PMID: 9664624Jul 17, 1998Paper

K+ currents of encephalitogenic memory T cells decrease with encephalitogenicity while interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression remains stable during IL-2 dependent cell expansion

Receptors & Channels
U StraussE Mix

Abstract

Previous studies revealed a linkage between increased K+ current and lymphocyte activation upon non-specific stimulation with mitogenic lectins and antibodies. So far no information is available about the behaviour of K+ currents in specifically autoantigen-stimulated lymphocytes. Therefore, we have investigated K+ currents in encephalitogenic T line cells, specifically stimulated with myelin basic protein, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. In parallel, the T cell activation marker interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor was measured quantitatively by flow cytometry. Outward currents were observed in response to depolarizing voltage steps from a holding potential of -80mV. The peak current density increased with more positive membrane potentials, where the current threshold was about -40mV and the maximum conductance was 1.22nS/pF. This current was characterized by a fast activation and a fast inactivation with half maximal inactivation at -67mV. The sensitivity of the peak current to K+ channel blocking agents was as follows: 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) had a half blocking concentration of 0.4mM and a maximal block of 83.7% at 10mM 4-AP, tetraethyl-ammonium caused a block of 6% at 0.1mM, 15% at 1mM and 40% at 10mM, charybdotoxin bl...Continue Reading

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