The effects of inorganic lead on voltage-sensitive calcium channels differ among cell types and among channel subtypes.

The whole-cell version of patch clamping was used to compare the effects of acute in vitro exposure to inorganic lead (Pb2+) on voltage-sensitive calcium channels in cultured N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells and E18 rat hippocampal neurons. Free Pb2+ concentrations in salines with a high lead-buffering capacity were measured with a calibrated Pb(2+)-selective electrode. Previously, we found that N1E-115 neurons contain low voltage activated, rapidly inactivating (T) channels and high voltage activated, slowly inactivating (L) channels. Pb2+ inhibits both channel subtypes in N1E-115 cells, with some selectivity against L-type channels (IC50 approximately 700 nM free Pb2+ for L-type channels, 1300 nM free Pb2+ for T-type channels; Audesirk and Audesirk, 1991). In addition to T-type and L-type channels, cultured E18 rat hippocampal neurons have been reported to contain high voltage-activated, rapidly inactivating (N) channels. In our experiments with 5 to 20 day old cultures, almost all neurons showed substantial L-type current, approximately half showed significant N-type current, and fewer than 5% showed significant T-type current. We found that Pb2+ is somewhat selective against L-type channels (IC50 approximately 30 nM free Pb2+ in 10 mM Ba2+ as the charge carrier, 55 nM in 50 mM Ba2+) compared to N-channels (IC50 approximately 80 nM free Pb2+ in 10 mM Ba2+, 200 nM in 50 mM Ba2+). These results suggest that the effects of Pb2+ on calcium channels of vertebrate neurons vary both among cell types and among channel subtypes.