Modulation by histamine of the delayed outward potassium current in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

1. Histamine receptor-mediated modulation of the delayed outward potassium current (IK) was investigated in guinea-pig single ventricular cells by the whole-cell voltage clamp. 2. Histamine increased IK in a dose- dependent manner with a half-maximum dose of 3.8 x 10(-8) M. Histamine (10(-6) M) increased IK by a factor of 3.02 without a significant change in the current kinetics. The threshold dose of histamine for increasing IK was 10(-9) M and this value was similar to that for calcium current. 3. Cimetidine decreased IK in the presence of histamine, by shifting the dose-response curve to histamine to the right. The pA2 value of cimetidine against histamine was 6.38. 4. Forskolin did not increase IK after application of 10(-6) M histamine, and histamine scarcely increased IK in the presence of a heat-stable inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKI). 5. We conclude that stimulation by histamine of IK is mainly by way of the H2-receptor, and is mediated by cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation.