M. Scheller et al., ISOFLURANE AND SEVOFLURANE INTERACT WITH THE NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE-RECEPTOR CHANNELS IN MICROMOLAR CONCENTRATIONS, Anesthesiology, 86(1), 1997, pp. 118-127
Background: This study was performed to elucidate and compare the effe
cts of sevoflurane and of isoflurane on the nicotinic acetylcholine re
ceptor of mouse myotubes, The experiments mere done with special refer
ence to anesthetic concentrations considerably less than those used fo
r clinical anesthesia. Methods: The patch-clamp technique was used to
record acetylcholine-activated currents from the embryonic type of the
nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the outside-out mode. A piezo-dri
ven liquid filament switch was used for the ultrafast application of a
cetylcholine alone or in combination with isoflurane or sevoflurane. I
n addition, the patches were preexposed to either anesthetic, precedin
g the activation with acetylcholine. Results: The current elicited by
acetylcholine was reduced reversibly and in a concentration-dependent
manner by both anesthetics, which were equally effective. Preexposure
of the patches to isoflurane or sevoflurane showed an additional inhib
ition that was present at micromolar concentrations. The time courses
of current decay could be fitted by single exponentials for isoflurane
. At higher concentrations of sevoflurane, the current decay became bi
exponential, In contrast to isoflurane, sevoflurane increased the time
constants of desensitization when applied in low concentrations. Conc
lusion: At the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, isoflurane and sevofl
urane act primarily through the same mechanisms: Both affect the open
and the closed state of the channels in concentrations equal to and le
ss than those encountered clinically. The kinetics of desensitization,
however, are altered in a different manner. Thus there may be several
different sites of interaction.