Potassium channel Kir4.1 is specifically expressed in astrocytes and regulates neuronal excitability by mediating spatial potassium buffering. Overexpression of astrocyte Kir4.1 may contribute to hyperpolarization of neurons in brain region of lateral habenula (LHb) and increases the atypical action potential firing that augments depression like behavior in rodents. Ketamine, a general anaesthetic, that exerts rapid, potent and long lasting antidepressant effect, blocks the atypical electrical activity of LHb neurons and alleviates depressive behavior. In this study we evaluated the impact of ketamine on mobility and surface expression of Kir4.1 channel in cultured astrocytes. We transfected astrocytes with the plasmid encoding potassium channel Kir4.1 tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein (pKir4.1 EGFP) and microscopically examined the intracellular dynamic of mobile vesicles carrying Kir4.1. We examined the spontaneous mobility of Kir4.1 positive vesicles and analyzed changes in mobility after a short term (30 min) treatment with subanesthetic doses of ketamine (2.5 in 25 µM). Ketamine treatment significantly reduced (P<0.05) all mobility parameters (track length (TL), maximal displacement (MD), directionality index (DI) and speed) when compared to non treated controls. Short term treatment also reduced the surface density of immunolabeled Kir4.1 in the astrocyte plasmalemma. In addition to the effects mediated by ketamine, we also examined the impact of long term elevation in extracellular concentration of K+ ([K+]o, 15 mM) and dbcAMP (dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 5′ monophosphate, 1 mM), that mimics an inflammatory response. Both treatments (15 mM K+ and 1 mM dbcAMP) statistically significantly attenuated (P<0.05) mobility of Kir4.1 positive vesicles. We conclude that the listed treatments significantly attenuate the mobility of Kir4.1 positive vesicles and that the subanesthetic doses of ketamine inhibit the delivery of Kir4.1 towards the astrocyte plasmalemma and reduce the surface density of Kir4.1. Reduced surface expression of astrocyte Kir4.1 may reduce atypical firing of action potentials by LHb neurons in vivo and contribute to rapid alleviation of depressive behavior.
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