title: Regulation of the Ca2+ dependence of smooth muscle contraction.
abstract: Cellular mechanisms for the regulation of Ca(2+)-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation were investigated in bovine tracheal smooth muscle. Increases in the free intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), light chain phosphorylation, and force were proportional to carbachol concentration. KCaM, the concentration of Ca2+/calmodulin required for half-maximal activation of myosin light chain kinase, also increased proportionally, presumably due to Ca(2+)-dependent phosphorylation of the kinase. Isoproterenol treatment inhibited agonist-induced contraction by decreasing [Ca2+]i and thereby light chain phosphorylation. Depolarization by increasing concentrations of KCl also resulted in proportional increases in [Ca2+]i, KCaM, light chain phosphorylation, and force. However, the [Ca2+]i required to obtain a given value of either light chain phosphorylation or KCaM was greater in KCl-depolarized tissues compared to carbachol-treated tissues. In muscles contracted with KCl, isoproterenol treatment resulted in diminished light chain phosphorylation and force without alterations in [Ca2+]i or KCaM. Thus, isoproterenol inhibition of KCl-induced contraction results from a cellular mechanism different from that found in agonist-induced contraction. In neither case does isoproterenol produce relaxation by altering the calmodulin activation properties of myosin light chain kinase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stull
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kamm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D002417:Cattle; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D002217:Carbachol; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase; D009218:Myosins; D007545:Isoproterenol; D002118:Calcium