Bacterial endotoxin alters kinetics of BK channels in rat cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells

Calcium- and voltage-gated BK channels in vascular smooth muscle

Ion channels in vascular smooth muscle regulate myogenic tone and vessel contractility. In particular, activation of calcium- and voltage-gated potassium channels of large conductance (BK channels) results in outward current that shifts the membrane potential toward more negative values, triggering a negative feed-back loop on depolarization-induced calcium influx and SM contraction. In this short review, we first present the molecular basis of vascular smooth muscle BK channels and the role of subunit composition and trafficking in the regulation of myogenic tone and vascular contractility. BK channel modulation by endogenous signaling molecules, and paracrine and endocrine mediators follows. Lastly, we describe the functional changes in smooth muscle BK channels that contribute to, or are triggered by, common physiological conditions and pathologies, including obesity, diabetes, and systemic hypertension.

Ca2+-dependent K+ channels are targets for bradykinin B1 receptor ligands and for lipopolysaccharide in the rat aorta

Although rat aorta smooth muscle cells in culture constitutively express bradykinin B1 receptors, the normotensive rat aorta does not respond to the bradykinin B1 receptor agonist des-Arg9-bradykinin, whereas vessels from the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) respond to bradykinin B1 receptor agonists with cell membrane hyperpolarization and relaxation. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide also is inactive on the normotensive rat but hyperpolarizes the SHR aorta. To determine whether this could be due to the increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the SHR, we raised [Ca2+]i in normotensive rats by treatment with thapsigargin. In the thapsigargin-treated aorta, both lipopolysaccharide and des-Arg9-bradykinin induced hyperpolarization, which was reversed by the Ca2+-dependent K+ channel inhibitor iberiotoxin and by the bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists Lys-[Leu8]-des-Arg9-bradykinin and [Leu8]-des-Arg9-bradykinin. Thus the bradykinin B1 receptor, as well as lipopolysaccharide, needs activated Ca2+-dependent K+ channels for functional expression. The two bradykinin B1 receptor inhibitors, however, have effects on Ca2+-dependent K+ channels which are not mediated by bradykinin B1 receptors.

Pseudomonas fluorescens lipopolysaccharide inhibits both delayed rectifier and transient A-type K+ channels of cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons

Pseudomonas fluorescens is a Gram-negative bacillus closely related to the pathogen P. aeruginosa known to provoke infectious disorders in the central nervous system (CNS). The endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) expressed by the bacteria is the first infectious factor that can interact with the plasma membrane of host cells. In the present study, LPS extracted from P. fluorescens MF37 was examined for its actions on delayed rectifier and A-type K(+) channels, two of the main types of voltage-activated K(+) channels involved in the action potential firing. Current recordings were performed in cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons at days 7 or 8, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. A 3-h incubation with LPS (200 ng/ml) markedly depressed both the delayed rectifier (I(KV)) and transient A-type (I(A)) K(+) currents evoked by depolarizations above 0 and -40 mV, respectively. The percent decrease of I(KV) and I(A) ( approximately 30%) did not vary with membrane potential, suggesting that inhibition of both types of K(+) channels by LPS was voltage-insensitive. The endotoxin did neither modify the steady-state voltage-dependent activation properties of I(KV) and I(A) nor the steady-state inactivation of I(A). The present results suggest that, by inhibiting I(KV) and I(A), LPS applied extracellulary increases the action potential firing in cerebellar granule neurons. It is concluded that P. fluorescens MF37 may provoke in the CNS disorders associated with sever alterations of membrane ionic channel functions.

Protection against lipopolysaccharide-induced endothelial dysfunction in resistance and conduit vasculature of iNOS knockout mice

Endothelial dysfunction is a characteristic of, and may be pathogenic in, inflammatory cardiovascular diseases, including sepsis. The mechanism underlying inflammation-induced endothelial dysfunction may be related to the expression and activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). This possibility was investigated in isolated resistance (mesenteric) and conduit (aorta) arteries taken from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated (12.5 mg/kg i.v.) or saline-treated iNOS knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. LPS pretreatment (for 15 h, but not 4 h) profoundly suppressed responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and significantly reduced sensitivity to the NO donor spermine-NONOate (SPER-NO) in aorta and mesenteric arteries of WT mice. This effect was temporally associated with iNOS protein expression in both conduit and resistance arteries and with a 10-fold increase in plasma NOx levels. In contrast, no elevation of plasma NOx was observed in LPS-treated iNOS KO animals, and arteries dissected from these animals did not express iNOS or display hyporeactivity to ACh or SPER-NO. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon may be suppression of eNOS expression, as observed in arteries of WT animals, that was absent in arteries of iNOS KO animals. These results clearly demonstrate that iNOS induction plays an integral role in mediation of the endothelial dysfunction associated with sepsis in both resistance and conduit arteries.

Opioid receptor antagonists modulate Ca2+-activated K+ channels in mesenteric arterial smooth muscle cells of rats in hemorrhagic shock

Previous study has indicated a significant enhancement of activity of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (BKCa) in mesenteric arterial vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from rats in vascular hyporesponsive stage of hemorrhagic shock. In the present study, the effect of opioid receptor antagonism on BKCa activity in the vascular smooth muscle cells of rats in the hyporesponse stage of hemorrhagic shock was investigated by using inside-out configuration of the patch-clamp technique. The results showed that naloxone (10 microM) down-regulated the activity of BKCa by reducing open probability (Po) and open frequency of the channels. The reduction of Po resulted from a decrease of mean open time and an increase of the slow closed time constant. Naltrindole and nor-binaltorphimine (100 nM) had the similar effects to that of naloxone, but no significant effect of beta-funaltrexamine (100 nM) on the activity of the channels could be found. These results suggest that delta- and kappa-opioid receptors, but not mu-receptors, may be involved in the regulation of BKCa in vascular hyporesponse stage, and that inhibition of BKCa may be one of the mechanisms of the opioid receptor antagonists improving the response of resistance arteries to vasoactive stimulants during the decompensatory stage of hemorrhagic shock.

Modulation of Ca2+ channels by opioid receptor antagonists in mesenteric arterial smooth muscle cells of rats in hemorrhagic shock

The effects of hemorrhagic shock on Ba currents ( ) via Ca channels and the regulation of the channels in the vascular hyporesponse stage of hemorrhagic shock by opioid receptor antagonists were examined by using the whole-cell recording of patch-clamp technique in mesenteric arterial smooth muscle cells of rats. The results showed that hemorrhagic shock induced an inhibition of Ca channels in the cells; 10 micro M of naloxone and 100 n of naltrindole, nor-binaltorphimine, and beta-funaltrexamine increased the in the cells of rats in shock. After inhibition of protein kinase C by using 1-(5-isoquindinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine via electrodes, the enhancement of by the antagonists was not observed. These results suggested that the inhibition of Ca channel induced by hemorrhagic shock was mediated by delta-, kappa-, and mu -opioid receptors in the cells and may be partly responsible for vascular hyporesponse. The enhancement of was mediated by activation of protein kinase C and may be responsible for the antagonist-caused improvement in the response of resistance arteries to vasoactive stimulants at the decompensatory stage of hemorrhagic shock.

Lipopolysaccharide can activate BK channels of arterial smooth muscle in the absence of iNOS expression

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the acute activation of large-conductance, Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channels (BK channels) by Escherichia coli endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) was studied in murine vascular smooth muscle cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and patch clamp recordings were utilised. Within 2 h of donor rat sacrifice, iNOS-like immunoreactivity could be detected in cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells (CVSMCs) enzymatically dispersed from rat cerebral arteries. This staining was absent in cells fixed immediately after donor rat sacrifice. LPS was then applied to the cytoplasmic face of inside-out membrane patches excised from rat CVSMCs within 2-4 h of donor rat sacrifice. It was found that LPS (10-100 microg/ml) rapidly and reversibly increased the open probability of BK channels in these patches. This LPS response was not altered in the presence of the non-isoform specific NOS inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine. LPS responses were then compared in aortic smooth muscle (ASMC) BK channels derived from wild-type and iNOS-knockout (iNOS-KO) mice. LPS activated BK channels in inside-out patches of ASMC membrane derived from both wild-type and iNOS-knockout mice. These studies establish that LPS can activate BK channels by a mechanism quite independent of the well-established pathway mediated by iNOS in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Abnormal activation of K(+) channels in aortic smooth muscle of rats with endotoxic shock: electrophysiological and functional evidence

1. This study examined the role of K(+) channels in vascular hyporeactivity of rats with endotoxic shock ex vivo. 2. At the end of the in vivo experiments, thoracic aortas were removed from endotoxaemic and control rats. After removal of the endothelium, aortic segments were mounted in myographs for recording of isometric tension and smooth muscle membrane potential. 3. Membrane potentials recorded from endotoxaemic rats were hyperpolarized compared to those of the controls. This hyperpolarization was partially reversed by tetraethylammonium, charybdotoxin or glibenclamide, but not significantly affected by apamin. The hyperpolarization was also partially attenuated by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 1H:-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-l-one (ODQ). 4. In phenylephrine-contracted aortic rings, both agonists of K(+) channels, NS1619 and pinacidil, induced greater relaxations and re-polarizations in the preparations obtained from endotoxaemic rats. The NS1619-induced relaxation and re-polarization in arteries from endotoxaemic rats were partially inhibited by tetraethylammonium and completely inhibited by charybdotoxin, L-NAME or ODQ, but not significantly affected by apamin. Similarly, the greater relaxation and re-polarization induced by pinacidil in arteries from endotoxaemic rats were also inhibited by glibenclamide, L-NAME or ODQ. However, these inhibitors had no significant effect on relaxations and re-polarizations induced by NS1619 and pinacidil in arteries from controls. 5. This study provides the electrophysiological and functional evidence showing an abnormal activation of K(+) channels in vascular smooth muscle in animals with endotoxic shock. Our observations suggest that overproduction of nitric oxide causes an activation of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels and ATP-sensitive K(+) channels which contributes to endotoxin-mediated vascular hyporeactivity.

Nitroblue tetrazolium blocks BK channels in cerebrovascular smooth muscle cell membranes

The effects of p-nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) on large conductance, calcium-activated potassium channels (BK channels) in enzymatically dispersed rat cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells (CVSMCs) were examined. Patch clamp methods were employed to record single BK channel currents from inside-out patches of CVMC membrane maintained at 21 - 23 degrees C. When applied to the cytoplasmic face of inside-out membrane patches (internally applied NBT), micromolar concentrations of NBT reversible reduced the mean open time of BK channels, without changing channel conductance. NBT altered the frequency distribution of BK channel open times from a two exponential to a single exponential form. In the absence of NBT, mean channel open time increased on membrane depolarization. In the presence of internally applied NBT, mean channel open became essentially independent of membrane potential. Internally applied NBT also reduced the mean closed time of BK channels when measured at membrane potentials in the range -80 mV to +20 mV. The combined effects of internal NBT on mean open and closed times resulted in the suppression of BK channel open probability when measured at positive membrane potentials. When applied to the external membrane face, micromolar concentrations of NBT reduced mean channel open time progressively as the membrane was hyperpolarized, and also reduced open probability at negative membrane potentials. A model is proposed in which NBT alters channel gating by binding to a site at or near to the cytoplasmic membrane face. Externally applied NBT suppressed BK channel open probability at concentrations which also inhibit nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Therefore, the potential role of potassium channel block in NBT actions previously attributed to NOS inhibition is discussed.