# Pharmacological Actions of Potassium Channel Openers on Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels

## TL;DR

This study investigates how potassium channel openers affect gene expression in brain regions linked to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

## Contribution

The study is the first to identify how potassium channel openers influence gene expression in key brain systems.

## Key findings

- Diazoxide, chlorzoxazone, and flupirtine altered the expression of specific voltage-gated potassium channel genes in various brain regions.
- Changes in gene expression were observed in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus among others.
- The results suggest a novel molecular mechanism for the action of these drugs in the brain.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Potassium (K+) channels are essential transmembrane proteins that regulate ion flow, playing a critical role in regulating action potentials and neuronal transmission. Although K+ channel openers (agonists, K+ Ag) are widely used in treating neurological and psychiatric disorders, their precise mechanisms of action remain unclear. Our study explored how K+ channel openers might influence the expression of voltage-gated K+ channels (Kv) in rat brain. Methods: Briefly, eight rats per group received intraperitoneal injections of diazoxide (Dia), chlorzoxazone (Chl), or flupirtine (Flu). Two hours post-injection, the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (dSTR), dorsal hippocampus (dHIP), and ventral hippocampus (vHIP) were collected for mRNA expression analysis of various Kv. Results: Dia administration altered expression of Kcna6 in the NAc, dSTR, and vHIP, and Kcnq2 in the PFC, dSTR, and dHIP. The mRNA levels of Kcna2 and Kcna3 changed in the NAc, dHIP, and vHIP, while Kcna6 expression increased in the PFC, dHIP, and vHIP of rats treated with Chl. Injection of Flu resulted in altered expression for Kcna1 in the NAc, dSTR, and dHIP; Kcna3 in the PFC, NAc, dHIP, and vHIP; Kcna6 in the dSTR, dHIP, and vHIP; and Kcnq2 and Kcnq3 in the PFC, dHIP, and vHIP. We also found dose-dependent changes. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify the effects of potassium channel openers on gene expression within the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic systems. These findings reveal a novel molecular mechanism underlying the action of these drugs in the brain. Importantly, our results have broader implications for translational neuroscience, particularly in the context of repurposing FDA-approved drugs, such as diazoxide and chlorzoxazone, for the treatment of neurological disorders.