Phorbol esters: voltage-dependent effects on calcium-dependent action potentials of mouse central and peripheral neurons in cell culture.

The beta-phorbol esters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), which activate protein kinase C, were applied to mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and cerebral hemisphere neurons grown in primary dissociated cell culture. Phorbol esters did not modify the membrane potential or input resistance of either type of neuron. To assess the effects of beta-phorbol esters on voltage-dependent conductances, the effects of PDBu and TPA on action potentials evoked from these neurons were determined. The neurons were bathed in a solution containing 5 mM tetraethylammonium and action potentials that contained sodium and calcium components were evoked. When applied at resting membrane potential and at more negative potentials, PDBu and TPA reversibly increased action potential duration. The alpha-phorbol ester 4-alpha-phorbol, which does not activate protein kinase C, did not modify action potential duration. The effects of the beta-phorbol esters, however, were voltage-dependent. When the neurons were depolarized to membrane potentials less negative than -50 mV, PDBu and TPA reduced action potential duration. The effects of both PDBu (10 nM-1 microM) and TPA (100 pM-100 nM) on action potential duration were dose-dependent. The prolongation of action potentials produced at large negative potentials may be due to a reduction in voltage-and/or calcium-dependent potassium conductance, since the prolongation was associated with a reduction in the potassium-dependent afterhyperpolarization; following membrane depolarization in control solution, action potential duration was increased for several minutes, while the afterhyperpolarization was reduced and, following this prolongation, phorbol esters no longer prolonged the action potentials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)