Aluminofluoride activates hyperpolarization- and stretch-activated cationic channels in single smooth muscle cells

Aluminofluoride (AF) has a variety of biological actions such as activation of GTP binding proteins and inhibition of phosphatases. In the present study, the effects of AF on hyper-polarization- and stretch-activated cationic channels (HA-SACs) were investigated in isolated gastric smooth muscle cells from the toad, Bufo marinus, using the patch-clamp technique. In cell-attached patches extracellular application of AF (20 mM KF plus 20 microM AlCl3) reversibly increased HA-SAC activity without changing its voltage sensitivity. The single channel current amplitude of HA-SACs was not affected during this procedure. The mechanism of AF-induced activation of HA-SACs remains unclear. However, this activation may play a role in contraction of smooth muscle induced by AF.