Differential inhibition of T-type calcium channels by neuroleptics

CM Santi, FS Cayabyab, KG Sutton… - Journal of …, 2002 - Soc Neuroscience
CM Santi, FS Cayabyab, KG Sutton, JE McRory, J Mezeyova, KS Hamming, D Parker…
Journal of Neuroscience, 2002Soc Neuroscience
T-type calcium channels play critical roles in cellular excitability and have been implicated in
the pathogenesis of a variety of neurological disorders including epilepsy. Although there
have been reports that certain neuroleptics that primarily target D2dopamine receptors and
are used to treat psychoses may also interact with T-type Ca channels, there has been no
systematic examination of this phenomenon. In the present paper we provide a detailed
analysis of the effects of several widely used neuroleptic agents on a family of exogenously …
T-type calcium channels play critical roles in cellular excitability and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of neurological disorders including epilepsy. Although there have been reports that certain neuroleptics that primarily target D2dopamine receptors and are used to treat psychoses may also interact with T-type Ca channels, there has been no systematic examination of this phenomenon. In the present paper we provide a detailed analysis of the effects of several widely used neuroleptic agents on a family of exogenously expressed neuronal T-type Ca channels (α1G, α1H, and α1Isubtypes). Among the neuroleptics tested, the diphenylbutylpiperidines pimozide and penfluridol were the most potent T-type channel blockers with Kd values (∼30–50 nm and ∼70–100 nm, respectively), in the range of their antagonism of the D2 dopamine receptor. In contrast, the butyrophenone haloperidol was ∼12- to 20-fold less potent at blocking the various T-type Ca channels. The diphenyldiperazine flunarizine was also less potent compared with the diphenylbutylpiperadines and preferentially blocked α1G and α1I T-type channels compared with α1H. The various neuroleptics did not significantly affect T-type channel activation or kinetic properties, although they shifted steady-state inactivation profiles to more negative values, indicating that these agents preferentially bind to channel inactivated states. Overall, our findings indicate that T-type Ca channels are potently blocked by a subset of neuroleptic agents and suggest that the action of these drugs on T-type Ca channels may significantly contribute to their therapeutic efficacy.
Soc Neuroscience