Pharmacology
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Metabotropic G protein-coupled receptors have recently been recognized as targets for anesthetics and analgesics. In particular, G(q)-coupled receptors such as muscarinic M(1) receptors (M(1)R) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) type 2A receptors have been reported to be targets for anesthetics. Much less is known, however, about the effects of anesthetics on G(i)-coupled receptors. ⋯ The rate of halothane-induced inhibition of Cl(-) currents elicited by ACh, however, was not changed in such oocytes pretreated with GF109203X. These findings suggest that halothane inhibits the M(2)R-induced signaling by acting at sites other than PKC activity. Collectively these findings suggest that the use of oocyte expressing G alpha(qi5) would be helpful to examine the effects of anesthetics or analgesics on the function of G(i)-coupled receptors in the Xenopus oocyte expression system.