title: Mechanisms of the palmitoylcarnitine-induced response in vascular endothelial cells.
abstract: The mechanisms of Ca2+ mobilization induced by palmitoylcarnitine (Palcar) in rabbit aortic endothelial cells (ETCs) were examined using electrophysiological techniques. The results obtained were compared with those induced by acetylcholine (ACh). When a rabbit aortic muscle preparation with an intact endothelium was treated with 10 microM Palcar, the ACh-induced relaxation was markedly attenuated, whereas endothelium-independent relaxation caused by sodium nitroprusside was not affected. Under perforated-patch whole-cell-clamp conditions, the application of Palcar over the concentration range 0.3 and 10 microM elicited a slowly activating outward current (IPalcar-out), whereas ACh induced a rapidly activating outward current (IACh). A potassium channel blocker, 4-aminopyridine, significantly inhibited both IPalcar-out and IACh. Removal of external Ca2+ almost abolished IPalcar-out. Under the same conditions, however, IACh remained transient. Addition of cation channel blockers SK&F96365 and La3+ inhibited IPalcar-out more effectively than IACh. Application of staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, affected neither IACh nor IPalcar-out. In contrast, treatment of ETCs with pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced IACh and almost abolished IPalcar-out. These findings demonstrate that, in ETCs, Palcar induces Ca2+ influx via the activation of PTX-sensitive GTP-binding protein, leading to the activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ current and hyperpolarization of the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muraki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010172:Palmitoylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D010172:Palmitoylcarnitine; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D019311:Staurosporine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium