Chloride channel inhibition improves neuromuscular function under conditions mimicking neuromuscular disorders

Thomas Holm Pedersen*, William Alexander Macdonald, Martin Broch-Lips, Osk Halldorsdottir, Ole Bækgaard Nielsen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaperJournal articleResearchpeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aim: The skeletal muscle Cl channels, the ClC-1 channels, stabilize the resting membrane potential and dampen muscle fibre excitability. This study explored whether ClC-1 inhibition can recover nerve-stimulated force in isolated muscle under conditions of compromised neuromuscular transmission akin to disorders of myasthenia gravis and Lambert–Eaton syndrome. Methods: Nerve-muscle preparations were isolated from rats. Preparations were exposed to pre-or post-synaptic inhibitors (ω-agatoxin, elevated extracellular Mg2+, α-bungarotoxin or tubocurarine). The potential of ClC-1 inhibition (9-AC or reduced extracellular Cl) to recover nerve-stimulated force under these conditions was assessed. Results: ClC-1 inhibition recovered force in both slow-twitch soleus and fast-twitch EDL muscles exposed to 0.2 µmol/L tubocurarine or 3.5 mmol/L Mg2+. Similarly, ClC-1 inhibition recovered force in soleus muscles exposed to α-bungarotoxin or ω-agatoxin. Moreover, the concentrations of tubocurarine and Mg2+ required for reducing force to 50% rose from 0.14 ± 0.02 µmol/L and 4.2 ± 0.2 mmol/L in control muscles to 0.45 ± 0.03 µmol/L and 4.7 ± 0.3 mmol/L in muscles with 9-AC respectively (P <.05, paired T test). Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (neostigmine) and inhibition of voltage-gated K+ channels (4-AP) relieve symptoms in myasthenia gravis and Lambert–Eaton syndrome, respectively. Neostigmine and 9-AC additively increased the tubocurarine concentration required to reduce nerve-stimulated force to 50% (0.56 ± 0.05 µmol/L with 9-AC and neostigmine) and, similarly, 4-AP and 9-AC additively increased the Mg2+ concentration required to reduce nerve-stimulated force to 50% (6.5 ± 0.2 mmol/L with 9-AC and 4-AP). Conclusion: This study shows that ClC-1 inhibition can improve neuromuscular function in pharmacological models of compromised neuromuscular transmission.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere13690
JournalActa Physiologica
Volume233
Issue2
ISSN1748-1708
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2021

Keywords

  • ClC-1 Cl channels
  • muscle contractions
  • neuromuscular transmission disorders

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