scholarly journals The β1 Subunit Enhances Oxidative Regulation of Large-Conductance Calcium-activated K+ Channels

2004 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey Ciali Santarelli ◽  
Jianguo Chen ◽  
Stefan H. Heinemann ◽  
Toshinori Hoshi

Oxidative stress may alter the functions of many proteins including the Slo1 large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BKCa). Previous results demonstrated that in the virtual absence of Ca2+, the oxidant chloramine-T (Ch-T), without the involvement of cysteine oxidation, increases the open probability and slows the deactivation of BKCa channels formed by human Slo1 (hSlo1) α subunits alone. Because native BKCa channel complexes may include the auxiliary subunit β1, we investigated whether β1 influences the oxidative regulation of hSlo1. Oxidation by Ch-T with β1 present shifted the half-activation voltage much further in the hyperpolarizing direction (−75 mV) as compared with that with α alone (−30 mV). This shift was eliminated in the presence of high [Ca2+]i, but the increase in open probability in the virtual absence of Ca2+ remained significant at physiologically relevant voltages. Furthermore, the slowing of channel deactivation after oxidation was even more dramatic in the presence of β1. Oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues within β1 was not involved in these potentiated effects because expression of mutant β1 subunits lacking cysteine or methionine residues produced results similar to those with wild-type β1. Unlike the results with α alone, oxidation by Ch-T caused a significant acceleration of channel activation only when β1 was present. The β1 M177 mutation disrupted normal channel activation and prevented the Ch-T–induced acceleration of activation. Overall, the functional effects of oxidation of the hSlo1 pore-forming α subunit are greatly amplified by the presence of β1, which leads to the additional increase in channel open probability and the slowing of deactivation. Furthermore, M177 within β1 is a critical structural determinant of channel activation and oxidative sensitivity. Together, the oxidized BKCa channel complex with β1 has a considerable chance of being open within the physiological voltage range even at low [Ca2+]i.

2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (4) ◽  
pp. H625-H633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Cordeiro ◽  
Dmitry Terentyev ◽  
Richard T. Clements

Mitochondrial Ca2+-activated large-conductance K+ (BKCa) channels are thought to provide protection during ischemic insults in the heart. Rottlerin (mallotoxin) has been implicated as a potent BKCa activator. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to investigate the efficacy of BKCa channel activation as a cardioprotective strategy during ischemic cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion (CP/R) and 2) to assess the specificity of rottlerin for BKCa channels. Wild-type (WT) and BKCa knockout (KO) mice were subjected to an isolated heart model of ischemic CP/R. A mechanism of rottlerin-induced cardioprotection was also investigated using H9c2 cells subjected to in vitro CP/reoxygenation and assessed for mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. CP/R decreased left ventricular developed pressure, positive and negative first derivatives of left ventricular pressure, and coronary flow (CF) in WT mice. Rottlerin dose dependently increased the recovery of left ventricular function and CF to near baseline levels. BKCa KO hearts treated with or without 500 nM rottlerin were similar to WT CP hearts. H9c2 cells subjected to in vitro CP/R displayed reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and increased ROS generation, both of which were significantly normalized by rottlerin. We conclude that activation of BKCa channels rescues ischemic damage associated with CP/R, likely via effects on improved mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced ROS generation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guiling Zhao ◽  
Zachary P. Neeb ◽  
M. Dennis Leo ◽  
Judith Pachuau ◽  
Adebowale Adebiyi ◽  
...  

Plasma membrane large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels and sarcoplasmic reticulum inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors (IP3Rs) are expressed in a wide variety of cell types, including arterial smooth muscle cells. Here, we studied BKCa channel regulation by IP3 and IP3Rs in rat and mouse cerebral artery smooth muscle cells. IP3 activated BKCa channels both in intact cells and in excised inside-out membrane patches. IP3 caused concentration-dependent BKCa channel activation with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of ∼4 µM at physiological voltage (−40 mV) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i; 10 µM). IP3 also caused a leftward-shift in BKCa channel apparent Ca2+ sensitivity and reduced the Kd for free [Ca2+]i from ∼20 to 12 µM, but did not alter the slope or maximal Po. BAPTA, a fast Ca2+ buffer, or an elevation in extracellular Ca2+ concentration did not alter IP3-induced BKCa channel activation. Heparin, an IP3R inhibitor, and a monoclonal type 1 IP3R (IP3R1) antibody blocked IP3-induced BKCa channel activation. Adenophostin A, an IP3R agonist, also activated BKCa channels. IP3 activated BKCa channels in inside-out patches from wild-type (IP3R1+/+) mouse arterial smooth muscle cells, but had no effect on BKCa channels of IP3R1-deficient (IP3R1−/−) mice. Immunofluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy indicated that IP3R1 is located in close spatial proximity to BKCa α subunits. The IP3R1 monoclonal antibody coimmunoprecipitated IP3R1 and BKCa channel α and β1 subunits from cerebral arteries. In summary, data indicate that IP3R1 activation elevates BKCa channel apparent Ca2+ sensitivity through local molecular coupling in arterial smooth muscle cells.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1629
Author(s):  
Divya Guntur ◽  
Horst Olschewski ◽  
Péter Enyedi ◽  
Réka Csáki ◽  
Andrea Olschewski ◽  
...  

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Idres ◽  
Germain Perrin ◽  
Valérie Domergue ◽  
Florence Lefebvre ◽  
Susana Gomez ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Regulation of vascular tone by 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) involves many effectors including the large conductance, Ca2+-activated, K+ (BKCa) channels. In arteries, cAMP is mainly hydrolyzed by type 3 and 4 phosphodiesterases (PDE3, PDE4). Here, we examined the specific contribution of BKCa channels to tone regulation by these PDEs in rat coronary arteries, and how this is altered in heart failure (HF). Methods and results Concomitant application of PDE3 (cilostamide) and PDE4 (Ro-20-1724) inhibitors increased BKCa unitary channel activity in isolated myocytes from rat coronary arteries. Myography was conducted in isolated, U46619-contracted coronary arteries. Cilostamide (Cil) or Ro-20-1724 induced a vasorelaxation that was greatly reduced by iberiotoxin (IBTX), a BKCa channel blocker. Ro-20-1724 and Cil potentiated the relaxation induced by the β-adrenergic agonist isoprenaline (ISO) or the adenylyl cyclase activator L-858051 (L85). IBTX abolished the effect of PDE inhibitors on ISO but did not on L85. In coronary arteries from rats with HF induced by aortic stenosis, contractility and response to acetylcholine were dramatically reduced compared with arteries from sham rats, but relaxation to PDE inhibitors was retained. Interestingly, however, IBTX had no effect on Ro-20-1724- and Cil-induced vasorelaxations in HF. Expression of the BKCa channel α-subunit, of a 98 kDa PDE3A and of a 80 kDa PDE4D were lower in HF compared with sham coronary arteries, while that of a 70 kDa PDE4B was increased. Proximity ligation assays demonstrated that PDE3 and PDE4 were localized in the vicinity of the channel. Conclusion BKCa channels mediate the relaxation of coronary artery induced by PDE3 and PDE4 inhibition. This is achieved by co-localization of both PDEs with BKCa channels, enabling tight control of cAMP available for channel opening. Contribution of the channel is prominent at rest and on β-adrenergic stimulation. This coupling is lost in HF.


2016 ◽  
pp. 447-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. LI ◽  
B. LIU ◽  
S. XIANG ◽  
L. SHI

Aerobic exercise showed beneficial influence on cardiovascular systems in aging, and mechanisms underlying vascular adaption remain unclear. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels play critical roles in regulating cellular excitability and vascular tone. This study determined the effects of aerobic exercise on aging-associated functional changes in BKCa channels in cerebrovascular myocytes, Male Wistar rats aged 20-22 months were randomly assigned to sedentary (O-SED), low training frequency (O-EXL), and high training frequency group (O-EXH). Young rats were used as control. Compared to young rats, whole-cell BKCa current was decreased, and amplitude of spontaneous transient outward currents were reduced. The open probability and Ca2+/voltage sensitivity of single BKCa channel were declined in O-SED, accompanied with a reduction of tamoxifen-induced BKCa activation; the mean open time of BKCa channels was shortened whereas close time was prolonged. Aerobic exercise training markedly alleviated the aging-associated decline independent of training frequency. Exercise three times rather than five times weekly may be a time and cost-saving training volume required to offer beneficial effects to offset the functional declines of BKCa during aging.


2007 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Savalli ◽  
Andrei Kondratiev ◽  
Sarah Buxton de Quintana ◽  
Ligia Toro ◽  
Riccardo Olcese

The β2 subunit of the large conductance Ca2+- and voltage-activated K+ channel (BKCa) modulates a number of channel functions, such as the apparent Ca2+/voltage sensitivity, pharmacological and kinetic properties of the channel. In addition, the N terminus of the β2 subunit acts as an inactivating particle that produces a relatively fast inactivation of the ionic conductance. Applying voltage clamp fluorometry to fluorescently labeled human BKCa channels (hSlo), we have investigated the mechanisms of operation of the β2 subunit. We found that the leftward shift on the voltage axis of channel activation curves (G(V)) produced by coexpression with β2 subunits is associated with a shift in the same direction of the fluorescence vs. voltage curves (F(V)), which are reporting the voltage dependence of the main voltage-sensing region of hSlo (S4-transmembrane domain). In addition, we investigated the inactivating mechanism of the β2 subunits by comparing its properties with the ones of the typical N-type inactivation process of Shaker channel. While fluorescence recordings from the inactivated Shaker channels revealed the immobilization of the S4 segments in the active conformation, we did not observe a similar feature in BKCa channels coexpressed with the β2 subunit. The experimental observations are consistent with the view that the β2 subunit of BKCa channels facilitates channel activation by changing the voltage sensor equilibrium and that the β2-induced inactivation process does not follow a typical N-type mechanism.


2004 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trude Haug ◽  
Daniel Sigg ◽  
Sergio Ciani ◽  
Ligia Toro ◽  
Enrico Stefani ◽  
...  

The pore region of the majority of K+ channels contains the highly conserved GYGD sequence, known as the K+ channel signature sequence, where the GYG is critical for K+ selectivity (Heginbotham, L., T. Abramson, and R. MacKinnon. 1992. Science. 258:1152–1155). Exchanging the aspartate residue with asparagine in this sequence abolishes ionic conductance of the Shaker K+ channel (D447N) (Hurst, R.S., L. Toro, and E. Stefani. 1996. FEBS Lett. 388:59–65). In contrast, we found that the corresponding mutation (D292N) in the pore forming α subunit (hSlo) of the voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ channel (BKCa, MaxiK) did not prevent conduction but reduced single channel conductance. We have investigated the role of outer pore negative charges in ion conduction (this paper) and channel gating (Haug, T., R. Olcese, T. Ligia, and E. Stefani. 2004. J. Gen Physiol. 124:185–197). In symmetrical 120 mM [K+], the D292N mutation reduced the outward single channel conductance by ∼40% and nearly abolished inward K+ flow (outward rectification). This rectification was partially relieved by increasing the external K+ concentration to 700 mM. Small inward currents were resolved by introducing an additional mutation (R207Q) that greatly increases the open probability of the channel. A four-state multi-ion pore model that incorporates the effects of surface charge was used to simulate the essential properties of channel conduction. The conduction properties of the mutant channel (D292N) could be predicted by a simple ∼8.5-fold reduction of the surface charge density without altering any other parameter. These results indicate that the aspartate residue in the BKCa pore plays a key role in conduction and suggest that the pore structure is not affected by the mutation. We speculate that the negative charge strongly accumulates K+ in the outer vestibule close to the selectivity filter, thus increasing the rate of ion entry into the pore.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 388
Author(s):  
Wei-Ting Chang ◽  
Sheng-Nan Wu

QO-40 (5-(chloromethyl)-3-(naphthalene-1-yl)-2-(trifluoromethyl) pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one) is a novel and selective activator of KCNQ2/KCNQ3 K+ channels. However, it remains largely unknown whether this compound can modify any other type of plasmalemmal ionic channel. The effects of QO-40 on ion channels in pituitary GH3 lactotrophs were investigated in this study. QO-40 stimulated Ca2+-activated K+ current (IK(Ca)) with an EC50 value of 2.3 μM in these cells. QO-40-stimulated IK(Ca) was attenuated by the further addition of GAL-021 or paxilline but not by linopirdine or TRAM-34. In inside-out mode, this compound added to the intracellular leaflet of the detached patches stimulated large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels with no change in single-channel conductance; however, there was a decrease in the slow component of the mean closed time of BKCa channels. The KD value required for the QO-40-mediated decrease in the slow component at the mean closure time was 1.96 μM. This compound shifted the steady-state activation curve of BKCa channels to a less positive voltage and decreased the gating charge of the channel. The application of QO-40 also increased the hysteretic strength of BKCa channels elicited by a long-lasting isosceles-triangular ramp voltage. In HEK293T cells expressing α-hSlo, QO-40 stimulated BKCa channel activity. Overall, these findings demonstrate that QO-40 can interact directly with the BKCa channel to increase the amplitude of IK(Ca) in GH3 cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 2175
Author(s):  
Adonis Z. Wu ◽  
Tzu-Lun Ohn ◽  
Ren-Jay Shei ◽  
Huei-Fang Wu ◽  
Yong-Cyuan Chen ◽  
...  

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), is a signaling sphingolipid which acts as a bioactive lipid mediator. We assessed whether S1P had multiplex effects in regulating the large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (BKCa) in catecholamine-secreting chromaffin cells. Using multiple patch-clamp modes, Ca2+ imaging, and computational modeling, we evaluated the effects of S1P on the Ca2+-activated K+ currents (IK(Ca)) in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells and in a pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12). In outside-out patches, the open probability of BKCa channel was reduced with a mean-closed time increment, but without a conductance change in response to a low-concentration S1P (1 µM). The intracellular Ca2+ concentration (Cai) was elevated in response to a high-dose (10 µM) but not low-dose of S1P. The single-channel activity of BKCa was also enhanced by S1P (10 µM) in the cell-attached recording of chromaffin cells. In the whole-cell voltage-clamp, a low-dose S1P (1 µM) suppressed IK(Ca), whereas a high-dose S1P (10 µM) produced a biphasic response in the amplitude of IK(Ca), i.e., an initial decrease followed by a sustained increase. The S1P-induced IK(Ca) enhancement was abolished by BAPTA. Current-clamp studies showed that S1P (1 µM) increased the action potential (AP) firing. Simulation data revealed that the decreased BKCa conductance leads to increased AP firings in a modeling chromaffin cell. Over a similar dosage range, S1P (1 µM) inhibited IK(Ca) and the permissive role of S1P on the BKCa activity was also effectively observed in the PC12 cell system. The S1P-mediated IK(Ca) stimulation may result from the elevated Cai, whereas the inhibition of BKCa activity by S1P appears to be direct. By the differentiated tailoring BKCa channel function, S1P can modulate stimulus-secretion coupling in chromaffin cells.


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