cAMP activates BKCa channels in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle via cGMP-dependent protein kinase

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (6) ◽  
pp. L1004-L1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Barman ◽  
Shu Zhu ◽  
Guichan Han ◽  
Richard E. White

The signal transduction mechanisms defining the role of cyclic nucleotides in the regulation of pulmonary vascular tone is currently an area of great interest. Normally, signaling mechanisms that elevate cAMP and guanosine-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) maintain the pulmonary vasculature in a relaxed state. Modulation of the large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BKCa) channel is important in the regulation of pulmonary arterial pressure, and inhibition (closing) of the BKCa channel has been implicated in the development of pulmonary hypertension. Accordingly, studies were done to determine the effect of cAMP-elevating agents on BKCa channel activity using patch-clamp studies in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC) of the fawn-hooded rat (FHR), a recognized animal model of pulmonary hypertension. Forskolin (10 μM), a stimulator of adenylate cyclase and an activator of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), and 8–4-chlorophenylthio (CPT)-cAMP (100 μM), a membrane-permeable derivative of cAMP, opened BKCa channels in single FHR PASMC. Treatment of FHR PASMC with 300 nM KT5823, a selective inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) activity inhibited the effect of both forskolin and CPT-cAMP. In contrast, blocking PKA activation with 300 nM KT5720 had no effect on forskolin or CPT-cAMP-stimulated BKCa channel activity. These results indicate that cAMP-dependent vasodilators activate BKCa channels in PASMC of FHR via PKG-dependent and PKA-independent signaling pathways, which suggests cross-activation between cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle and therefore, a unique signaling pathway for cAMP-induced pulmonary vasodilation.

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (6) ◽  
pp. L1275-L1281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Barman ◽  
Shu Zhu ◽  
Richard E. White

Normally, signaling mechanisms that activate large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BKCa) channels in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cause pulmonary vasodilatation. BKCa-channel modulation is important in the regulation of pulmonary arterial pressure, and inhibition (decrease in the opening probability) of the BKCa channel has been implicated in the development of pulmonary vasoconstriction. Protein kinase C (PKC) causes pulmonary vasoconstriction, but little is known about the effect of PKC on BKCa-channel activity in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle. Accordingly, studies were done to determine the effect of PKC on BKCa-channel activity using patch-clamp studies in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of the Sprague-Dawley rat. The PKC activators phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and thymeleatoxin opened BKCa channels in single Sprague-Dawley rat PASMC. The activator response to both PMA and thymeleatoxin on BKCa-channel activity was blocked by Gö-6983, which selectively blocks PKC-α, -δ, -γ, and -ζ, and by rottlerin, which selectively inhibits PKC-δ. In addition, the specific cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase antagonist KT-5823 blocked the responses to PMA and thymelatoxin, whereas the specific cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase blocker KT-5720 had no effect. In isolated pulmonary arterial vessels, both PMA and forskolin caused vasodilatation, which was inhibited by KT-5823, Gö-6983, or the BKCa-channel blocker tetraethylammonium. The results of this study indicate that activation of specific PKC isozymes increases BKCa-channel activity in Sprague-Dawley rat PASMC via cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, which suggests a unique signaling mechanism for vasodilatation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (1) ◽  
pp. L149-L155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Barman ◽  
Shu Zhu ◽  
Richard E. White

Signaling mechanisms that elevate cyclic AMP (cAMP) activate large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BKCa) channels in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle and cause pulmonary vasodilatation. BKCa channel modulation is important in the regulation of pulmonary arterial pressure, and inhibition (closing) of the BKCa channel has been implicated in the development of pulmonary vasoconstriction. Protein kinase C (PKC) causes pulmonary vasoconstriction, but little is known about the effect of PKC on BKCa channel activity. Accordingly, studies were done to determine the effect of PKC activation on cAMP-induced BKCa channel activity using patch-clamp studies in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC) of the fawn-hooded rat (FHR), a recognized animal model of pulmonary hypertension. Forskolin (10 μM), a stimulator of adenylate cyclase and an activator of cAMP, opened BKCa channels in single FHR PASMC, which were blocked by the PKC activators phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (100 nM) and thymeleatoxin (100 nM). The inhibitory response by thymeleatoxin on forskolin-induced BKCa channel activity was blocked by Gö-6983, which selectively blocks the α, β, δ, γ, and ζ PKC isozymes, and Gö-6976, which selectively inhibits PKC-α, PKC-β, and PKC-μ, but not by rottlerin, which selectively inhibits PKC-δ. Collectively, these results indicate that activation of specific PKC isozymes inhibits cAMP-induced activation of the BKCa channel in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle, which suggests a unique signaling pathway to modulate BKCa channels and subsequently cAMP-induced pulmonary vasodilatation.


1996 ◽  
Vol 109 (10) ◽  
pp. 2499-2508 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.E. Murphy-Ullrich ◽  
M.A. Pallero ◽  
N. Boerth ◽  
J.A. Greenwood ◽  
T.M. Lincoln ◽  
...  

Focal adhesions are specialized regions of cell membranes that are foci for the transmission of signals between the outside and the inside of the cell. Intracellular signaling events are important in the organization and stability of these structures. In previous work, we showed that the counter-adhesive extracellular matrix proteins, thrombospondin, tenascin, and SPARC, induce the disassembly of focal adhesion plaques and we identified the active regions of these proteins. In order to determine the mechanisms whereby the anti-adhesive matrix proteins modulate cytoskeletal organization and focal adhesion integrity, we examined the role of protein kinases in mediating the loss of focal adhesions by these proteins. Data from these studies show that cGMP-dependent protein kinase is necessary to mediate focal adhesion disassembly triggered by either thrombospondin or tenascin, but not by SPARC. In experiments using various protein kinase inhibitors, we observed that selective inhibitors of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, KT5823 and Rp-8-Br-cGMPS, blocked the effects of both the active sequence of thrombospondin 1 (hep I) and the alternatively-spliced segment (TNfnA-D) of tenascin-C on focal adhesion disassembly. Moreover, early passage rat aortic smooth muscle cells which have high levels of cGMP-dependent protein kinase were sensitive to hep I treatment, in contrast to passaged cGMP-dependent protein kinase deficient cells which were refractory to hep I or TNfnA-D treatment, but were sensitive to SPARC. Transfection of passaged smooth muscle cells with the catalytic domain of PKG I alpha restored responsiveness to hep I and TNfnA-D. While these studies show that cGMP-dependent protein kinase activity is necessary for thrombospondin and tenascin-mediated focal adhesion disassembly, kinase activity alone is not sufficient to induce disassembly as transfection of the catalytic domain of the kinase in the absence of additional stimuli does not result in loss of focal adhesions.


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