Sarafotoxin-Induced Calcium Mobilization in Cultured Dog Tracheal Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract

Sarafotoxin b (S6b) -induced changes in intracellular Ca²⁺] concentration (Ca ²⁺]i) were monitored in cultured canine tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMCs) by a fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator fura-2. S6b elicited an initial transient peak followed by a sustained elevation of Ca²⁺]_i. BQ-123, an endothelin (ET_A) eceptor antagonist, had a high affinity to block the rise Ca²⁺]_i response to S6b. In the absence of external Ca²⁺, only an initial transient peak of Ca²⁺]_i was seen, the sustained elevation of Ca²⁺]_i could then be evoked by addition of 1.8 mM Ca²⁺] Ca²⁺ influx was required for the changes of Ca²⁺]_i, since the Ca²⁺-channel blockers, diltiazem, verapamil, an& Nip+, decreased both the initial and sustained elevation of Ca2+Ii in response to S6b. TSMCs pretreated with phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA, 1 (M) for 30 min attenuated Ca²⁺ mobilization induced by S6b, w ich was reversed by stauros orine, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. The change of Ca2P] + induced by S6b was attenuated by cholera toxin pretreatmenk, but not by pertussis toxin. These data demonstrate that the initial detectable increase in Ca2+Ii stimulated by S6b is due to the activation of ETA receptors and subsequent release of Ca²⁺ internal stores, whereas the contribution of external Ca²⁺ follows and partially involves a diltiazem- and verapamil-sensitive process. The inhibition of PMA on S6b-induced Ca²⁺ mobilization was inversely correlated with membraneous PKC activity.