Inhibitory effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist ifenprodil on human Kv1.5 channel

Ifenprodil has been known to reduce cardiac contractility and cerebral vasodilation by antagonizing α1-adrenergic and N-methyl D-aspartate receptor-mediated intracellular signals. This study aimed to investigate the direct effect of ifenprodil on the human voltage-gated Kv1.5 channel (hKv1.5) by using a Xenopus oocyte expression system and a two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique. The amplitudes of hKv1.5 currents, including peak and steady state, were suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50; 43.1 and 35.5 μM, respectively) after 6 min of ifenprodil treatment. However, these effects were  ~ 80% reversed by washout, suggesting that ifenprodil directly inhibited the hKv1.5 independent of membrane receptors or intracellular signals. The inhibition rate of steady state showed voltage dependence, wherein the rates increased according to test voltage depolarization. Ifenprodil reduced the time constants of hKv1.5 inactivation but has higher effects on activation. hKv1.5 inhibition by ifenprodil showed use dependency because the drug more rapidly reduced the current at the higher activation frequencies, and subsequent reduction in frequency after high activation frequency caused a partial channel block relief. Therefore, ifenprodil directly blocked the hKv1.5 in an open state and accelerated the time course of the channel inactivation, which provided a biophysical mechanism for the hKv1.5 blocking effects of ifenprodil.