Barium modulates the gating of batrachotoxin-treated Na+ channels in high ionic strength solutions

Batrachotoxin-activated rat brain Na+ channels were reconstituted in neutral planar phospholipid bilayers in high ionic strength solutions (3 M NaCl). Under these conditions, diffuse surface charges present on the channel protein are screened. Nevertheless, the addition of extracellular and/or intracellular Ba2+ caused the following alterations in the gating of Na+ channels: (a) external (or internal) Ba2+ caused a depolarizing (or hyperpolarizing) voltage shift in the gating curve (open probability versus membrane potential curve) of the channels; (b) In the concentration range of 10-120 mM, extracellular Ba2+ caused a larger voltage shift in the gating curve of Na+ channels than intracellular Ba2+; (c) voltage shifts of the gating curve of Na+ channels as a function of external or internal Ba2+ were fitted with a simple binding isotherm with the following parameters: for internal Ba2+, delta V0.5,max (maximum voltage shift) = -11.5 mV, KD = 64.7 mM; for external Ba2+, delta V0.5,max = 13.5 mV, KD = 25.8 mM; (d) the change in the open probability of the channel caused by extracellular or intracellular Ba2+ is a consequence of alterations in both the opening and closing rate constants. Extracellular and intracellular divalent cations can modify the gating kinetics of Na+ channels by a specific modulatory effect that is independent of diffuse surface potentials. External or internal divalent cations probably bind to specific charges on the Na+ channel glycoprotein that modulate channel gating.