NO involvement in the inhibition of ghrelin on voltage-dependent potassium currents in rat hippocampal cells

Author:

Lu, Yong  Dang, Shaokang  Wang, Xu  Zhang, Junli  Zhang, Lin  Su, Qian  Zhang, Huiping  Lin, Tianwei  Zhang, Xiaoxiao  Zhang, Yurong  Sun, Hongli  Zhu, Zhongliang  Li, Hui  

Journal:

BRAIN RESEARCH

Issue Date:

2018

Abstract(summary):

Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that plays an important role in promoting appetite, regulating distribution and rate of use of energy, cognition, and mood disorders, but the relevant neural mechanisms of these function are still not clear. In this study, we examined the effect of ghrelin on voltage-dependent potassium (K+) currents in hippocampal cells of 1-3 days SD rats by whole-cell patch-clamp technique, and discussed whether NO was involved in this process. The results showed that ghrelin significantly inhibited the voltage-dependent K+ currents in hippocampal cells, and the inhibitory effect was more significant when L-arginine was co-administered. In contrast, N-nitro- L-arginine methyl ester increased the ghrelin inhibited K+ currents and attenuated the inhibitory effect of ghrelin. While D-arginine (D-AA) showed no significant impact on the ghrelin-induced decrease in K+ current. These results show that ghrelin may play a physiological role by inhibiting hippocampal voltage dependent K+ currents, and the NO pathway may be involved in this process. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Page:

40---46