Inhibition of delayed rectifier K(+)-current by levcromakalim in single intestinal smooth muscle cells: effects of cations and dependence on K(+)-flux

Antispasmodic Effect of Valeriana pilosa Root Essential Oil and Potential Mechanisms of Action: Ex Vivo and In Silico Studies

Infusions of Valeriana pilosa are commonly used in Peruvian folk medicine for treating gastrointestinal disorders. This study aimed to investigate the spasmolytic and antispasmodic effects of Valeriana pilosa essential oil (VPEO) on rat ileum. The basal tone of ileal sections decreased in response to accumulative concentrations of VPEO. Moreover, ileal sections precontracted with acetylcholine (ACh), potassium chloride (KCl), or barium chloride (BaCl2) were relaxed in response to VPEO by a mechanism that depended on atropine, hyoscine butylbromide, solifenacin, and verapamil, but not glibenclamide. The results showed that VPEO produced a relaxant effect by inhibiting muscarinic receptors and blocking calcium channels, with no apparent effect on the opening of potassium channels. In addition, molecular docking was employed to evaluate VPEO constituents that could inhibit intestinal contractile activity. The study showed that α-cubebene, β-patchoulene, β-bourbonene, β-caryophyllene, α-guaiene, γ-muurolene, valencene, eremophyllene, and δ-cadinene displayed the highest docking scores on muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and voltage-gated calcium channels, which may antagonize M2 and/or M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and block voltage-gated calcium channels. In summary, VPEO has both spasmolytic and antispasmodic effects. It may block muscarinic receptors and calcium channels, thus providing a scientific basis for its traditional use for gastrointestinal disorders.

No independent, but an interactive, role of calcium-activated potassium channels in human cutaneous active vasodilation

In human cutaneous microvasculature, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs) account for a large portion of vasodilation associated with local stimuli. Thus we sought to determine the role of EDHFs in active vasodilation (AVD) to passive heating in two protocols. Whole body heating was achieved using water-perfused suits (core temperature increase of 0.8-1.0°C), and skin blood flow was measured using laser-Doppler flowmetry. In the first protocol, four sites were perfused continuously via microdialysis with: 1) control; 2) tetraethylammonium (TEA) to block calcium-activated potassium (KCa) channels, and thus the actions of EDHFs; 3) N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) to inhibit nitric oxide synthase (NOS); and 4) TEA + l-NAME (n = 8). Data are presented as percent maximal cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC). TEA had no effect on AVD (CVC during heated plateau: control 57.4 ± 4.9% vs. TEA 63.2 ± 5.2%, P = 0.27), indicating EDHFs are not obligatory. l-NAME attenuated plateau CVC to 33.7 ± 5.4% (P < 0.01 vs. control); while TEA + l-NAME augmented plateau CVC compared with l-NAME alone (49.7 ± 5.3%, P = 0.02). From these data, it appears combined blockade of EDHFs and NOS necessitates dilation through other means, possibly through inward rectifier (KIR) and/or ATP-sensitive (KATP) potassium channels. To test this second hypothesis, we measured AVD at the following sites (n = 8): 1) control, 2) l-NAME, 3) l-NAME + TEA, and 4) l-NAME + TEA + barium chloride (BaCl2; KIR and KATP blocker). The addition of BaCl2 to l-NAME + TEA reduced plateau CVC to 32.7 ± 6.6% (P = 0.02 vs. l-NAME + TEA), which did not differ from the l-NAME site. These data combined demonstrate a complex interplay between vasodilatory pathways, with cross-talk between NO, KCa channels, and KIR and/or KATP channels.

Acute desensitization of GIRK current in rat atrial myocytes is related to K+ current flow

We have investigated the acute desensitization of acetylcholine-activated GIRK current (I(K(ACh))) in cultured adult rat atrial myocytes. Acute desensitization of I(K(ACh)) is observed as a partial relaxation of current with a half-time of < 5 s when muscarinic M2 receptors are stimulated by a high concentration (> 2 micromol l(-1)) of ACh. Under this condition experimental manoeuvres that cause a decrease in the amplitude of I(K(ACh)), such as partial block of M2 receptors by atropine, intracellular loading with GDP-beta-S, or exposure to Ba2+, caused a reduction in desensitization. Acute desensitization was also identified as a decrease in current amplitude and a blunting of the response to saturating [ACh] (20 micromol l(-1)) when the current had been partially activated by a low concentration of ACh or by stimulation of adenosine A1 receptors. A reduction in current analogous to acute desensitization was observed when ATP-dependent K+ current (I(K(ATP))) was activated either by mitochondrial uncoupling using 2,4-dinitrophenole (DNP) or by the channel opener rilmakalim. Adenovirus-driven overexpression of Kir2.1, a subunit of constitutively active inwardly rectifying K+ channels, resulted in a large Ba2+-sensitive background K+ current and a dramatic reduction of ACh-activated current. Adenovirus-driven overexpression of GIRK4 (Kir3.4) subunits resulted in an increased agonist-independent GIRK current paralleled by a reduction in I(K(ACh)) and removal of the desensitizing component. These data indicate that acute desensitization depends on K+ current flow, independent of the K+ channel species, suggesting that it reflects a reduction in electrochemical driving force rather than a bona fide signalling mechanism. This is supported by the observation that desensitization is paralleled by a significant negative shift in reversal potential of I(K(ACh)). Since the ACh-induced hyperpolarization shows comparable desensitization properties as I(K(ACh)), this novel current-dependent desensitization is a physiologically relevant process, shaping the time course of parasympathetic bradycardia.

Voltage dependence of ATP-dependent K+ current in rat cardiac myocytes is affected by IK1 and IK(ACh)

In this study we have investigated the voltage dependence of ATP-dependent K+ current (I(K(ATP))) in atrial and ventricular myocytes from hearts of adult rats and in CHO cells expressing Kir6.2 and SUR2A. The current-voltage relation of 2,4-dinitrophenole (DNP) -induced I(K(ATP)) in atrial myocytes and expressed current in CHO cells was linear in a voltage range between 0 and -100 mV. In ventricular myocytes, the background current-voltage relation of which is dominated by a large constitutive inward rectifier (I(K1)), the slope conductance of I(K(ATP)) was reduced at membrane potentials negative to E(K) (around -50 mV), resulting in an outwardly rectifying I-V relation. Overexpression of Kir2.1 by adenoviral gene transfer, a subunit contributing to I(K1) channels, in atrial myocytes resulted in a large I(K1)-like background current. The I-V relation of I(K(ATP)) in these cells showed a reduced slope conductance negative to E(K) similar to ventricular myocytes. In atrial myocytes with an increased background inward-rectifier current through Kir3.1/Kir3.4 channels (I(K(ACh))), irreversibly activated by intracellular loading with GTP-gamma-S, the I-V relation of I(K(ATP)) showed a reduced slope negative to E(K), as in ventricular myocytes and atrial myocytes overexpressing Kir2.1. It is concluded that the voltage dependencies of membrane currents are not only dependent on the molecular composition of the charge-carrying channel complexes but can be affected by the activity of other ion channel species. We suggest that the interference between inward I(K(ATP)) and other inward rectifier currents in cardiac myocytes reflects steady-state changes in K+ driving force due to inward K+ current.

Potassium channels in gastrointestinal smooth muscle

1. Electromechanical coupling in smooth muscle serves to coordinate the contractile activity of the syncytium. Electrical activity of smooth muscle of the gut is generated by ionic conductances that regulate and in turn are regulated by the membrane potential of smooth muscle cells. This activity determines the extent of Ca2+ entry into smooth muscle cells, and thus, the timing and intensity of contractions. 2. Potassium channels play an important role in regulating the excitability of the syncytium. The different types of K+ channel are characterized by different sensitivities to membrane potential, to intracellular Ca2+ levels and to modulation by agonists. 3. This review highlights the different types of K+ channels found in gut smooth muscle and describes their possible roles in regulating the electrical activity of the muscle.

Non-receptor-mediated activation of IK(ATP) and inhibition of IK(ACh) by diadenosine polyphosphates in guinea-pig atrial myocytes

1. The effects of diadenosine polyphosphates (APnA, where n = 4-6) were studied on beating frequency of perfused guinea-pig hearts and on muscarinic K+ current (IK(ACh)) and ATP-regulated K+ current (IK(ATP)) in atrial myocytes from guinea-pig hearts using whole-cell voltage clamp. 2. Bradycardia induced by APnA in perfused hearts was completely inhibited by 8-cyclopentyl- 1,3-dipropylxanthine (CPX, 20 microM), a selective antagonist at A1 adenosine receptors, and was augmented by dipyridamole (Dipy), an inhibitor of cellular adenosine (Ado) uptake. 3. Whereas exposure of atrial myocytes to Ado (100 microM) within about 1 s induced a significant whole-cell IK(ACh), APnA up to 1 mM applied for some tens of seconds failed to activate IK(ACh). If present for periods > 2 min, APnA caused inhibition of agonist-evoked IK(ACh) and activation of a weakly inward rectifying K+ current, which was identified as IK(ATP) by its sensitivity to glibenclamide and its current-voltage curve. 4. The actions of extracellular APnA on IK(ACh) and IK(ATP) were mimicked by intracellular loading of compounds via the patch clamp pipette and by intracellular loading of AMP. 5. The results from isolated myocytes exclude APnA acting as A1 agonists. It is suggested that myocytes can take up APnA, which are degraded to AMP. In the presence of ATP, AMP is converted to ADP, a physiological activator of ATP-regulated K+ channels, by adenylate kinase. A similar mechanism resulting in a reduction of the [GTP]/[GDP] ratio might be responsible for inhibition of IK(ACh). 6. In the perfused heart and other multicellular cardiac preparations the actions of APnA are mediated by Ado via A1 receptors. It is suggested that APnA in multicellular cardiac tissue are hydrolysed by an ectohydrolase to yield AMP which is converted to Ado by ectonucleotidases.

Inhibitors of spasmogen-induced Ca2+ channel suppression in smooth muscle cells from small intestine

1. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from smooth muscle cells isolated from the longitudinal muscle layer of guinea-pig ileum. Carbachol (acting at muscarinic receptors) or histamine (acting at H1 histamine receptors) suppressed Ca2+ channel current. The effect of either agonist had an initial transient component followed by a sustained component. 2. Wortmannin inhibited transient and sustained components of carbachol-induced Ca2+ channel current suppression: half-effective inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were 1.1 microM and 0.6 microM for the two components respectively. Wortmannin also inhibited the transient phase of carbachol-induced cationic current (IC50 1.6 microM) and Ca2+-dependent K+-current (IC50 1.7 microM). Wortmannin did not appear to produce any direct block of cationic channels or Ca2+ channels. 3. Intracellular application of the phospholipase inhibitor D609 (tricyclodecan-9-ylxanthogenate) inhibited transient and sustained components of histamine action on the Ca2+ channel current: the IC50 was about 130 microM for both components. Carbachol action on Ca2+ channels was also inhibited by D609. D609 had no significant direct blocking effect on Ca2+ channels, cationic channels activated by carbachol, or Ca2+-activated K+-current in response to flash-photolysis of caged-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. 4. Micromolar concentrations of wortmannin and D609 are inhibitors of both components of spasmogen-induced Ca2+ channel suppression. The data suggest that both components are mediated by a common, or similar, signal transduction element which is a phospholipase C (PLC) or phospholipase D (PLD) isoform.

Ba2+ differentially inhibits the Rb+ efflux promoting and the vasorelaxant effects of levcromakalim and minoxidil sulfate in rat isolated aorta

The K+ channel openers activate ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP) in vascular smooth muscle and induce relaxation. In this study, the relationship between these two effects was examined in rings of rat aorta using levcromakalim and minoxidil sulfate as the openers and Ba2+ as the K+ channel blocker; K+ channel opening was assessed by determining the rate constant of 86Rb+ efflux from the preparation. Ba2+ inhibited the 86Rb+ efflux stimulated by levcromakalim in a noncompetitive manner with an IC50 value of 29 microM and a Hill-coefficient of 1.2. At concentrations >300 microM, Ba2+ increased the tension of rat aortic rings concentration-dependently. Levcromakalim relaxed contractions to Ba2+ (0.5 and 1 mM) with potencies similar to those determined against KCl (25 mM) or noradrenaline as spasmogens (EC50 values 15-40 nM). The vasorelaxant effect against Ba2+ was inhibited by the KATP channel blockers, glibenclamide and tedisamil, and abolished in depolarizing medium (55 mM KCl). At 3 mM Ba2+, levcromakalim was still able to transiently induce complete relaxation; however, within 1 h oscillations in tension developed, leading to a stable level of only 15% relaxation. A similar level of relaxation was achieved against 10 mM Ba2+ whereas the combination of 0.5 mM Ba2+ and 3 microM tedisamil blocked the relaxant effect of levcromakalim completely. With minoxidil sulfate as the KATP channel opener the results of the 86Rb+ efflux and tension experiments were similar to those obtained with levcromakalim. It is concluded that Ba2+ is more potent in inhibiting the K+ channel opening than the vasorelaxant effects of the openers. On the basis of the 86Rb+ efflux experiments it is estimated that at least 97% of the channels opened by the activators can be blocked without major effects on vasorelaxation suggesting a dissociation between the two effects. However, if the block is pushed to extremes (> or = 99.95%) the vasorelaxant effect of the openers is also abolished suggesting a link between both effects. This paradoxon remains to be solved.

5-Hydroxytryptamine-mediated effects of nicotine on endogenous GABA efflux from guinea-pig cortical slices

1. The effect of nicotine on endogenous basal GABA outflow was studied in guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices. 2. Nicotine 1.86-18.6 mumol l-1 significantly decreased the basal, tetrodotoxin-sensitive GABA efflux, whereas at higher concentrations (186-620 mumol l-1) nicotine increased it. The inhibition was prevented by mecamylamine while the facilitation was blocked by mecamylamine, (+)-tubocurarine and tetrodotoxin. 3. The effect of nicotine was due to an indirect 5-hydroxytryptaminergic action. In fact, MDL 72222 (1 mumol l-1) completely prevented the alkaloid inhibition and methysergide (1 mumol l-1) reversed the facilitation into inhibition; concomitant treatment with methysergide and MDL 72222 antagonized the effect of nicotine at 186 mumol l-1 4. Lower concentrations of 5-HT (3-10 mumol l-1) decreased, whereas higher concentrations (30-100 mumol l-1) increased, spontaneous GABA outflow. The inhibition of GABA efflux was prevented by MDL 72222 whereas the facilitation was reversed by methysergide (1 mumol l-1) into inhibition, and prevented by MDL 72222 1 mumol l-11. 5. These results suggest that, by activating nicotinic receptors present on 5-hydroxytryptaminergic terminals, nicotine releases 5-HT which, in turn, inhibits or increases the secretory activity of cortical GABA interneurones via 5-HT3 and methysergide-sensitive receptors, respectively.

Effects of BRL55834 in rat portal vein and bovine trachea: evidence for the induction of a glibenclamide-resistant, ATP-sensitive potassium current

1. The effects of the benzopyran K-channel opener, BRL55834, on mechanical activity in bovine trachealis and rat portal vein were studied together with membrane currents in freshly-isolated single cells derived from these tissues. 2. BRL55834 (3 nM-1 microM) produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of bovine trachealis precontracted with 100 microM histamine and reduced the spontaneous mechanical activity of rat portal veins, effects which were antagonized by glibenclamide (1-10 microM) but were not reversible on washing. In contrast, charybdotoxin (250 nM) did not modify the spasmolytic effect of BRL55834 in bovine trachealis. 3. BRL55834 (10 nM-10 microM) did not relax segments of bovine trachealis precontracted with 80 mM KCl. 4. In some freshly-isolated single cells from bovine trachealis held at -10 mV, BRL55834 (3 microM) induced a time-independent outward K-current which was partially resistant to inhibition by glibenclamide (10 microM). In other cells, a very noisy, outwardly-rectifying and charybdotoxin-sensitive current developed in the presence of BRL55834 (3 microM) and in time-matched control cells. 5. In freshly-isolated single cells from rat portal vein held at -10 mV, BRL55834 (3 microM) induced a time- and calcium-independent outward K-current which was partially resistant (approximately 25% inhibition at +40 mV) to subsequent inhibition by glibenclamide (10 microM). In contrast, levcromakalim induced a time-independent outward K-current which was completely inhibited by glibenclamide 10 microM. 6. With the non-hydrolysable ATP analogue, AMP-PCP (5 mM), in the pipette, the ability of BRL55834 to induce a time-independent K-current in portal vein cells was markedly reduced (approximately 80% inhibition at +40 mV) whereas the effects of 10 microM levcromakalim were totally inhibited. 7. The glibenclamide-resistant current component induced by BRL55834 was totally inhibited by phentolamine (100 microM), a concentration that had no effect on the peak current (IBK(Ca)) induced by NS1619 (33 microM). 8. Stationary fluctuation analysis of the noise associated with the glibenclamide-insensitive K-current induced by BRL55834 in rat portal vein cells indicated that the unitary current flowing through the underlying channels was 0.26 pA at -10 mV, a value inconsistent with the involvement of BKCa. 9. It is concluded that the relaxations of both bovine trachea and rat portal vein produced by BRL55834 are associated with the opening of K-channels. These are probably identical to the ATP-sensitive K-channel opened by levcromakalim, although the involvement of an additional K-channel cannot be excluded. The reduced sensitivity of the BRL55834-induced changes to glibenclamide and toAMP-PCP may result from avid binding of BRL55834 to its site of action.