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Li N, Shi R, Ye Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Gu Y, Yin Y, Chen D, Tang J. Aging-induced down-regulation of Pka/Bkca pathway in rat cerebral arteries. Physiol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of cerebrovascular diseases increases significantly with aging. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that aging may influence the protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent vasodilation via RyR/BKCa pathway in the middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control (4-6 month-old) and aged (24-month-old) groups. The functions of MCA and ion channel activities in smooth muscle cells were examined using myograph system and patch-clamp. Aging decreased the isoproterenol/forskolin-induced relaxation in the MCA. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated-K+ (BKCa) channel inhibitor, iberiotoxin, significantly attenuated the forskolin-induced vasodilatation and hyperpolarization in the young group, but not in the aged group. The amplitude and frequency of spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) were significantly decreased in the aged group. Single channel recording revealed that the mean open time of BKCa channels were decreased, while an increased mean closed time of BKCa channels were found in the aged group. The Ca2+/voltage sensitivity of the channels was decreased accompanied by reduced BKCa α and β1-subunit, the expression of RyR2, PKA-Cα and PKA-Cβ subunits were also declined in the aged group. Aging induced down-regulation of PKA/BKCa pathway in cerebral artery in rats. The results provides new information on further understanding in cerebrovascular diseases resulted from age-related cerebral vascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - J Tang
- Institute for Fetology, First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, P. R. China. E-mail:
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Guntur D, Olschewski H, Enyedi P, Csáki R, Olschewski A, Nagaraj C. Revisiting the Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium (BKCa) Channels in the Pulmonary Circulation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1629. [PMID: 34827626 PMCID: PMC8615660 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Potassium ion concentrations, controlled by ion pumps and potassium channels, predominantly govern a cell's membrane potential and the tone in the vessels. Calcium-activated potassium channels respond to two different stimuli-changes in voltage and/or changes in intracellular free calcium. Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channels assemble from pore forming and various modulatory and auxiliary subunits. They are of vital significance due to their very high unitary conductance and hence their ability to rapidly cause extreme changes in the membrane potential. The pathophysiology of lung diseases in general and pulmonary hypertension, in particular, show the implication of either decreased expression and partial inactivation of BKCa channel and its subunits or mutations in the genes encoding different subunits of the channel. Signaling molecules, circulating humoral molecules, vasorelaxant agents, etc., have an influence on the open probability of the channel in pulmonary arterial vascular cells. BKCa channel is a possible therapeutic target, aimed to cause vasodilation in constricted or chronically stiffened vessels, as shown in various animal models. This review is a comprehensive collation of studies on BKCa channels in the pulmonary circulation under hypoxia (hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction; HPV), lung pathology, and fetal to neonatal transition, emphasising pharmacological interventions as viable therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Guntur
- Experimental Anaesthesiology, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, Austria;
| | - Horst Olschewski
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria;
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Péter Enyedi
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó utca 37-47, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (P.E.); (R.C.)
| | - Réka Csáki
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó utca 37-47, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (P.E.); (R.C.)
| | - Andrea Olschewski
- Experimental Anaesthesiology, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz, Austria;
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Chandran Nagaraj
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria;
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Cui X, Wang J, Li Y, Couse ZG, Risoleo TF, Moayeri M, Leppla SH, Malide D, Yu ZX, Eichacker PQ. Bacillus anthracis edema toxin inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction via edema factor and cAMP-mediated mechanisms in isolated perfused rat lungs. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2021; 320:H36-H51. [PMID: 33064559 PMCID: PMC7847081 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00362.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis edema toxin (ET) inhibited lethal toxin-stimulated pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) and increased lung cAMP levels in our previous study. We therefore examined whether ET inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). Following baseline hypoxic measures in isolated perfused lungs from healthy rats, compared with diluent, ET perfusion reduced maximal Ppa increases (mean ± SE percentage of maximal Ppa increase with baseline hypoxia) during 6-min hypoxic periods (FIO2 = 0%) at 120 min (16 ± 6% vs. 51 ± 6%, P = 0.004) and 180 min (11.4% vs. 55 ± 6%, P = 0.01). Protective antigen-mAb (PA-mAb) and adefovir inhibit host cell edema factor uptake and cAMP production, respectively. In lungs perfused with ET following baseline measures, compared with placebo, PA-mAb treatment increased Ppa during hypoxia at 120 and 180 min (56 ± 6% vs. 10 ± 4% and 72 ± 12% vs. 12 ± 3%, respectively, P ≤ 0.01) as did adefovir (84 ± 10% vs. 16.8% and 123 ± 21% vs. 26 ± 11%, respectively, P ≤ 0.01). Compared with diluent, lung perfusion with ET for 180 min reduced the slope of the relationships between Ppa and increasing concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) (21.12 ± 2.96 vs. 3.00 ± 0.76 × 108 cmH2O/M, P < 0.0001) and U46619, a thromboxane A2 analogue (7.15 ± 1.01 vs. 3.74 ± 0.31 × 107 cmH2O/M, P = 0.05) added to perfusate. In lungs isolated from rats after 15 h of in vivo infusions with either diluent, ET alone, or ET with PA-mAb, compared with diluent, the maximal Ppa during hypoxia and the slope of the relationship between change in Ppa and ET-1 concentration added to the perfusate were reduced in lungs from animals challenged with ET alone (P ≤ 0.004) but not with ET and PA-mAb together (P ≥ 0.73). Inhibition of HPV by ET could aggravate hypoxia during anthrax pulmonary infection.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The most important findings here are edema toxin's potent adenyl cyclase activity can interfere with hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, an action that could worsen hypoxemia during invasive anthrax infection with lung involvement. These findings, coupled with other studies showing that lethal toxin can disrupt pulmonary vascular integrity, indicate that both toxins can contribute to pulmonary pathophysiology during infection. In combination, these investigations provide a further basis for the use of antitoxin therapies in patients with worsening invasive anthrax disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizhong Cui
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jeffrey Wang
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yan Li
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zoe G Couse
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Thomas F Risoleo
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mahtab Moayeri
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Stephen H Leppla
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Daniela Malide
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zu-Xi Yu
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Peter Q Eichacker
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Babicheva A, Ayon RJ, Zhao T, Ek Vitorin JF, Pohl NM, Yamamura A, Yamamura H, Quinton BA, Ba M, Wu L, Ravellette KS, Rahimi S, Balistrieri F, Harrington A, Vanderpool RR, Thistlethwaite PA, Makino A, Yuan JXJ. MicroRNA-mediated downregulation of K + channels in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2020; 318:L10-L26. [PMID: 31553627 PMCID: PMC6985878 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00010.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Downregulated expression of K+ channels and decreased K+ currents in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) have been implicated in the development of sustained pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). However, it is unclear exactly how K+ channels are downregulated in IPAH-PASMC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are capable of posttranscriptionally regulating gene expression by binding to the 3'-untranslated regions of their targeted mRNAs. Here, we report that specific miRNAs are responsible for the decreased K+ channel expression and function in IPAH-PASMC. We identified 3 miRNAs (miR-29b, miR-138, and miR-222) that were highly expressed in IPAH-PASMC in comparison to normal PASMC (>2.5-fold difference). Selectively upregulated miRNAs are correlated with the decreased expression and attenuated activity of K+ channels. Overexpression of miR-29b, miR-138, or miR-222 in normal PASMC significantly decreased whole cell K+ currents and downregulated voltage-gated K+ channel 1.5 (KV1.5/KCNA5) in normal PASMC. Inhibition of miR-29b in IPAH-PASMC completely recovered K+ channel function and KV1.5 expression, while miR-138 and miR-222 had a partial or no effect. Luciferase assays further revealed that KV1.5 is a direct target of miR-29b. Additionally, overexpression of miR-29b in normal PASMC decreased large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channel currents and downregulated BKCa channel β1 subunit (BKCaβ1 or KCNMB1) expression, while inhibition of miR-29b in IPAH-PASMC increased BKCa channel activity and BKCaβ1 levels. These data indicate upregulated miR-29b contributes at least partially to the attenuated function and expression of KV and BKCa channels in PASMC from patients with IPAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Babicheva
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Ramon J Ayon
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Tengteng Zhao
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Jose F Ek Vitorin
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Nicole M Pohl
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Aya Yamamura
- Kinjo Gakuin University School of Pharmacy, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hisao Yamamura
- Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Brooke A Quinton
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Manqing Ba
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Linda Wu
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Keeley S Ravellette
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Shamin Rahimi
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Francesca Balistrieri
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Angela Harrington
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Rebecca R Vanderpool
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | | | - Ayako Makino
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Jason X-J Yuan
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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Schwingshackl A. The role of stretch-activated ion channels in acute respiratory distress syndrome: finally a new target? Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2016; 311:L639-52. [PMID: 27521425 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00458.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical ventilation (MV) and oxygen therapy (hyperoxia; HO) comprise the cornerstones of life-saving interventions for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Unfortunately, the side effects of MV and HO include exacerbation of lung injury by barotrauma, volutrauma, and propagation of lung inflammation. Despite significant improvements in ventilator technologies and a heightened awareness of oxygen toxicity, besides low tidal volume ventilation few if any medical interventions have improved ARDS outcomes over the past two decades. We are lacking a comprehensive understanding of mechanotransduction processes in the healthy lung and know little about the interactions between simultaneously activated stretch-, HO-, and cytokine-induced signaling cascades in ARDS. Nevertheless, as we are unraveling these mechanisms we are gathering increasing evidence for the importance of stretch-activated ion channels (SACs) in the activation of lung-resident and inflammatory cells. In addition to the discovery of new SAC families in the lung, e.g., two-pore domain potassium channels, we are increasingly assigning mechanosensing properties to already known Na(+), Ca(2+), K(+), and Cl(-) channels. Better insights into the mechanotransduction mechanisms of SACs will improve our understanding of the pathways leading to ventilator-induced lung injury and lead to much needed novel therapeutic approaches against ARDS by specifically targeting SACs. This review 1) summarizes the reasons why the time has come to seriously consider SACs as new therapeutic targets against ARDS, 2) critically analyzes the physiological and experimental factors that currently limit our knowledge about SACs, and 3) outlines the most important questions future research studies need to address.
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Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels: Potential Target for Cardiovascular Diseases. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2015; 104:233-261. [PMID: 27038376 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (KCa) are classified into three subtypes: big conductance (BKCa), intermediate conductance (IKCa), and small conductance (SKCa) KCa channels. The three types of KCa channels have distinct physiological or pathological functions in cardiovascular system. BKCa channels are mainly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and inner mitochondrial membrane of cardiomyocytes, activation of BKCa channels in these locations results in vasodilation and cardioprotection against cardiac ischemia. IKCa channels are expressed in VSMCs, endothelial cells, and cardiac fibroblasts and involved in vascular smooth muscle proliferation, migration, vessel dilation, and cardiac fibrosis. SKCa channels are widely expressed in nervous and cardiovascular system, and activation of SKCa channels mainly contributes membrane hyperpolarization. In this chapter, we summarize the physiological and pathological roles of the three types of KCa channels in cardiovascular system and put forward the possibility of KCa channels as potential target for cardiovascular diseases.
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Yu X, Li F, Klussmann E, Stallone JN, Han G. G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 mediates relaxation of coronary arteries via cAMP/PKA-dependent activation of MLCP. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2014; 307:E398-407. [PMID: 25005496 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00534.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Activation of GPER exerts a protective effect in hypertension and ischemia-reperfusion models and relaxes arteries in vitro. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of GPER-mediated vascular regulation is far from complete. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that GPER-induced relaxation of porcine coronary arteries is mediated via cAMP/PKA signaling. Our findings revealed that vascular relaxation to the selective GPER agonist G-1 (0.3-3 μM) was associated with increased cAMP production in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) with SQ-22536 (100 μM) or of PKA activity with either Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS (5 μM) or PKI (5 μM) attenuated G-1-induced relaxation of coronary arteries preconstricted with PGF2α (1 μM). G-1 also increased PKA activity in cultured coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs). To determine downstream signals of the cAMP/PKA cascade, we measured RhoA activity in cultured human and porcine coronary SMCs and myosin-light chain phosphatase (MLCP) activity in these artery rings by immunoblot analysis of phosphorylation of myosin-targeting subunit protein-1 (p-MYPT-1; the MLCP regulatory subunit). G-1 decreased PGF2α-induced p-MYPT-1, whereas Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS prevented this inhibitory effect of G-1. Similarly, G-1 inhibited PGF2α-induced phosphorylation of MLC in coronary SMCs, and this inhibitory effect was also reversed by Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS. RhoA activity was downregulated by G-1, whereas G36 (GPER antagonist) restored RhoA activity. Finally, FMP-API-1 (100 μM), an inhibitor of the interaction between PKA and A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), attenuated the effect of G-1 on coronary artery relaxation and p-MYPT-1. These findings demonstrate that localized cAMP/PKA signaling is involved in GPER-mediated coronary vasodilation by activating MLCP via inhibition of RhoA pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Yu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Fen Li
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas; College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China; and
| | - Enno Klussmann
- Anchored Signaling, Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany
| | - John N Stallone
- Women's Health Division, Michael E. DeBakey Institute, and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Guichun Han
- Women's Health Division, Michael E. DeBakey Institute, and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas;
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Hu XQ, Zhang L. Function and regulation of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in vascular smooth muscle cells. Drug Discov Today 2012; 17:974-87. [PMID: 22521666 PMCID: PMC3414640 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2012.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Revised: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels are abundantly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells. Activation of BK(Ca) channels leads to hyperpolarization of cell membrane, which in turn counteracts vasoconstriction. Therefore, BK(Ca) channels have an important role in regulation of vascular tone and blood pressure. The activity of BK(Ca) channels is subject to modulation by various factors. Furthermore, the function of BK(Ca) channels are altered in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, such as pregnancy, hypertension and diabetes, which has dramatic impacts on vascular tone and hemodynamics. Consequently, compounds and genetic manipulation that alter activity and expression of the channel might be of therapeutic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Qun Hu
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
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Perinatal hypoxia enhances cyclic adenosine monophosphate-mediated BKCa channel activation in adult murine pulmonary artery. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2012; 57:154-65. [PMID: 21289495 DOI: 10.1097/fjc.0b013e3182016adf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to perinatal hypoxia results in alteration of the adult pulmonary circulation, which is linked among others to alterations in K(+) channels in pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cells. In particular, large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels protein expression and activity were increased in adult PA from mice born in hypoxia compared with controls. We evaluated long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia on the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway-mediated activation of BK(Ca) channels, using isoproterenol, forskolin, and dibutyryl-cAMP. Whole-cell outward current was higher in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells from mice born in hypoxia compared with controls. Spontaneous transient outward currents, representative of BK(Ca) activity, were present in a greater proportion in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of mice born in hypoxia than in controls. Agonists induced a greater relaxation in PA of mice born in hypoxia compared with controls, and BK(Ca) channels contributed more to the cAMP/PKA-mediated relaxation in case of perinatal hypoxia. In summary, perinatal hypoxia enhanced cAMP-mediated BK(Ca) channels activation in adult murine PA, suggesting that this pathway could be a potential target for modulating adult pulmonary vascular tone after perinatal hypoxia.
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Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Recent studies of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a highly conserved sensor of cellular energy status, suggest that there might be therapeutic value in targeting the AMPK signaling pathway. AMPK is found in most mammalian tissues, including those of the cardiovascular system. As cardiovascular diseases are typically associated with blood flow occlusion and blood occlusion may induce rapid energy deficit, AMPK activation may occur during the early phase upon nutrient deprivation in cardiovascular organs. Therefore, investigation of AMPK in cardiovascular organs may help us to understand the pathophysiology of defence mechanisms in these organs. Recent studies have provided proof of concept for the idea that AMPK is protective in heart as well as in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Moreover, dysfunction of the AMPK signalling pathway is involved in the genesis and development of various cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and stroke. The roles of AMPK in the cardiovascular system, as they are currently understood, will be presented in this review. The interaction between AMPK and other cardiovascular signalling pathways such as nitric oxide signalling is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Xu
- Department of Geriatrics, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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