title: Effects of K+ channel agonists cromakalim and pinacidil on rat basilar artery smooth muscle cells are mediated by Ca(++)-activated K+ channels.
abstract: Whole-cell and cell-free inside-out patch-clamp recording techniques were used to examine the actions of potassium channel openers pinacidil and cromakalim in enzymatically isolated smooth muscle cells of rat basilar artery. Delayed rectifier and calcium-dependent potassium currents were identified from the whole-cell recordings. Only the calcium-dependent potassium current was increased by cromakalim and pinacidil. Recordings from inside-out membrane patches revealed a large conductance voltage- and calcium-dependent potassium channel, which was blocked by charybdotoxin but unaffected by ATP less than 10 mM. Cromakalim and pinacidil increased the open probability of this channel. On the basis of these results, we suggest that such drugs, acting on cerebral arterial smooth muscle cell potassium channels, may be of some benefit in the treatment of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stockbridge
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019806:Cromakalim; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020110:Pinacidil; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D006146:Guanidines; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011758:Pyrroles; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D019806:Cromakalim; D020110:Pinacidil; D002118:Calcium