Inhibition by the atypical antipsychotic risperidone of voltage-dependent K+ channels in rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells

We evaluated the inhibitory effects of the atypical antipsychotic drug risperidone on voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channels in rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells. Risperidone suppressed Kv currents in reversible and concentration-dependent manners with an apparent half-maximal effective concentration (IC50 value) of 5.54 ± 0.66 μM and a slope factor of 1.22 ± 0.07. The inactivation of Kv currents was significantly accelerated by risperidone. The rate constants of association and dissociation for risperidone were 0.25 ± 0.01 μM−1s−1 and 1.36 ± 0.14 s−1, respectively. Application of risperidone shifted the steady-state activation curve in the positive direction and the inactivation curve in the negative direction, suggesting that the risperidone-induced inhibition of Kv channels was mediated by effects on the voltage sensors of the channels. Application of train pulses at 1 and 2 Hz led to a progressive increase in the blockage of Kv currents by risperidone. In addition, the recovery time constants from inactivation were extended in the presence of risperidone, indicating that risperidone inhibited Kv channels in a use (state)-dependent manner. Pretreatment with the Kv1.5 subtype inhibitor reduced the inhibitory effects of risperidone on Kv channels. However, pretreatment with a Kv2.1 or Kv7.X subtype inhibitor did not affect the inhibitory effects of risperidone. Risperidone induced vasoconstriction and membrane depolarization. Based on these results, we conclude that risperidone inhibits Kv channels in a concentration-, time-, and state-dependent manners. Our results should be taken into consideration when using risperidone to study the kinetics of K+ channels in vascular smooth muscle.