title: Convergent and parallel activation of low-conductance potassium channels by calcium and cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
abstract: K+ channels, which have been linked to regulation of electrogenic solute transport as well as Ca2+ influx, represent a locus in hepatocytes for the concerted actions of hormones that employ Ca2+ and cAMP as intracellular messengers. Despite considerable study, the single-channel basis for synergistic effects of Ca2+ and cAMP on hepatocellular K+ conductance is not well understood. To address this question, patch-clamp recording techniques were applied to a model liver cell line, HTC hepatoma cells. Increasing the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in HTC cells, either by activation of purinergic receptors with ATP or by inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ sequestration with thapsigargin, activated low-conductance (9-pS) K+ channels. Studies with excised membrane patches suggested that these channels were directly activated by Ca2+. Exposure of HTC cells to a permeant cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP, also activated 9-pS K+ channels but did not change [Ca2+]i. In excised membrane patches, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (the downstream effector of cAMP) activated K+ channels with conductance and selectivity identical to those of channels activated by Ca2+. In addition, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activated a distinct K+ channel type (5 pS). These data represent the differential regulation of low-conductance K+ channels by signaling pathways mediated by Ca2+ and cAMP. Moreover, since low-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels have been identified in a variety of cell types, these findings suggest that differential regulation of K+ channels by hormones with distinct signaling pathways may provide a mechanism for hormonal control of solute transport and Ca(2+)-dependent cellular functions in the liver as well as other nonexcitable tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lidofsky
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D019284:Thapsigargin; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D013729:Terpenes; D013873:Thionucleotides; C015929:8-((4-chlorophenyl)thio)cyclic-3',5'-AMP; D019284:Thapsigargin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D002118:Calcium