of higher sensitivity and precision, this technique will promote the exploration of cardiotoxicity and the pharmacological effects of ethnomedicine targeting ion channels.