Mitochondria-dependent regulation of Kv currents in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels are important in the regulation of pulmonary vascular function having both physiological and pathophysiological implications. The pulmonary vasculature is essential for reoxygenation of the blood, supplying oxygen for cellular respiration. Mitochondria have been proposed as the major oxygen-sensing organelles in the pulmonary vasculature. Using electrophysiological techniques and immunofluorescence, an interaction of the mitochondria with Kv channels was investigated. Inhibitors, blocking the mitochondrial electron transport chain at different complexes, were shown to have a dual effect on Kv currents in freshly isolated rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). These dual effects comprised an enhancement of Kv current in a negative potential range (manifested as a 5- to 14-mV shift in the Kv activation to more negative membrane voltages) with a decrease in current amplitude at positive potentials. Such effects were most prominent as a result of inhibition of Complex III by antimycin A. Investigation of the mechanism of antimycin A-mediated effects on Kv channel currents (I(Kv)) revealed the presence of a mitochondria-mediated Mg(2+) and ATP-dependent regulation of Kv channels in PASMCs, which exists in addition to that currently proposed to be caused by changes in intracellular reactive oxygen species.     

Chronic carbon monoxide enhanced IbTx-sensitive currents in rat resistance pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Exogenous carbon monoxide (CO) can induce pulmonary vasodilation by acting directly on pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cells. We investigated the contribution of K+ channels to the regulation of resistance PA resting membrane potential on control (PAC) rats and rats exposed to CO for 3 wk at 530 parts/million, labeled as PACO rats. Whole cell patch-clamp experiments revealed that the resting membrane potential of PACO cells was more negative than that of PAC cells. This was associated with a decrease of membrane resistance in PACO cells. Additional analysis showed that outward current density in PACO cells was higher (50% at +60 mV) than in PAC cells. This was linked to an increase of iberiotoxin (IbTx)-sensitive current. Chronic CO hyperpolarized membrane of pressurized PA from -46.9 +/- 1.2 to -56.4 +/- 2.6 mV. Additionally, IbTx significantly depolarized membrane of smooth muscle cells from PACO arteries but not from PAC arteries. The present study provides initial evidence of an increase of Ca2+-activated K+ current in smooth muscle cells from PA of rats exposed to chronic CO.     

Calcium ion currents in the smooth muscle of the myometrium

The results of kinetic analysis of Ca liberation from preparations of female rabbit myometrium show that in the uterus smooth muscle there exist three pools of cation with characteristic times of metabolism 182.18 +/- 25.20, 25.56 +/- 1.00 and 2.94 +/- 0.38 min respectively. It was concluded from the compartmentalization analysis and from the data on Na+- and Mg2+--ATP-dependent transport in plasmic membrane fraction of myometrium cells that the fast phase of calcium metabolism reflects the liberation of the cation from extracellular space in the incubation medium, the intermediate one--Ca transfer from myocytes into the extracellular medium, and the slow one--liberation from the subcellular structures into the myoplasm.     

胞外pH降低对肺动脉平滑肌细胞膜上电压门控性钾通道的调节

目的：观察pH对大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞（PASMCs）钾电流的调控作用并探讨其机制。方法：用全细胞膜片钳技术记录在正常细胞外液和不同pH的灌流液中,PASMCs膜上电压门控性钾电流大小（Ikv）,并分析了其电生理学特性的改变。结果：①胞外pH降低可快速可逆性抑制Ikv。,与对照相比（pH7.4）,pH值为7.0、6.5、6.0时,＋60mV处的峰电流的抑制率分别为：16.93％±2.47％、33.03％±2.13％、41.59％±6.53％,电流一电压关系曲线右下移。②胞外pH为7.0、6.5、6.0时,使电压依赖性Gk-Em向去极化方向移动。同时使半激活电压增加。结论：在缺氧所致缺氧性肺血管收缩反应（HPV）的发生中,胞外pH的降低可参与对Ikv的调节,从而使细胞膜去极化,Ikv减小电压门控钙通道打开,平滑肌细胞收缩,这可能是缺氧导致HPV的机制之一。     

A-type potassium currents in smooth muscle

A-type currents are voltage-gated,calcium-independent potassium (Kv) currents that undergo rapidactivation and inactivation. Commonly associated with neuronal andcardiac cell-types, A-type currents have also been identified andcharacterized in vascular, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal smoothmuscle cells. This review examines the molecular identity, biophysicalproperties, pharmacology, regulation, and physiological function ofsmooth muscle A-type currents. In general, this review is intended to facilitate the comparison of A-type currents present in different smooth muscles by providing a comprehensive report of the literature todate. This approach should also aid in the identification of areas ofresearch requiring further attention.

     

Free radical production in hypoxic pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

This study used an inexpensive and versatile environmental exposure system to test the hypothesis that hypoxia promoted free radical production in primary cultures of rat main pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Production of reactive species was detected by fluorescence microscopy with the probe 2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein, which is converted to the fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) in the presence of various oxidants. Flushing the airspace above the PASMC cultures with normoxic gas (20% O(2), 75% N(2), and 5% CO(2)) resulted in stable PO(2) values of approximately 150 Torr, whereas perfusion of the airspace with hypoxic gas (0% O(2), 95% N(2), and 5% CO(2) ) was associated with a reduction in PO(2) values to stable levels of approximately 25 Torr. Hypoxic PASMCs became increasingly fluorescent at approximately 500% above the normoxic baseline after 60 min. Hypoxia-induced DCF fluorescence was attenuated by the addition of the antioxidants dimethylthiourea and catalase. These findings show that PASMCs acutely exposed to hypoxia exhibit a marked increase in intracellular DCF fluorescence, suggestive of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species production.     

Ghrelin suppression of potassium currents in smooth muscle cells of human mesenteric artery

Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid peptide hormone which modulates many physiological functions including cardiovascular homeostasis. Here we report some novel findings about the action of ghrelin on smooth muscle cells (SMC) freshly isolated from human mesenteric arteries. Ghrelin (10(-7) mol/l) significantly suppressed the iberiotoxin-blockable component of potassium currents (I(K)) and depolarized the cell membrane, while having no effect on Ca(2+) currents. Inhibition of inositol-trisphosphate (IP(3))-activated Ca(2+) release channels, depletion of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) stores, blockade of phospholipase D (PLD) or protein kinase C (PKC) each abolished the effect of ghrelin on I(K), while the inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) did not. These data imply that in human mesenteric artery SMC ghrelin suppresses I(K) via PLD, PKC and SR Ca(2+)-dependent signaling pathway.     

Protein kinases modulate store-operated channels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Background  

This study investigates whether protein kinase G (PKG), protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) are involved in the regulatory mechanisms of store-operated channel (SOC) in pulmonary arteries.     

Sustained membrane depolarization and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation

Pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascularmedial hypertrophy greatly contribute to the elevated pulmonaryvascular resistance in patients with pulmonary hypertension. A rise incytosolic free Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_cyt)in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) triggers vasoconstriction and stimulates cell growth. Membrane potential (E_m) regulates[Ca²⁺]_cyt by governing Ca²⁺influx through voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Thusintracellular Ca²⁺ may serve as a shared signaltransduction element that leads to pulmonary vasoconstriction andvascular remodeling. In PASMC, activity of voltage-gated K⁺(Kv) channels regulates resting E_m. In thisstudy, we investigated whether changes of Kv currents[I_K(V)], E_m, and[Ca²⁺]_cyt affect cell growth by comparingthese parameters in proliferating and growth-arrested PASMC. Serumdeprivation induced growth arrest of PASMC, whereas chelation ofextracellular Ca²⁺ abolished PASMC growth. Resting[Ca²⁺]_cyt was significantly higher, andresting E_m was more depolarized, inproliferating PASMC than in growth-arrested cells. Consistently, wholecell I_K(V) was significantly attenuated in PASMCduring proliferation. Furthermore, E_mdepolarization significantly increased resting[Ca²⁺]_cyt and augmented agonist-mediatedrises in [Ca²⁺]_cyt in the absence ofextracellular Ca²⁺. These results demonstrate that reducedI_K(V), depolarized E_m, and elevated [Ca²⁺]_cyt may play a criticalrole in stimulating PASMC proliferation. Pulmonary vascular medialhypertrophy in patients with pulmonary hypertension may be partlycaused by a membrane depolarization-mediated increase in[Ca²⁺]_cyt in PASMC.

     

Regulation of store-operated Ca entry in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) is an important mechanism for Ca²⁺ influx in smooth muscle cells; however the activation and regulation of this influx pathway are incompletely understood. In the present study we have examined the effect of several protein kinases in regulating SOCE in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of the rat. Inhibition of protein kinase C with chelerythrine (3 μM) potentiated SOCE by 47 ± 2%, while the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein (100 μM) and tyrphostin 23 (100 μM) caused a significant reduction in SOCE of 55 ± 9% and 43 ± 7%, respectively. It has been proposed that Ca²⁺-insensitive phospholipase A₂ (iPLA₂) is involved in the activation of SOCE in many different cell types. The iPLA₂ inhibitor, bromoenol lactone had no effect on SOCE, suggesting that this mechanism was not involved in the activation of the pathway. The calmodulin antagonists, calmidazolium (CMZ) (10 μM) and W-7 (10 μM) appeared to potentiate SOCE in PASMCs. Further investigation established that CMZ was actually activating a Ca²⁺ influx pathway that was independent of the filling state of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The CMZ-activated Ca²⁺ influx was blocked by Gd³⁺ (10 μM), but unaffected by 2-APB (75 μM), indicating a pharmacological profile distinct from the classical SOCE pathway.     

增殖细胞核抗原在低氧大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞中表达

目的通过建立低氧性肺动脉高压大鼠模型,探讨增殖细胞核抗原(proliferating cell nuclear antigen,PCNA)在大鼠低氧性肺血管平滑肌细胞中的表达。方法将SPF级SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(n=10)、模型组(n=10),通过间断常压低氧法建立大鼠低氧性肺动脉高压模型,肺组织切片经HE染色后图像分析技术定量检测大鼠肺小动脉的形态改变;免疫组织化学染色法测定肺血管平滑肌细胞内PCNA蛋白表达,并经图像分析半定量检测其表达强度。结果 4周后,模型组SD大鼠MT%、MA%与对照组比较,差异具有显著性(P<0.05);模型组SD大鼠肺血管平滑肌细胞内PCNA核蛋白表达(积分面积、累积光密度)与对照组比较,差异具有显著性(P<0.05)。结论常压低氧4周可成功建立肺动脉高压大鼠模型,PCNA在肺血管平滑肌细胞中的表达量具有差异性提示其可能在肺动脉高压形成过程中起重要作用。     

LRP1 promotes synthetic phenotype of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells in pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by a thickening of the distal pulmonary arteries caused by medial hypertrophy, intimal proliferation and vascular fibrosis. Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) maintains vascular homeostasis by mediating endocytosis of numerous ligands and by initiating and regulating signaling pathways.Here, we demonstrate the increased levels of LRP1 protein in the lungs of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients, hypoxia-exposed mice, and monocrotaline-treated rats. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB upregulated LRP1 expression in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC). This effect was reversed by the PDGF-BB neutralizing antibody or the PDGF receptor antagonist. Depletion of LRP1 decreased proliferation of donor and IPAH PASMC in a β1-integrin-dependent manner. Furthermore, LRP1 silencing attenuated the expression of fibronectin and collagen I and increased the levels of α-smooth muscle actin and myocardin in donor, but not in IPAH, PASMC. In addition, smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific LRP1 knockout augmented α-SMA expression in pulmonary vessels and reduced SMC proliferation in 3D ex vivo murine lung tissue cultures.In conclusion, our results indicate that LRP1 promotes the dedifferentiation of PASMC from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype thus suggesting its contribution to vascular remodeling in PH.     

Chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension selectively modifies pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell gene expression

Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) relaxation at birth results from an increase in cytosolic cGMP, cGMP-dependent and kinase-mediated activation of the Ca2+-sensitive K+ channel (KCa), and closure of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels (VOCC). How chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension compromises perinatal pulmonary vasodilation remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension selectively modifies gene expression to mitigate perinatal pulmonary vasodilation mediated by the cGMP kinase-KCa-VOCC pathway. PASMC were isolated from late-gestation fetal lambs that had undergone either ligation of the ductus arteriosus (hypertensive) or sham operation (control) at 127 days of gestation and were maintained under either hypoxic (approximately 25 Torr) or normoxic (approximately 120 Torr) conditions in primary culture. We studied mRNA levels for cGMP kinase Ialpha (PKG-1alpha), the alpha-chain of VOCC (Cav1.2), and the alpha-subunit of the KCa channel. Compared with control PASMC, hypertensive PASMC had decreased VOCC, KCa, and PKG-1alpha expression. In response to sustained normoxia, expression of VOCC and KCa channel decreased and expression of PKG-1alpha increased. In contrast, sustained normoxia had no effect on PKG-1alpha levels and an attenuated effect on VOCC and KCa channel expression in hypertensive PASMC. Protein expression of PKG-1alpha was consistent with the mRNA data. We conclude that chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension decreases PKG expression and mitigates the genetic effects of sustained normoxia on pulmonary vasodilation, because gene expression remains compromised even after sustained exposure to normoxia.     

Phospholipase D signaling in serotonin-induced mitogenesis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

We have previously reported the participation of mitogen-activated protein, Rho, and phosphoinositide-3 (PI3) kinases in separate pathways in serotonin (5-HT)-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In this study, we investigated the possible participation of phospholipase D (PLD) and phosphatidic acid (PA) in this growth process. 5-HT stimulated a time-dependent increase in [(3)H]phosphatidylbutanol and PA generation. Exposure of SMCs to 1-butanol or overexpression of an inactive mutant of human PLD1R898R blocked 5-HT-induced proliferation. Furthermore, 1-butanol inhibited 5-HT activation of S6K1 and S6 protein, downstream effectors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), by 80 and 72%, respectively, and partially blocked activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) by 30% but had no effect on other associated signaling pathways. Exogenous PA caused cellular proliferation and revitalized cyclin D1 expression by 5-HT of the 1-butanol-treated cells. PA also reproduced activations by 5-HT of mTOR, S6K1, and ERK. Transfection with inactive human PLD1 reduced 5-HT-induced activation of S6K1 by approximately 50%. Inhibition of 5-HT receptor 2A (R 2A) with ketaserin blocked PLD activation by 5-HT. Inhibition with PI3-kinase inhibitor failed to block either activation of PLD by 5-HT or PA-dependent S6K1 phosphorylation. Taken together, these results indicate that ligation of the 5-HTR 2A by 5-HT initiates PLD activation in SMCs, and that its product, PA, is an early signaling molecule in 5-HT-induced pulmonary artery SMC proliferation. Signaling by PA produces its downstream effects primarily through the mTOR/S6K1 pathway and to a lesser extent through the ERK pathway. Hydrolysis of cell membrane lipid may be important in vascular effects of 5-HT.     

Pleiotropic effects of statins in distal human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Background

Recent clinical data suggest statins have transient but significant effects in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In this study we explored the molecular effects of statins on distal human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and their relevance to proliferation and apoptosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods

Primary distal human PASMCs from patients and controls were treated with lipophilic (simvastatin, atorvastatin, mevastatin and fluvastatin), lipophobic (pravastatin) and nitric-oxide releasing statins and studied in terms of their DNA synthesis, proliferation, apoptosis, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and endothelin-1 release.

Results

Treatment of human PASMCs with selected statins inhibited DNA synthesis, proliferation and matrix metalloproteinase-9 production in a concentration-dependent manner. Statins differed in their effectiveness, the rank order of anti-mitogenic potency being simvastatin > atorvastatin > > pravastatin. Nevertheless, a novel nitric oxide-releasing derivative of pravastatin (NCX 6550) was effective. Lipophilic statins, such as simvastatin, also enhanced the anti-proliferative effects of iloprost and sildenafil, promoted apoptosis and inhibited the release of the mitogen and survival factor endothelin-1. These effects were reversed by mevalonate and the isoprenoid intermediate geranylgeranylpyrophosphate and were mimicked by inhibitors of the Rho and Rho-kinase.

Conclusions

Lipophilic statins exert direct effects on distal human PASMCs and are likely to involve inhibition of Rho GTPase signalling. These findings compliment some of the recently documented effects in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.