PHARMACOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF 5 CLONED VOLTAGE-GATED K-CELL LINES( CHANNELS, TYPES KV1.1, KV1.2, KV1.3, KV1.5, AND KV3.1, STABLY EXPRESSED IN MAMMALIAN)

We have analyzed the biophysical and pharmacological properties of fiv e cloned K+ (Kv) channels (Kv1.1, Kv1.2, Kv1.3, Kv1.5, and Kv3.1) stab ly expressed in mammalian cell lines. Kv1.1 is biophysically similar t o a K+ channel in C6 glioma cells and astrocytes, Kv1.3 and Kv3.1 have electrophysiological properties identical to those of the types n and I K+ channels in T cells, respectively, and Kv1.5 closely resembles a rapidly activating delayed rectifier in the heart. Each of these nati ve channels may be formed from the homomultimeric association of the c orresponding Kv subunits, and pharmacological compounds that selective ly modulate them may be useful for the treatment of neurological, immu ne, and cardiac disorders. The cell lines described in this report cou ld be used to identify such drugs and we have therefore embarked on a pharmacological characterization of the five cloned channels. The comp ounds tested in this study include 4-aminopyridine, capsaicin, charybd otoxin, cromakalim, dendrotoxin, diltiazem, D-sotalol, flecainide, kal iotoxin, mast cell degranulating peptide, nifedipine, noxiustoxin, res iniferatoxin, and tetraethylammonium.