The contrasting effects of dendrotoxins and other potassium channel blockers in the CA1 and dentate gyrus regions of rat hippocampal slices

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Abstract
1. The effects of potassium channel blocking compounds on synaptic transmission in the CA1 and dentate gyrus regions of the rat hippocampus were examined by means of simultaneous field potential recording techniques in brain slices. 2. 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) enhanced the excitatory postsynaptic potential (e.p.s.p.) and induced multiple population spike responses in both regions. EC50 values were 6.7 microM in the CAI (n = 5) and 161.7 microM (n = 5) in the dentate gyrus. 3. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) increased the amplitude and induced broadening of the population spike in both regions. In the dentate gyrus (n = 5) a single slow spike response was introduced (EC50 12.8 mM) and in the CA1 region (n = 5) the response was transformed into two wide spikes (EC50 2.6 mM). 4. In the CA1 region all of the dendrotoxins (toxin I, toxin K, alpha-Dtx and delta-Dtx) induced multiple population spikes and enlarged e.p.s.p. responses. Potentials recorded simultaneously in the dentate gyrus exhibited comparatively minor enhancements. The EC50 value for toxin 1 in the CA1 was calculated to be 237 nM (n = 4). Estimated EC50 values were obtained for alpha-Dtx (1.1 microM, n = 3), toxin K (411 nM, n = 4) and delta-Dtx (176 nM, n = 3). 5. In the presence of toxin 1, DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) induced slight reduction of the late e.p.s.p. phase (n = 3). 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) abolished all population spikes leaving a late slow positive waveform (n = 3). Co-application of APV and CNQX abolished all postsynaptic responses. 6. Charybdotoxin (CbTx) was significantly less potent than the dendrotoxins and had mixed actions in the CA1 region (n = 3). Again the dentate gyrus exhibited reduced sensitivity (n = 3). 7. In the presence of mast cell degranulating peptide (MCDP), enhancement of the CA1 field potential response (n = 5) was greater than that observed in the dentate gyrus (n = 5). 8. The results show that some potassium channel modulators can profoundly enhance CA1 region synaptic responses in the absence of notable changes in dentate gyrus excitability. Selective enhancement of defined synaptic pathways by potassium channel modulators may prove to have considerable therapeutic potential.