title: Intracellular mechanisms for alpha 1-adrenergic regulation of the transient outward current in rabbit atrial myocytes.
abstract: 1. The intracellular mechanism(s) underlying the decrease of a transient outward K+ current (It) induced by alpha 1-adrenergic agonists was studied in isolated adult rabbit atrial myocytes using whole-cell voltage clamp and cell-attached patch clamp techniques. Experiments were carried out at 22-23 degrees C. 2. Application of the specific alpha 1-adrenergic agonist, methoxamine, produced a decrease in It which was irreversible after the non-hydrolysable GTP analogues, GTP gamma S and Gpp(NH)p, had been introduced into cells via the recording micropipette. 3. Pre-treatment of cells with 0.1-0.15 microgram/ml pertussis toxin (PT) for 8-9 h at 30-34 degrees C did not prevent the alpha 1-induced decrease in It. Yet, this protocol, as measured by the PT-catalysed incorporation of [32P]ADP-ribose in membrane-associated 40 and 41 kDa proteins, effectively caused the ADP-ribosylation of approximately 70% of the PT-sensitive GTP-binding proteins (i.e. Gi) in these treated cells. After taking into account the proportion of non-viable cells (20-30%), the effectiveness of this treatment probably approaches 100% in the viable myocytes from which electrophysiological recordings were made. 4. Cell-attached patch recordings showed that bath application of methoxamine altered the single-channel events underlying It by decreasing their opening probability. Averaged currents from ensemble single-channel openings recorded in the presence of 0.2 mM-methoxamine outside the patch reproduced the features of alpha 1-adrenergic modulation of the macroscopic It observed during whole-cell voltage clamp measurements. This observation provides evidence for the involvement of a diffusible intracellular second messenger in the alpha 1-adrenergic modulation of It. 5. The protein kinase C (PKC) activators, 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) increased It, when included in the bath perfusate, whereas the inactive analogues, 4 alpha-phorbol and 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, had no effect on It. 6. Exposure of cells to the PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and H-7, either by bath superfusion or intracellularly, via the recording micropipette, did not block the decrease in It produced by methoxamine. 7. Prolonged stimulation of atrial myocytes for 7-9 h at 22 degrees C with 500 nM-PMA produced a 'down-regulation' of endogenous PKC activity, as well as a physical loss of the immunoreactive enzyme, as measured by an in vitro assay, and an anti-PKC monoclonal antibody, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fedida
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Giles
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007295:Inositol Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D008729:Methoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides; D007295:Inositol Phosphates; D015221:Potassium Channels; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D008729:Methoxamine; D011188:Potassium