Inhibition of voltage‐dependent K+ currents of rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells by the atypical antipsychotic paliperidone

Paliperidone, an atypical antipsychotic, is widely used to treat schizophrenia. In this study, we explored whether paliperidone inhibited the voltage‐dependent K+ (Kv) channels of rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells. Paliperidone reduced Kv channel activity in a concentration‐dependent manner with a half‐maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 16.58 ± 3.03 μM and a Hill coefficient of 0.60 ± 0.04. It did not significantly shift the steady‐state activation or inactivation curves, suggesting that the drug did not affect the gating properties of Kv channels. In the presence of paliperidone, the application of 20 repetitive depolarizing pulses at 1 and 2 Hz gradually increased the inhibition of the Kv current. Further, the recovery time constant after Kv channel inactivation was increased by paliperidone, indicating that it inhibited the Kv channel in a use (state)‐dependent manner. Its inhibitory effects were reduced by pretreatment with a Kv1.5 subtype inhibitor. However, pretreatment with a Kv2.1 or Kv7 inhibitor did not reduce its inhibitory effect. We conclude that paliperidone inhibits Kv channels (mainly Kv1.5 subtype channels) in a concentration‐ and use (state)‐dependent manner without changing channel gating.