Objective: The present study examined the role of G-protein inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in the depressor responses elicited by intracisternal injections of imidazoline-like drugs in anesthetized rabbits.
Methods and results: Intracisternal injections of the I1-imidazoline receptor (I1R) selective ligands LNP509 (30 microg/kg) and LNP640 (2 microg/kg) (subthreshold doses), and of the GIRK channel opener flupirtine (30 microg/kg) did not affect mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). LNP509 and LNP640, however, elicited substantial depressor responses in rabbits pretreated with flupirtine (-17 +/- 2 and -18 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05). Injection of higher doses of LNP509 (200 microg/kg) or LNP640 (10 microg/kg) elicited substantial reductions in MAP (-45 +/- 3 and -39 +/- 2 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05) in naive rabbits. The depressor responses elicited by the higher doses of LNP509 or LNP640 were markedly diminished by pretreatment with the GIRK channel blocker tertiapin-Q (10 microg/kg) (-23 +/- 3 and -26 +/- 2 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05 compared with nonpretreated rabbits), whereas tertiapin-Q (10 microg/kg) did not affect MAP by itself. Maximal-specific binding (Bmax) of the I1R ligand [I]LNP911 to PC12 cell membranes (296 +/- 59 fmol/mg protein) was enhanced by flupirtine pretreatment whereas it was reduced by tertiapin-Q pretreatment (687 +/- 122 and 68 +/- 21 fmol/mg protein, respectively, P < 0.05 vs. control binding).
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the modulation of GIRK channels affects I1R's function and raise the possibility that GIRK channels, and I1Rs are parts of a single proteic complex.