|
|
||||||||
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
Submitted 18 November 2006 ; accepted in final form 2 February 2007
The present study investigated active tone development in isolated ring segments of rabbit epicardial coronary artery. Endothelium-denuded (E) or endothelium-intact (E+) vessels treated with the NO synthase inhibitor N
-nitro-L-arginine (100 µM) developed active tone, which was enhanced by stretch and reversed by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP; IC50 = 9 nM). Nifedipine abolished active tone and the contractile response to phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu; 10 nM) with the same potency (IC50 = 8 nM), whereas 300 nM PDBu responses were only partially blocked by nifedipine. The classical and novel PKC inhibitors GF-109203X (IC50 = 12 µM) and chelerythrine (IC50 = 45 µM) and the classical PKC inhibitor Gö-6976 (IC50 = 0.30.4 µM) blocked both active tone and 10 nM PDBu responses with similar potency. Active tone development was associated with depolarization of membrane potential (Em) and a shift to the left of the Em-vs.-contraction relationship determined by varying extracellular potassium. The depolarization and leftward shift were reversed by either chelerythrine (10 µM) or SNP (30 nM). PDBu (100300 nM) increased peak L-type calcium channel (Cav) currents in isolated coronary myocytes, and this effect was reversed by chelerythrine (1 µM) or Gö-6976 (200 nM). SNP (500 nM) reduced Cav currents only in the presence of the PKA blocker 8-bromo-2'-O-monobutyryl-cAMPS, Rp isomer (10 µM). In conclusion, active tone development in coronary artery is suppressed by basal NO release and is dependent on both enhanced Cav activity and classical PKC activity. Both Em-dependent and -independent processes contribute to contraction. Our results suggest that one Em-independent process is direct enhancement of Cav current by PKC.
vascular smooth muscle; endothelium; nitric oxide; protein kinase C; calcium channels; patch clamp; membrane potential
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
B. McDonnell, R. Hamilton, M. Fong, S. M. Ward, and K. D. Keef Functional evidence for purinergic inhibitory neuromuscular transmission in the mouse internal anal sphincter Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, April 1, 2008; 294(4): G1041 - G1051. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. F. Navedo, M. Nieves-Cintron, G. C. Amberg, C. Yuan, V. S. Votaw, W. J. Lederer, G. S. McKnight, and L. F. Santana AKAP150 Is Required for Stuttering Persistent Ca2+ Sparklets and Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension Circ. Res., February 1, 2008; 102(2): e1 - e11. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. V. Welser, N. Lange, C. A. Singer, M. Elorza, P. Scowen, K. D. Keef, W. T. Gerthoffer, and D. J. Burkin Loss of the {alpha}7 Integrin Promotes Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Activation and Altered Vascular Remodeling Circ. Res., September 28, 2007; 101(7): 672 - 681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |