Effective Activation by Kynurenic Acid and Its Aminoalkylated Derivatives on M-Type K+ Current

Kynurenic acid (KYNA, 4-oxoquinoline-2-carboxylic acid), an intermediate of the tryptophan metabolism, has been recognized to exert different neuroactive actions; however, the need of how it or its aminoalkylated amide derivative N-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-3-(morpholinomethyl)-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-2-carboxamide (KYNA-A4) exerts any effects on ion currents in excitable cells remains largely unmet. In this study, the investigations of how KYNA and other structurally similar KYNA derivatives have any adjustments on different ionic currents in pituitary GH(3) cells and hippocampal mHippoE-14 neurons were performed by patch-clamp technique. KYNA or KYNA-A4 increased the amplitude of M-type K+ current (I-K(M)) and concomitantly enhanced the activation time course of the current. The EC50 value required for KYNA- or KYNA-A4 -stimulated I-K(M) was yielded to be 18.1 or 6.4 mu M, respectively. The presence of KYNA or KYNA-A4 shifted the relationship of normalized I-K(M)-conductance versus membrane potential to more depolarized potential with no change in the gating charge of the current. The voltage-dependent hysteretic area of I-K(M) elicited by long-lasting triangular ramp pulse was observed in GH(3) cells and that was increased during exposure to KYNA or KYNA-A4. In cell-attached current recordings, addition of KYNA raised the open probability of M-type K+ channels, along with increased mean open time of the channel. Cell exposure to KYNA or KYNA-A4 mildly inhibited delayed-rectifying K+ current; however, neither erg-mediated K+ current, hyperpolarization-activated cation current, nor voltage-gated Na+ current in GH(3) cells was changed by KYNA or KYNA-A4. Under whole-cell, current-clamp recordings, exposure to KYNA or KYNA-A4 diminished the frequency of spontaneous action potentials; moreover, their reduction in firing frequency was attenuated by linopirdine, yet not by iberiotoxin or apamin. In hippocampal mHippoE-14 neurons, the addition of KYNA also increased the I-K(M) amplitude effectively. Taken together, the actions presented herein would be one of the noticeable mechanisms through which they modulate functional activities of excitable cells occurring in vivo.

Automated summary

Kynurenic acid and its derivative have modulatory effects on M-type K+ currents in pituitary cells and hippocampal neurons, while also exerting mild effects on other ionic currents. This may be one mechanism through which they modulate excitability in cells in vivo.