title: Phorbol esters induce oscillatory contractions of intestinal smooth muscles.
abstract: The actions of tumor-promoting phorbol esters in smooth muscle excitation-contraction coupling were studied in isolated guinea pig ileum in the presence of various contractile agents. Muscarinic agonists, histamine and bradykinin elicited an initial transient phasic contraction and a subsequent sustained tonic contraction in guinea pig ileum. The Ca2+ channel antagonist nifedipine selectively inhibited the tonic contraction. Phorbol esters, protein kinase C activators, induced immediate muscle relaxation followed by oscillatory contractions when added during the tonic phase of contraction. Phorbol esters, when added in advance, slightly altered the ligand-induced phasic contraction but converted tonic contractions into oscillatory spikes. The amplitude, frequency and shape of the oscillation induced by phorbol esters were dependent upon the dose of phorbol ester: amplitude was increased and frequency was decreased by increasing the doses of phorbol ester. In contrast, the phorbol ester potentiated the tonic contraction induced by high potassium chloride with little effect on the phasic component. It also sensitized the muscles to Bay K 8644. Bay K 8644, which was ineffective in stimulating muscle contraction at 1 nM, became a very effective stimulator in the presence of the phorbol ester. All of these phorbol ester-induced potentiations and oscillations were sensitive to inhibition by staurosporine or nifedipine. These data suggest that in guinea pig ileum, protein kinase C plays a positive regulatory role in Ca2+ channel activation and promotes a complex regulatory effect on Ca(2+)-mobilizing ligand-stimulated Ca2+ channel activity, which results in oscillatory contractile responses to carbachol, methacholine, histamine and bradykinin.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, Burroughs Wellcome Co., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010277:Parasympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010703:Phorbol Esters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010277:Parasympathomimetics; D010703:Phorbol Esters; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D001285:Atropine; D006632:Histamine; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D001920:Bradykinin; D002118:Calcium