TRPV4 calcium entry channel: a paradigm for gating diversity

The vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1, now TRPV1) was the founding member of a subgroup of cation channels within the TRP family. The TRPV subgroup contains six mammalian members, which all function as Ca2+ entry channels gated by a variety of physical and chemical stimuli. TRPV4, which displays 45% sequence identity with TRPV1, is characterized by a surprising gating promiscuity: it is activated by hypotonic cell swelling, heat, synthetic 4α-phorbols, and several endogenous substances including arachidonic acid (AA), the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-AG, and cytochrome P-450 metabolites of AA, such as epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. This review summarizes data on TRPV4 as a paradigm of gating diversity in this subfamily of Ca2+ entry channels.

Regulation of volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying anion channels in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells by PKC

We tested the possible role of endogenous protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of native volume-sensitive organic osmolyte and anion channels (VSOACs) in acutely dispersed canine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC). Hypotonic cell swelling activated native volume-regulated Cl− currents ( I Cl.vol) which could be reversed by exposure to phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (0.1 μM) or by hypertonic cell shrinkage. Under isotonic conditions, calphostin C (0.1 μM) or Ro-31–8425 (0.1 μM), inhibitors of both conventional and novel PKC isozymes, significantly activated I Cl.vol and prevented further modulation by subsequent hypotonic cell swelling. Bisindolylmaleimide (0.1 μM), a selective conventional PKC inhibitor, was without effect. Dialyzing acutely dispersed and cultured PASMC with εV1–2 (10 μM), a translocation inhibitory peptide derived from the V1 region of εPKC, activated I Cl.vol under isotonic conditions and prevented further modulation by cell volume changes. Dialyzing PASMC with βC2–2 (10 μM), a translocation inhibitory peptide derived from the C2 region of βPKC, had no detectable effect. Immunohistochemistry in cultured canine PASMC verified that hypotonic cell swelling is accompanied by translocation of εPKC from the vicinity of the membrane to cytoplasmic and perinuclear locations. These data suggest that membrane-bound εPKC controls the activation state of native VSOACs in canine PASMC under isotonic and anisotonic conditions.

Functional interaction of the K-Cl cotransporter (KCC1) with the Na-K-Cl cotransporter in HEK-293 cells

We have studied the regulation of the K-Cl cotransporter KCC1 and its functional interaction with the Na-K-Cl cotransporter. K-Cl cotransporter activity was substantially activated in HEK-293 cells overexpressing KCC1 (KCC1-HEK) by hypotonic cell swelling, 50 mM external K, and pretreatment with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Bumetanide inhibited 86Rb efflux in KCC1-HEK cells after cell swelling [inhibition constant ( K i) ∼190 μM] and pretreatment with NEM ( K i ∼60 μM). Thus regulation of KCC1 is consistent with properties of the red cell K-Cl cotransporter. To investigate functional interactions between K-Cl and Na-K-Cl cotransporters, we studied the relationship between Na-K-Cl cotransporter activation and intracellular Cl concentration ([Cl]i). Without stimulation, KCC1-HEK cells had greater Na-K-Cl cotransporter activity than controls. Endogenous Na-K-Cl cotransporter of KCC1-HEK cells was activated <2-fold by low-Cl hypotonic prestimulation, compared with 10-fold activation in HEK-293 cells and >20-fold activation in cells overexpressing the Na-K-Cl cotransporter (NKCC1-HEK). KCC1-HEK cells had lower resting [Cl]i than HEK-293 cells; cell volume was not different among cell lines. We found a steep relationship between [Cl]i and Na-K-Cl cotransport activity within the physiological range, supporting a primary role for [Cl]iin activation of Na-K-Cl cotransport and in apical-basolateral cross talk in ion-transporting epithelia.

Preferential potentiation by hypotonic cell swelling of muscarinic cation current in guinea pig ileum

The effects of hypotonic cell swelling (HCS) on muscarinic receptor-activated cationic current in guinea pig ileal smooth muscle were investigated by the whole cell patch-clamp technique. With nystatin-perforated recording, reduced external tonicity from 312 to 262 mosM caused cell swelling but hardly affected the membrane currents activated by depolarization, such as outward-rectifying K and voltage-dependent Ca currents. In contrast, the inward current evoked by carbachol at -60 mV was greatly increased (approximately 50%) by the same extent of hypotonicity. This effect is likely to occur through potentiation of nonselective cation channels coupled to the muscarinic receptor (mNSCCs) and probably does not involve elevated intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), since neither removal of external Ca2+ nor [Ca2+]i buffering with 10 mM 1,2-bis-(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid significantly affected the results. Furthermore, the time course and degree of this potentiation closely matched those of video-microscopically monitored HCS. These results support the view that mechanosensitive modulation may be a powerful mechanism to regulate mNSCCs activity in gut smooth muscle, together with membrane potential and [Ca2+]i.