Inhibitory effect of ultrasonic stimulation on the voltage-dependent potassium currents in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons

• Published in: BMC neuroscience Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 3
• Main Authors: Cui, Kun, Zhang, Shuai, Sun, Jinyao, Zhang, Xueying, Ding, Chong, Xu, Guizhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 05.01.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Animals; Brain; Brain research; CA1 pyramidal neuron; CA1 Region, Hippocampal - metabolism; Cavitation; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Data processing; Delayed rectifier potassium current; Equipment Design; Excitability; Firing rate; Fish; Health aspects; Hippocampus; Hippocampus (Brain); Male; Medical examination; Membrane Potentials - physiology; Methods; Nanoparticles; Nematodes; Neural stimulation; Neuromodulation; Neurons; Novels; Patch clamp; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; Potassium channels (voltage-gated); Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated - metabolism; Potassium currents; Pyramidal cells; Pyramidal Cells - metabolism; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Software patches; Spatial discrimination; Tissue Culture Techniques; Transient outward potassium current; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic stimulation; Ultrasonic Therapy - instrumentation; Ultrasonic Waves; Ultrasound; Voltage-gated potassium channels; United States > US; Patch clamp; CA1 pyramidal neuron; Delayed rectifier potassium current; Transient outward potassium current; Ultrasonic stimulation
• ISSN: 1471-2202; 1471-2202
• DOI: 10.1186/s12868-018-0485-1

Transcranial ultrasonic stimulation is a novel noninvasive tool for neuromodulation, and has high spatial resolution and deep penetration. Although it can increase excitation of neurons, its effects on neuron are poorly understood. This study was to evaluate effect of ultrasonic stimulation (US) on neurons in vitro. In this paper, the effect of US on the excitability and voltage-dependent [Formula: see text] currents of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the rat hippocampus was studied using patch clamp. Our results suggest that US increased the spontaneous firing rate and inhibited transient outward potassium current ([Formula: see text]) and delayed rectifier potassium current ([Formula: see text]. Furthermore, US altered the activation of [Formula: see text] channels, inactivation and recovery properties of [Formula: see text] channels. After US, the [Formula: see text] activation curves significantly moved to the negative voltage direction and increased its slope factor. Moreover, the data showed that US moved the inactivation curve of [Formula: see text] to the negative voltage and increased the slope factor. Besides, US delayed the recovery of [Formula: see text] channel. Our data indicate that US can increase excitation of neurons by inhibiting potassium currents. Different US decreased the voltage sensitivity of [Formula: see text] activation differentially. Moreover, the more time is needed for US to make the [Formula: see text] channels open again after inactivating. US may play a physiological role by inhibiting voltage-dependent potassium currents in neuromodulation. Our research can provide a theoretical basis for the future clinical application of ultrasound in neuromodulation.