title: Regulation of Shaker-type potassium channels by hypoxia. Oxygen-sensitive K+ channels in PC12 cells.
abstract: Little is known about the molecular composition of the O2-sensitive K+ (Ko2) channels. The possibility that these channels belong to the Shaker subfamily (Kv1) of voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channels has been raised in pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cells. Numerous findings suggest that the Ko2 channel in PC12 cells is a Kv1 channel, formed by the Kv1.2 alpha subunit. The Ko2 channel in PC12 cells is a slow-inactivating voltage-dependent K+ channel of 20 pS conductance. Other Kv channels, also expressed in PC12 cells, are not inhibited by hypoxia. Selective up-regulation by chronic hypoxia of the Kv1.2 alpha subunit expression correlates with an increase O2-sensitivity of the K+ current. Other Kv1 alpha subunit genes encoding slow-inactivating Kv channels, such as Kv1.3, Kv2.1, Kv3.1 and Kv3.2 are not modulated by chronic hypoxia. The Ko2 current in PC12 cells is blocked by 5 mM externally applied tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) and by charydbotoxin (CTX). The responses of the Kv1.2 K+ channel to hypoxia have been studied in the Xenopus oocytes and compared to those of Kv2.1, also proposed as Ko2 channel in PA smooth muscle cells. Two-electrode voltage clamp experiments show that hypoxia induces inhibition of K+ current amplitude only in oocytes injected with Kv1.2 cRNA. These data indicate that Kv1.2 K+ channels are inhibited by hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, OH 45267-0576, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Millhorn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D018999:Charybdotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D051663:Kv1.2 Potassium Channel; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051669:Shab Potassium Channels; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; C496972:Kcna2 protein, rat; C496991:Kcnb1 protein, rat; D051663:Kv1.2 Potassium Channel; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051669:Shab Potassium Channels; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D018999:Charybdotoxin; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D010100:Oxygen