Oxytocin actions on voltage-dependent ionic channels in pregnant rat uterine smooth muscle cells

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 1597-1603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihito Inoue ◽  
Keiichi Shimamura ◽  
Nicholas Sperelakis

The effects of oxytocin, a uterotonic polypeptide hormone, on the voltage-dependent slow calcium, fast sodium, and potassium channel currents were studied using whole-cell voltage clamp of freshly isolated cells from late pregnant (18–21 day) rat myometrium. The calcium current was rapidly inhibited by oxytocin (about 25% inhibition at 20 nM) in a dose-dependent manner, and this inhibitory effect was completely reversible by washout. However, inhibition was not observed when barium was used as the charge carrier. Sodium current and potassium current were not modified by oxytocin, thus sodium and potassium currents may not play important roles in oxytocin-induced augmentation of uterine contraction. It is concluded that oxytocin stimulates uterine contraction by mechanisms other than augmentation of the voltage-dependent calcium current, e.g., by release of Ca from sarcoplasmic reticulum (by inositol trisphosphate) or by activation of a receptor-operated Ca channel. The inhibition of the slow calcium current may be induced by the elevation of [Ca]i.Key words: oxytocin, ionic channels, uterine smooth muscle, whole-cell voltage clamp, pregnant rat myometrium.

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 759-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiichi Shimamura ◽  
Masumi Kusaka ◽  
Nicholas Sperelakis

The effects of oxytocin (OT) on holding current were studied in uterine smooth muscle cells freshly isolated from the longitudinal layer of 18–20 day pregnant rats, using the nystatin method of whole-cell voltage clamp. As we previously reported, the voltage-dependent Ca2+ current (L type) was partially inhibited by OT (about 30% inhibition at 1 μM). When the cells were held at the holding potential (HP) of −60 mV and the holding current was monitored, OT induced an inward current. The amplitude of this OT-induced current was 72 ± 26 pA (n = 27). When the cell was held at more positive potentials (HP 0 or +40 mV), the OT-induced current reversed direction, becoming outward. This current usually was long lasting (74% of cells responding to OT); a transient current was observed in 26% of the cells. In the absence of either Na+ or Ca2+ in the bath solution, OT induced an inward current (at HP −60 mV). However, the OT-induced current was absent when both of these ions were omitted from the bath. These results suggest that OT induces an inward current through receptor-activated nonselective cation channels. The resulting increase of intracellular Ca2+ may contribute to the inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ current produced by OT. This OT-induced current may also play an important role for membrane depolarization and accompanying contraction produced by OT in pregnant rat myometrium.Key words: oxytocin receptor activated channel, uterine smooth muscle, pregnant rat myometrium, holding current, whole-cell voltage clamp.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 1304-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiichi Shimamura ◽  
Masumi Kusaka ◽  
Nicholas Sperelakis

The factors that regulate the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in pregnant uterine smooth muscle cells have not been elucidated, including any roles for protein kinase C (PKC). Therefore, the role of PKC in the regulation of the slow (L type) Ca2+ channels was examined in myometrial cells isolated from late pregnant (18–19 day) rat uterus, using the nystatin-perforated whole-cell voltage clamp. A PKC activator, phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDB), increased the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa(L)). Bath application of PDB (0.03 and 0.3 μM) increased the peak amplitude of ICa(L) by 21 ± 14% (n = 6) and 37 ± 8% (n = 9, p < 0.01), respectively. PDB did not change the holding current or shift the current–voltage relationship for ICa(L). The PKC inhibitors, H-7 (20 μM) or staurosporine (10 nM), reversed the effect of PDB. These results indicate that PKC may play a role in regulating Ca2+ channel function in pregnant rat myometrial cells and, therefore, may be involved in control of uterine contraction.Key words: protein kinase C, phorbol ester, calcium current, myometrial cell, nystatin-perforated patch, whole-cell voltage clamp.


1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (2) ◽  
pp. C297-C305 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Honore ◽  
C. Martin ◽  
C. Mironneau ◽  
J. Mironneau

The whole cell voltage-clamp technique was used to study the effects of extracellular ATP in cultured smooth muscle cells isolated from pregnant rat myometrium. An inward current was elicited by ATP (IATP) in cells held at -70 mV under voltage clamp. The amplitude of IATP was reduced by estrogen pretreatment and by the end of pregnancy. IATP not only did not undergo any desensitization but showed facilitation. The current-voltage relationship of IATP was linear and reversed close to 0 mV. Changing the sodium electrochemical gradient by decreasing extracellular or intracellular sodium resulted in a linear relationship between the reversal potential of IATP and Na equilibrium potential that, however, differed from the predicted curve for a purely sodium conductance. The conductance activated by ATP was monovalent cation selective with little discrimination between potassium, cesium, and sodium ions. IATP was depressed by divalent cations, and the rank order of potency was Co greater than Mg greater than Ca greater than Ba, suggesting that the free-acid form of ATP was the effective ligand. Adenosine, AMP, and ADP were ineffective in eliciting IATP, whereas ATP gamma S and alpha,beta-methylene ATP were capable of mimicking the effects of ATP, although they were less potent. These results are consistent with the free-acid form of ATP activating a monovalent cation-selective and estrogen-sensitive conductance in myometrium.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (2) ◽  
pp. H410-H417 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wu ◽  
P. B. Corr

Long-chain acylcarnitines (LCAC) increase 3.5-fold within 2 min in ischemic myocardium in vivo, and previous studies have suggested, through indirect evidence, that LCAC can stimulate the voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ current [ICa(L)] in both cardiac and smooth muscle cells. In the present study, whole cell voltage-clamp procedures were performed in isolated adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes to assess the direct effect of LCAC on ICa(L). The intracellular solution contained (in mM) 80 CsCl, 40 K-aspartic acid, and 5 ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Maximal current density of ICa(L) at 0 mV was 10.1 +/- 0.5 pA/pF (n = 22) at extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) = 2.7 mM. LCAC induced a concentration (1-25 microM, n = 23)- and time-dependent, reversible decrease in ICa(L). When delivered extracellularly for 10 min, LCAC (5 microM) inhibited the maximal current of ICa(L) by 48.1 +/- 1.3% (n = 9, P less than 0.01) and shifted the half-maximal voltage of steady-state activation and inactivation from -13.1 +/- 0.5 to -6.8 +/- 0.4 mV (n = 4; P less than 0.05) and from -21.8 +/- 0.2 to -16.5 +/- 0.6 mV (n = 4; P less than 0.01), respectively. Intracellular delivery of LCAC (5 microM) also suppressed ICa(L) to a similar degree (47.5 +/- 1.5%, n = 4; P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (2) ◽  
pp. H544-H549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Hirakawa ◽  
T. Kuga ◽  
S. Kobayashi ◽  
H. Kanaide ◽  
A. Takeshita

The purpose of the present study was to investigate regulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels by serotonin in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in primary culture. L- and T-type Ca2+ currents (ICa) were recorded using the whole cell voltage-clamp method. Without pretreatment, in 25 of 30 cells examined, 10 microM serotonin decreased L-type ICa to various extents (-14 to -72%). However, in the remaining five cells, serotonin increased L-type ICa 21 +/- 4%. Thus, in 30 cells, serotonin decreased L-type ICa an average of 22 +/- 5%. In the presence of intracellular heparin (100 micrograms/ml), a blocker of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding to its receptor, serotonin increased L-type ICa in all cells 29 +/- 3% (n = 6). When stored Ca2+ was depleted by pretreatment either with 20 microM ryanodine and 20 mM caffeine or with 100 nM A-23187, serotonin also increased L-type ICa in all cells 30 +/- 5 (n = 4) or 37 +/- 5% (n = 12), respectively. In the presence of heparin, the serotonin-induced increase of L-type ICa was prevented by 100 nM staurosporine (2 +/- 3%; n = 6, P < 0.01). The serotonin-induced decrease of L-type ICa was significantly augmented by 100 nM staurosporine (-43 +/- 10%; n = 5). Phorbol 12,13-dibutylate (PDBu; 1 microM) increased L-type ICa 29 +/- 3% (n = 6), and serotonin did not further increase L-type ICa after its potentiation by PDBu.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (3) ◽  
pp. C658-C663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Inoue ◽  
N. Sperelakis

The change of Na+ and Ca2+ channel currents during gestation was investigated using the whole cell voltage-clamp method on single smooth muscle cells freshly isolated from the longitudinal layer of pregnant rat uterus. The current-voltage relationships for both the Na+ and Ca2+ currents did not change during gestation. The threshold voltage, the voltage at the peak inward current, and the reversal potential (extrapolated) were virtually identical. The averaged current densities of Ca2+ channel were almost unchanged between days 9 and 21; this value at day 5 was somewhat lower. In contrast, the averaged current density of fast Na+ channels increased markedly in the myometrium during gestation: from 0 at day 5 to 0.19 +/- 0.16 at day 9, to 0.56 +/- 0.13 at day 14, to 0.90 +/- 0.13 at day 18, and to 0.86 +/- 0.14 pA/pF at day 21. This almost linear increase in the averaged density of fast Na+ channels during gestation occurs because of an increase in the fraction of cells which possessed fast Na+ channels. These results suggest that the role of fast Na+ channels in myometrial activity becomes more and more important as term approaches. We suggest that the fast Na+ current may be involved in spread of excitation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 240 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihito Inoue ◽  
Keiichi Shimamura ◽  
Nicholas Sperelakis

1989 ◽  
Vol 256 (5) ◽  
pp. H1478-H1492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Hirano ◽  
H. A. Fozzard ◽  
C. T. January

Two types of Ca2+ currents were recorded in single dialyzed canine cardiac Purkinje cells using a whole cell voltage clamp technique. T-type current was easily separated from L-type current, because its voltage dependence of inactivation and activation was more negative and it decayed rapidly. L-type current was available at more depolarized holding potentials, activated at more positive voltages, and decayed slowly. In 2 mM extracellular Ca2+ concentration [( Ca]o), the average peak T- and L-type current density was 1.70 and 2.87 pA/pF, respectively. T-type current was relatively insensitive to modification by Ca2+, nifedipine, Cd2+, BAY K 8644, or isoproterenol. T-type current was more sensitive to block by Ni2+ and amiloride. Replacement of Ca2+ by Ba2+ or Sr2+ did not increase T-type current. Changes in the Ca2+ or Ba2+ concentration caused parallel shifts in the voltage dependence of several kinetic parameters for L- and T-type current. In 2 mM [Ca]o, the V1/2 (Boltzmann fit) for inactivation of T-type current was -68 mV with a slope of 3.9, and for L-type current the V1/2 was -31 mV with a slope of 5.5. Recovery from inactivation of L- and T-type current was voltage dependent, and for similar conditions L-type current recovered from inactivation more rapidly than T-type current. These findings show that T- and L-type currents are large in cardiac Purkinje cells, and they can easily be separated by their voltage, kinetic, and pharmacological differences. Both may have important physiological roles.


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