Ca(2+)-independent contraction of uterine smooth muscle induced by vanadate and its inhibition by Ca2+

Effect of 14-deoxyandrographolide on calcium-mediated rat uterine smooth muscle contractility

In this study, the effect of 14-deoxyandrographolide (14-DAP) on calcium channel-dependent rat uterine smooth muscle contraction was evaluated. Using a tissue bath preparation, 14-DAP was able to reduce the contractile response to 0.3 and 3.0 mm of CaCl(2), with an IC(50) of 1.24 +/- 0.23 x 10(-5) m and 5.94 +/- 0.29 x 10(-5) m, respectively. 14-DAP shifted the CaCl(2) cumulative dose response curve to the right, increasing the EC(50) from 2.08 +/- 0.20 x 10(-4) m to 4.22 +/- 0.22 x 10(-4) m (5 micrometer 14-DAP) and 2.5 +/- 1.0 x 10(-3) m (50 micrometer 14-DAP). In order to determine if 14-DAP had any effect on intracellular calcium, the relaxant response to 14-DAP following contraction by oxytocin, PGF(2alpha) and vanadate in Ca(+2)-free solution was compared with that of isoproterenol and phenylbutazone. While isoproterenol and phenylbutazone relaxed the smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner, 14-DAP did not have any effect on either the oxytocin, PGF(2alpha) or vanadate-induced smooth muscle contraction. Based on these data, it appears that 14-DAP is an uterine smooth muscle relaxant which produces a selective blockade of voltage operated calcium channels.

Ca(2+)-independent contraction induced by hyperosmolar K(+)-rich solutions in rat uterus

The present experiments were designed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the contractile responses evoked by KCl, added either isoosmotically or hyperosmotically, in the rat uterus. Exposure of uterine strips to a Ca(2+)-free, 3 mM EGTA-containing solution abolished the responses induced by isoosmotic KCl solutions. Conversely, addition of hyperosmolar KCl induced concentration-dependent tonic responses in a Ca(2+)-free, 3 mM EGTA-containing solution. The maximum increase in tension was reached with 210 mM K+. The response to hyperosmotic K+ was unaffected by previous depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores with oxytocin (1 microM), by inhibition of refilling of the intracellular Ca2+ stores using cyclopiazonic acid (10 microM) or by increasing the concentration of EGTA in the medium to 10 mM. Sucrose and mannitol (60-420 mM) induced concentration-dependent sustained contractions which were not reproducible and were significantly smaller in size than those evoked by the maximally effective concentration of hyperosmotic K+ (210 mM). The contraction induced by hyperosmotic K+ in Ca(2+)-free solution was not altered by the calmodulin inhibitor N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide hydrochloride (W-7, 100 microM), the Ca2+/calmodulin protein kinase II inhibitor 1-[N,O-bis(1,5-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl]-4-phenyl piperazine (KN-62, 10 microM) or the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (10 microM). The protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C (1-3 microM) failed to modify the K(+)-effect curve, which was however partially inhibited in the presence of the non-selective protein kinase inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulphonyl)-2 methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7, 3-100 microM). The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine (30-300 nM) depressed the contraction induced by hyperosmolar K+ in a concentration-dependent manner. The contraction induced by sucrose in Ca(2+)-free solution was unaffected by W-7 (100 microM) and KN-62 (10 microM) but was partially reduced by calphostin C (1 microM), H-7 (30 microM), staurosporine (100 nM) and genistein (10 microM). These results suggest that different mechanisms are involved in the responses evoked by isoosmotic and hyperosmotic KCl in the rat uterus. A component of the contraction induced by hypertonic KCl seems mainly independent of both external and internal Ca2+ and of hyperosmolar stress. This contraction is not mediated by protein kinase C, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinases or protein tyrosine kinases but involves activation of other, at the present unknown, staurosporine-sensitive protein kinase(s).

Vanadate increases cytosolic free calcium in rat aortic smooth muscle cells

Although several studies have shown that vanadate evokes vasoconstriction whether it elevates cytosolic free calcium, [Ca2+]i, in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells has not been investigated. The present study shows that acute additions of low concentrations of vanadate (10-200 microM) to cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC) produced a rapid and a concentration-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i with an EC50 (mean +/- SEM) value of 42 +/- 11 microM. Inclusion of vanadate (200 microM) led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the peak [Ca2+]i level to 190 +/- 23 nM from a basal level of 102 +/- 2 nM. At concentrations > 200 microM, vanadate caused quenching of fura-2 fluorescence. For example, addition of 1 mM vanadate led to an apparent decrease in fluorescence by about 50% (due to a quenching effect), followed by a transient rise. H2O2, which is used in the preparation of peroxide forms of vanadate, pervanadate (PV), also produced a rise in [Ca2+]i. These data suggest that vanadate promotes vascular tone by elevating [Ca2+]i in ASMC. However, [Ca2+]i measurements made with higher concentrations of vanadate and PV, using the fura-2 method, must be interpreted with caution.

Effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and phosphotyrosine-phosphatase inhibitor, orthovanadate, on Ca(2+)-free contraction of uterine smooth muscle of the rat

1. The effects of a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and a protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, orthovanadate, were tested on the Ca(2+)-free contraction of the estrogen-dominated rat, which has been proved to be induced mainly via protein kinase C entirely independently of Ca2+. 2. Genistein (30 microM) significantly inhibited the contraction indicating participation of tyrosine kinase activity in the contraction. 3. Orthovanadate caused contraction concentration-dependently and augmented the Ca(2+)-free contraction at concentrations of more than 1 microM. The contraction by orthovanadate was not inhibited so significantly by genistein (30 microM). 4. Possible participation of tyrosine kinase activity in Ca(2+)-free contraction is discussed in addition to the formerly reported participation of protein kinase C.

Ca(2+)-inhibition of Ca(2+)-induced small contraction of rat uterine smooth muscle

Ca2+ has been reported to exert an inhibitory effect on various kinds of smooth muscle. The physiological role of this inhibition is unclear. We investigated the inhibitory action of Ca2+ on the uterine smooth muscle of the rat in estrus, which shows a prominent Ca(2+)-induced inhibition. At concentrations of 0.1-30 microM Ca2+ inhibited the Ca(2+)-independent contraction of this muscle induced by oxytocin in Ca(2+)-free medium. We then investigated the inhibitory action of Ca2+ at various concentrations of Ca2+ in the bathing medium and found that Ca2+ at 1.0-10 microM also inhibited Ca(2+)-dependent contractions, which appeared phasically upon the onset of contractions. The magnitude of these phasic contractions was inversely proportional to the concentration of Ca2+ (between 1-10 microM). At 30 microM Ca2+, however, this inhibition was overcome and large pendular contractions began. Thus, the inhibition may regulate the initiation of smooth muscle contractions. The mechanism of this Ca(2+)-induced inhibition is also discussed with regard to an effect on actin.

GTP-binding protein amplifies contractile responses of alpha-toxin-permeabilized uterine smooth muscle to Ca2+

1. alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus readily permeabilized rat uterine smooth muscle after incubation for a short time. 2. The permeabilized muscle responded to Ca2+ dose-dependently and repeatedly in the same manner. 3. The threshold concentration of Ca2+ for contraction was 0.1-0.3 microM and the maximal contraction was achieved with 1 or 3 microM Ca2+. 4. GTP gamma S or GTP augmented the contractile response to Ca2+. 5. GDP beta S or GDP suppressed the contraction. 6. The role of GTP-binding protein in sensitization of Ca(2+)-induced contractile response of smooth muscle is discussed.

Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Ca(2+)-independent contraction in uterine smooth muscle

Uterine smooth muscle of the rat shows Ca(2+)-independent contraction in response to oxytocin in Ca(2+)-free medium. Micromolar Ca2+ inhibits this contraction. We now tested whether Ca2+ itself is the cause of this inhibition. The ratio of fura-2 fluorescence, the indicator of the intracellular level of Ca2+, was increased in parallel with the degree of inhibition by Ca2+. When inhibition was elicited by Ca2+, EGTA released the inhibition. Comparison of the dose-response curve for oxytocin in Ca(2+)-free solution and that in the medium with 1 microM Ca2+ showed that the inhibition by Ca2+ is non-competitive. EGTA chelation of the intracellular Ca2+ by loading of EGTA as its acetoxymethylester resulted in diminution of inhibition by Ca2+. EGTA suppressed the Ca(2+)-induced contraction but did not affect Ca(2+)-independent contraction. It is concluded that the inhibition is induced by intracellular Ca2+ itself.