Lack of effect of potassium channel openers on ATP-modulated potassium channels recorded from rat ventromedial hypothalamic neurones.

1. Single neuronal cells were freshly isolated from the ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei (VMHN) of the rat brain. Currents through ATP-modulated and large conductance (160 and 250 pS) calcium-activated potassium channels were recorded by the cell-attached and excised inside-out patch techniques. 2. BRL38227 (lemakalim; 30-90 microM) applied to the superfusing medium produced no change in firing rate of isolated glucose-receptive VMHN neurones in cell-attached recordings. 3. BRL38227, at concentrations of between 30-100 microM applied to the intracellular (cytoplasmic) aspect of inside-out patches, had no effect on the activity of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the absence of ATP or in the presence of a sub-maximal inhibitory concentration (3 mM) of ATP. Cromakalim, pinacidil, minoxidil sulphate and diazoxide also produced no effect under these conditions. 4. The potassium channel openers (KCO's) were tested on ATP-activated potassium channels recorded from a further subpopulation of VMHN neurones. Application of BRL38227 (up to and including 100 microM) to this channel in inside-out patches either in the absence of ATP or when activated by 5 mM ATP had no effect on channel activity. Identical results were obtained with cromakalim and pinacidil. 5. BRL38227 had no effect on either of the large conductance (250 pS and 160 pS) calcium-activated potassium channels in VMHN neurones. 6. Intracellular recordings were made from glucose-receptive VMHN neurones in rat brain slices. Cromakalim (50 microM) or diazoxide (60 microM) did not alter the firing rate or passive membrane properties of these neurones demonstrated to be sensitive to tolbutamide (0.1 mM). 7. These results show that the KCO's tested in this study have no effect either on VMHN neurones contained in brain slices or on the activity of any of the ATP-modulated potassium channels under isolated patch conditions associated with these neurones.