Non-competitive inhibition of kainate-induced currents by diethylstilbestrol in acutely isolated mouse CA1 hippocampal neurons

The effect of a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), on kainate-in duced currents was investigated in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons ac utely dissociated from the mice using the nystatin-prforated patch-clamp re cording configuration under voltage-clamp conditions. DES inhibited the cur rent evoked by 100 muM kainate in a concentration-dependent manner with a h alf-maximum inhibitory concentration of 8.8 muM. The action of DES was volt age-independent. Since DES produced a suppression of the maximum response o f the kainate concentration-response curve, the inhibition by DES of the ka inate-induced current appears to be non-competitive.