Bepridil blockade of Ca2+-dependent action potentials in vascular smooth muscle of dog coronary artery
Abstract
The effect of the new vasodilatory and antianginal compound, bepridil (CERM-1978), was examined on the electrical activity of the vascular smooth muscle of isolated dog coronary arteries. Tetraethylammonium (10 mM) was used to induce excitability in the muscle in the form of Ca2+-dependent overshooting action potentials, whose inward current is carried almost exclusively by Ca2+ ion through voltage-dependent slow channels. Bepridil (5 X 10(-7)--1 X 10(--5) M) produced a dose-dependent depression of the rate of rise and amplitude of these Ca2+ spikes. Complete blockade of the action potentials occurred at 1 X 10(-5) M bepridil. These effects of bepridil were antagonized by elevation of external Ca2+ concentration ([CA]o). The effects of bepridil were substantially reversed by washout after about 30 min. Bepridil (10(-5) M) also produced a small but significant (p less than 0.05) increase in resting membrane resistance (input resistance increased from a mean of 10.1 to 12.4 m omega), accompanied by a small but significant (p less than 0.05) depolarization of 6 mV (from a mean of --51 to --45 mV). These latter effects are consistent with a diminution of the resting K+ conductance (gK) by bepridil. It is concluded that the vasodila...Continue Reading
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