ACCELERATED DISULFIDE REDUCTION WITH POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS - A MECHANISM OF IONIC CHANNEL MODULATION

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to modulate the ac tivity of ionic channels by an unknown mechanism. Some channels are ac tivated (i.e. certain delayed-rectifier, potassium channels) and other s are inhibited (i.e. certain calcium, sodium and other potassium chan nels). We have previously demonstrated that PUFAs can act as electron carriers. It is known that ionic channels can be redox modulated. The ability of fatty acids to serve as electron shuttling agents is propor tional to their unsaturation. These PUFAs cause reduction of disulfide s through a superoxide radical-independent mechanism, probably related to enhanced electron delocalization. The present study shows that the re is a strong correlation between the ability of a PUFA to transfer a n electron to a disulfide and its reported ability to modulate ionic c hannels. This suggests that electron transfer could be the mechanism o f PUFAs action on particular ionic channels.