title: Role of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in acetylcholine-induced dilatation of the basilar artery in vivo.
abstract: 1. We tested the hypothesis that activation of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels is involved in dilator responses of the basilar artery to acetylcholine in vivo. Using a cranial window in anaesthetized rats, we examined responses of the basilar artery to acetylcholine. 2. Topical application of acetylcholine (10(-6) and 10(-5) M) increased diameter of the basilar artery from 238 +/- 7 microns to 268 +/- 7 and 288 +/- 7 microns, respectively (P < 0.05 vs. baseline diameter). Iberiotoxin (10(-8) M), an inhibitor of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels, did not affect baseline diameter of the basilar artery. In the presence of 10(-8) M iberiotoxin, 10(-6) and 10(-5) M acetylcholine increased diameter of the basilar artery from 239 +/- 7 microns to 246 +/- 7 and 261 +/- 7 microns, respectively. Thus, iberiotoxin attenuated acetylcholine-induced dilatation of the basilar artery (P < 0.05). 3. Sodium nitroprusside (10(-7) and 10(-6) M) increased diameter of the basilar artery from 242 +/- 9 microns to 310 +/- 12 and 374 +/- 13 microns, respectively (P < 0.05 vs. baseline diameter). In the presence of iberiotoxin (10(-8) M), sodium nitroprusside (10(-7) and 10(-6) M) increased diameter of the basilar artery from 243 +/- 6 microns to 259 +/- 9 and 311 +/- 12 microns, respectively. Thus, iberiotoxin attenuated dilator responses of the basilar artery to sodium nitroprusside (P < 0.05). 4. Iberiotoxin partly inhibited dilator responses of the basilar artery to forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase, but did not affect vasodilatation produced by levcromakalim, a potassium channel opener. 5. These results suggest that dilator responses of the basilar artery to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside are mediated, in part, by activation of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels. Because both acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside have been shown to activate guanylate cyclase via nitric oxide, activation of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels may be one of the major mechanisms by which cyclic GMP causes dilatation of the basilar artery in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitazono
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujishima
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D015221:Potassium Channels; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D005576:Colforsin; C064719:iberiotoxin; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium