Fluoxetine (Prozac), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression. We investigated the effects of norfluoxetine, the major active metabolite of fluoxetine, on voltage-gated K+ currents in primary cultured hippocampal neurons, and determined the potency and modes of actions of norfluoxetine.

Voltage-gated K+ currents were studied in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Electrophysiological recordings were done in hippocampal neurons between 5-10 days in culture. Transient A-type K+ currents (KA) and delayed-rectifier K+ (KDR) currents were isolated from whole-cell K+ currents using a pulse protocol.

Norfluoxetine accelerated the decay rate of whole-cell K+ currents, and thus decreased the current amplitude at the end of a pulse in a concentration-dependent manner. Norfluoxetine inhibited KA and KDR currents in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50's of 0.93 and 0.70micro M, respectively. Norfluoxetine also reduced the areas of KA currents and the steady-state KDR current over the range of test potentials, and the reduction was voltage-dependent (greater increase at more positive potentials). From the onset of the fractional block of KA currents by norfluoxetine during the initial 40 ms of a clamp step, we calculated k1 = 53.26/micro M.s for the association rate constant, and k2 = 70.24/s for the dissociation rate constant. The resulting apparent KD was 1.32micro M, which is similar to the IC50 value obtained from the concentration-response curve.

Our results indicate that norfluoxetine, the major metabolite of fluoxetine, at therapeutic levels, produces a concentration- and voltage-dependent inhibition of KA and KDR currents in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. These effects could perturb the neuronal excitability in the hippocampus, and may contribute to the therapeutic antidepressant action of fluoxetine.