Cell-type specific depression of neuronal excitability in rat hippocampus by activation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels.

The contribution of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels to neuronal excitability was studied in different types of pyramidal cells and interneurones in hippocampal slices prepared from 9- to 15-day-old rats. The presence of functional KATP channels in the neurones was detected through the sensitivity of whole-cell currents to diazoxide, a KATP channel opener, and to tolbutamide, a KATP channel inhibitor. The percentages of neurones with KATP channels increase in the sequence: CA1 pyramidal cells (37%)<pyramidal cells (86%)≈CA1 interneurones of the stratum radiatum (87%)interneurones of the stratum oriens (92%). Activation of KATP channels by diazoxide strongly hyperpolarized stratum radiatum interneurones by a mean of –18.6 mV and effectively suppressed spontaneous and induced action potentials. Pyramidal cells containing a lower density of KATP channels were hyperpolarized by diazoxide by only –4.0 mV (CA1) and –7.9 mV (CA3), and the frequencies of spontaneous and induced action potentials decreased less than in interneurones. All effects of diazoxide were reversed by tolbutamide. Our results show that KATP channels have profound effects on the excitability of hippocampal neurones and imply that channel activation during ischaemia or hypoxia depresses the activities of excitatory pyramidal cells to a much lesser extent than those of inhibitory interneurones. This distinct cell-type specific depression of neuronal excitability could account for the generation of seizures and the selective neuroprotection of interneurones in the hippocampus during periods of energy depletion.