Activation of inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK1) by co-expressed rat brain cannabinoid receptors in Xenopus oocytes

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 1995-02, Vol.186 (2), p.91-94
• Main Authors: Henry, Douglas J., Chavkin, Charles
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addiction; Analgesics - pharmacology; Animals; Benzoxazines; Biological and medical sciences; Cannabis; Cell receptors; Cell structures and functions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; G-Protein coupled receptor; GTP-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Ion Channel Gating - physiology; K + channel; KGA; Kinetics; Marijuana; Miscellaneous; Molecular and cellular biology; Morpholines - pharmacology; Naphthalenes - pharmacology; Oocytes - metabolism; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Potassium Channels - metabolism; Rats; Receptors, Cannabinoid; Receptors, Drug - agonists; Receptors, Drug - biosynthesis; Receptors, Drug - metabolism; RNA, Complementary - biosynthesis; Xenopus; Xenopus laevis
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-3940(95)11289-9

The neuronal cannabinoid receptor clone was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes as shown by the expression of saturable [ 3H]WIN 55,212-2 binding sites. Co-expression of the cannabinoid receptor with cRNA coding for the G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying K + channel (GIRK1) resulted in oocytes exhibiting large inward K + currents in response to the cannobinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2. The activation of the potassium current by WIN 55,212-2 was dose-dependent with an EC 50 of 630 nM. These results suggest that activation of inwardly rectifying K + channels may be an additional effector mechanism for brain cannabinoid receptors.