M-current (IM) is regulated by intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). Suppression and overrecovery of IM induced by muscarine and luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) are also regulated by [Ca2+]i. The role of the arachidonic acid (AA) pathway in the Ca(2+)-dependent modulation of IM was investigated using whole-cell voltage clamp and intracellular perfusion in dissociated bullfrog sympathetic B neurons. 2. Quinacrine (10-20 microM) and 4-bromophenacyl bromide (4-BPB; 4-10 microM), the inhibitors of phospholipase A2, blocked the enhancement of IM evoked by raising [Ca2+]i. 3. AA (6-120 microM) increased IM by about 50% of the control current in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. 4. Enhancements of IM by Ca2+ and AA were blocked by the lipoxygenase (LO) inhibitors nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA; 1-5 microM) and 5,8,11-eicosatrynoic acid (ETI; 10 microM). The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10 microM) had no effect. 5. Enhancement of IM by Ca2+ was abolished by the selective 12-LO inhibitors baicalein (1-2 microM) and 15(S)-hydroxy-5-cis-8-cis-11-cis-13-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE; 6.5 microM). A 12-LO product, 2(S)-hydroxy-5-cis-8-cis-10-trans-14-cis- eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE; 13-20 microM), increased IM without Ca2+ requirement. 6. Enhancement of IM by Ca2+ was not affected by the selective 5-LO inhibitors AA-861 (10 microM), 5,6-dehydroarachidonic acid (5,6-DAA, 10 microM) and L-651,896 (10 microM). The 5-LO metabolites leukotriene C4 (1.5-8 microM) and leukotriene B4 (1.5-5 microM) showed no obvious effect on IM. 7. NDGA alone inhibited IM with an IC50 of 0.73 microM at 120 nM Cai(2+). 8. NDGA did not affect suppression of IM by muscarine or LHRH; however, overrecovery of IM upon removing these agonists was totally eliminated by 1 microM NDGA. 9. Inhibitors of phosphatases, calyculin A (0.1 microM) and okadaic acid (1 microM), completely abolished overrecovery of IM. Calyculin A also blocked the Ca(2+)-induced IM enhancement. 10. It is suggested that Ca2+ enhances IM by stimulating the AA metabolic pathway. Dephosphorylation probably upregulates IM. Overrecovery of IM is probably a result of stimulation of the LO pathway and phosphatases by increased [Ca2+]i.
