title: Tonic potentiation and attenuation produced by membrane depolarization in guinea-pig trachealis.
abstract: 1. We studied how membrane depolarization directly affected intracellular Ca2+ signalling when voltage-operated Ca2+ channels (VOCC) were not available in guinea-pig tracheal smooth muscle. To block VOCC, we used 3 micromol/L verapamil, which completely abolished high K+ (20-60 mmol/L)-induced contraction, and elevation of fura-2 signal. 2. Muscle tone was generated by adding Ca2+ to the extracellular Ca2+-free solution containing prostaglandin (PG)E2 (100 nmol/L) after abolishing basal tone with indomethacin (1 micromol/L). 3. In the absence of verapamil, high K+ (20-60 mmol/L) solution potentiated 2.4 mmol/l Ca2+-induced sustained contractions. Even in the presence of 3 micromol/L verapamil, replacement with 20 and 40 mmol/L K+ solution induced tonic potentiation, which was changed to attenuation with a higher K+ solution (60 mmol/L), lower extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) and pretreatment with cyclopiazonic acid (10 micromol/L), a Ca2+ sequestration inhibitor. 4. These results indicate that the balance between depolarization-dependent Ca2+ release and receptor-operated cation channel inhibition may determine whether tonic potentiation or attenuation is manifested, depending on the availability of VOCC, the magnitude of the depolarization, [Ca2+]o and Ca2+ content in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D014700:Verapamil; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium