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Adrenergic modulation of potassium currents in isolated human atrial myocytes

  • Original Paper
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Journal of Biomedical Science

Abstract

The adrenergic modulation of inwardly rectifying and depolarization-activated outward potassium currents was studied in single cardiac myocytes obtained from the human atrium. Membrane currents were recorded in enzymatically dissociated cells using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. It was observed that, in the presence or absence of atenolol (or 1 µM propranolol), 30 µM phenylephrine attenuated inwardly rectifying and depolarization-activated outward potassium currents including both transient and late-activated current. This suppressant effect of phenylephrine could be prevented by pretreatment with an α-adrenoceptor antagonist. Isoproterenol (30 µM) increased the late outward potassium current and net transient outward current. It is concluded that, in human atrial myocytes, α-adrenergic activation reduces depolarization-activated transient and late outward potassium current and inwardly rectifying background potassium current. β-Adrenergic activation resulted in an increase in the depolarization-activated transient and late outward potassium current.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Shu-Hsun Chu

  2. Pharmacological Institute College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Jen-Ai Rd., Sect. 1, 10018, Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)

    Ming-Jai Su & Jo-Feng Chi

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Su, MJ., Chi, JF. & Chu, SH. Adrenergic modulation of potassium currents in isolated human atrial myocytes. J Biomed Sci 1, 193–200 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02253349

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02253349

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