Inhibition of pacemaker current by the bradycardic agent ZD 7288 is lost use-dependently in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres

Abstract

The inhibition of the pacemaker current (i _f) in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres by ZD 7288 [4-(N-ethyl-N-phenylamino)-1,2-dimethyl-6-(methylamino)pyrimidinium chloride] is lost use-dependently. This disinhibition of i _f was investigated by using the two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. The pulse protocol consisted of a rest period (holding potential of about -50 mV, 1–10 μmol/l ZD 7288) followed by a train of test pulses (potential negative to -100 mV, stimulation frequency 0.05 Hz). At the beginning of the first test pulse there was an immediate reduction of i _f but inhibition was lost during continued stimulation. Activation of i _f is sigmoidal and the early delay in current activation was prolonged from 33 ms (no ZD 7288) to 424 ms (10 μmol/l ZD 7288). Therefore hardly any disinhibition occurred during short test pulses (0.5 s). During longer test pulses (5 s, -120 mV, 10 μmol/l) disinhibition developed with a time constant of about 2 s. The inhibition of i _f by ZD 7288 was lost voltage-dependently. With 10 μmol/l ZD 7288 the half-maximal disinhibition occurred at -92 mV and the slope factor of the disinhibition/voltage curve (Boltzmann relation) was 4.8 mV. The voltage-dependent disinhibition could be abolished largely by extracellular application of protease (0.5 mg/ml, 7 min). After prior disinhibition, reinhibition at the holding potential (about -50 mV) followed a bi-exponential time course indicating that inhibition may be produced by a fast (τ=0.7 min) and a slow component (τ=20–30 min). Increasing ZD 7288 concentration from 1 to 10 μmol/l accelerated reinhibition, mainly by an increase of the amplitude (A) of the fast component. The ratio A _fast/A _sIow was 0.399 at 1 μmol/l and 2.65 at 10 μmol/1 ZD 7288. The reinhibition of i _f was unchanged by shifting the holding potential from -50 mV to -20 mV Trials to wash out the effects of 10 μmol/l ZD 7288 gave two results. The inhibition of i _f was slightly reversed after a wash-out of 1.5 h with drug-free solution. A second effect of the drug, the fast reinhibition, could be completely removed by washout. In summary i _f is inhibited by ZD 7288 at membrane potentials at which the virtual i _f gate is closed. Disinhibition occurs during long-lasting hyperpolarization but will hardly be operative in unclamped fibres under physiological conditions.