Riluzole inhibits spontaneous Ca2+ signaling in neuroendocrine cells by activation of K+ channels and inhibition of Na+ channels

1 The neuroprotective drug riluzole has multiple effects on cellular signaling. We found that riluzole rapidly and reversibly inhibited spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in both immortalized GnRH-secreting hypothalamic neurons (GT1 cells) and in the prolactin and growth-hormone-secreting GH(3) cell line. At lower concentrations (100 nM-5 muM), riluzole reduced the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations, whereas at higher concentrations it abolished spontaneous Ca2+ signaling. 2 Whole-cell current clamp recordings in GH(3) cells revealed that riluzole decreased the action potential frequency, amplitude, and duration. 3 Riluzole inhibited voltage-gated Na+ currents, increased iberiotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated K+ currents, and had no effect on voltage-gated Ca2+ currents in GH(3) cells. Riluzole also inhibited voltage-gated Na+ currents and increased voltage-gated K+ channels in GT1 cells. 4 The inhibitory effects of riluzole on Ca2+ signaling were blocked by pretreatment with iberiotoxin in GH(3) cells, but only partially reduced by iberiotoxin in GT1 cells. 5 These results indicate that riluzole inhibits Ca2+ signaling primarily by activation of K+ channels in GH(3) cells, and also by inhibition of Na+ channels in GT1 cells. Riluzole's inhibition of spontaneous excitability and Ca2+ signaling may be involved in its multiple effects on cellular function in the nervous system.