Kv1 activator mechanism of action in action potential inhibition.

Abstract

Delayed-rectifier, voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv), such as the Kv1 family, are found in nociceptive dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and represent a potential target for novel analgesics. Activating Kv1 channels in nociceptive neurons may work to decrease neuronal excitability and diminish the sensation of pain. Here, we explored the mechanism by which a Kv1 activator decreases action potential firing in DRG neurons. The small molecules compound A (cmpd-A) and B (cmpd-B) induced a hyperpolarizing shift in the conductance-voltage relationship of a heterologously-expressed Kv1 channel while cmpd-A additionally slowed the deactivation rate in a voltage-independent manner. Cmpd-A, but not cmpd-B, caused a frequency-dependent inhibition of AP firing in rat DRG neurons. We examined the effects of both compounds on Kv1 biophysics and neuronal membrane properties to explain the mechanism of action underlying cmpd-A AP inhibition.