Actions of APGW-amide and GW-amide on identified central neurons of the snail, Helix aspersa.

1. Actions of APGWamide and GWamide have been examined on identified central neurons of the snail, Helix aspersa. 2. In F1 neurons, both APGWamide and GWamide, 0.5-5 microM, reversibly inhibited the amplitude of evoked-IPSPs which were dopaminergic, but had no direct effect on membrane potential, cell firing rate, or dopamine-induced responses. These results indicate that the actions of APGWamide and GWamide in F1 neurons are at presynaptic sites. 3. At concentrations between 0.5 and 10 microM, APGWamide and GWamide had direct postsynaptic effects on F2 neurons. They inhibited the spike activity and hyperpolarized the membrane potential of F2 neurons in a dose-dependent manner with a reversal potential around -85 mV which is close to Ek. 4. In K+ free solution, the inhibitory effects of APGWamide and GWamide were potentiated, while they were reduced by increasing external K+ concentration. Either tetraethylammonium (10 mM) or 4-aminopyridine (500 microM) only partially prevented the inhibition induced by APGWamide and GWamide on F2 neurons. Combination of TEA (5 mM) and 4-AP (250 microM) could abolish this inhibition. However, neither 1 mM La2+ nor 10 mM Co2+ could prevent the inhibitory action of APGWamide and GWamide. This evidence indicates that the postsynaptic inhibition of APGWamide and GWamide on F2 neurons is due to an increase in K+ conductance and that both transient K channel (IA) and delay K+ channel (IK) were affected by these peptides. 4. APGWamide and GWamide exert both presynaptic and postsynaptic effects of Helix neurons, depending on the neuron under study. They are qualitatively and quantitatively similar in their presynaptic or postsynaptic actions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)