The effects of
arvanil (N-arachidonoyl-vanillyl-
amine), a structural hybrid between
capsaicin and
anandamide, on ion currents in a mouse
neuroblastoma and rat
glioma hybrid cell line, NG108-15, were examined with the aid of the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique.
Arvanil (0.2-50 microM) caused an inhibition of voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca,L)) in a concentration-dependent manner.
Arvanil produced no change in the overall shape of the current-voltage relationship of I(Ca,L). The IC(50) value of
arvanil-induced inhibition of I(Ca,L) was 2 microM.
Arvanil (5 microM) could shift the steady-state inactivation curve of I(Ca,L) to a more negative potential by approximately -15mV. No effect of
arvanil (20 microM) on delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(K(DR))) was observed; however,
capsaicin (20 microM),
glyceryl nonivamide (20 microM) and
capsinolol (20 microM) suppressed it significantly.
Arvanil (20 microM) caused a slight reduction in the amplitude of erg (
ether-à-go-go-related)-mediated K(+) current (I(K(erg))) without modifying the activation curve of this current, while
capsaicin and
glyceryl nonivamide were more effective in suppressing I(K(erg)). Under current-clamp configuration,
arvanil decreased the firing frequency of action potentials.
Arvanil-mediated inhibition of I(Ca,L) appeared to be independent of its binding to either vanilloid or
cannabinoid receptors. The channel-blocking properties of
arvanil may, at least in part, contribute to the underlying mechanisms by which it affects neuronal or neuroendocrine function.