Mechanism underlying blockade of voltage-gated calcium channels by agmatine in cultured rat hippocampal neurons

摘要

AIM: To investigate whether agmatine could selectively block a given type of the voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) and whether related receptors are involved in the blocking effect of agmatine on VGCC. METHODS: The whole-cell patch recording technique was performed to record VGCC currents in the cultured neonatal rat hippocampal neurons. RESULTS: Verapamil (100 μmol/L), a selective blocker of L-type calcium channel, significantly inhibited VGCC current by 80 %± 7 %. Agmatine (100 μmol/L) could further depress the remained currents by 25 %±6 %. The α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (10 μmol/L) and the I2 imidazoline receptor antagonist idazoxon (10 and 40 μmol/L) had no significant effect on VGCC currents when used respectively. When the mixture of yohimbine and agmatine was applied, VGCC currents were still depressed remarkably. However, the blocking effect of agmatine was decreased by 29 %± 8 % in the presence of idazoxon (10 μmol/L). The effect of idazoxon did not increase at a higher concentration (40 μmol/L). CONCLUSION: Agmatine could block the L- and other types of VGCC currents in the cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Blocking effect of agmatine on VGCC was partially related to I2 imidazoline receptor and had no relationship with α2-adrenoceptors.