title: Cerebral artery K(ATP)- and K(Ca)-channel activity and contractility: changes with development.
abstract: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that in cerebral arteries of the fetus, ATP-sensitive (K(ATP)) and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (K(Ca)) play an important role in the regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and that this differs significantly from that of the adult. In main branch middle cerebral arteries (MCA) from near-term fetal ( approximately 140 days) and nonpregnant adult sheep, simultaneously we measured norepinephrine (NE)-induced responses of vascular tension and [Ca(2+)](i) in the absence and presence of selective K(+)-channel openers/blockers. In fetal MCA, in a dose-dependent manner, both the K(ATP)-channel opener pinacidil and the K(Ca)-channel opener NS 1619 significantly inhibited NE-induced tension [negative logarithm of the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (pIC(50)) = 5.0 +/- 0.1 and 8.2 +/- 0.1, respectively], with a modest decrease of [Ca(2+)](i). In the adult MCA, in contrast, both pinacidil and NS 1619 produced a significant tension decrease (pIC(50) = 5.1 +/- 0.1 and 7.6 +/- 0.1, respectively) with no change in [Ca(2+)](i). In addition, the K(Ca)-channel blocker iberiotoxin (10(-7) to 10(-6) M) resulted in increased tension and [Ca(2+)](i) in both adult and fetal MCA, although the K(ATP)-channel blocker glibenclamide (10(-7) to 3 x 10(-5) M) failed to do so. Of interest, administration of 10(-7) M iberiotoxin totally eliminated vascular contraction and increase in [Ca(2+)](i) seen in response to 10(-5) M ryanodine. In precontracted fetal cerebral arteries, activation of the K(ATP) and K(Ca) channels significantly decreased both tension and [Ca(2+)](i), suggesting that both K(+) channels play an important role in regulating L-type channel Ca(2+) flux and therefore vascular tone in these vessels. In the adult, K(ATP) and the K(Ca) channels also appear to play an important role in this regard; however, in the adult vessel, activation of these channels with resultant vasorelaxation can occur with no significant change in [Ca(2+)](i). These channels show differing responses to inhibition, e.g., K(Ca)-channel inhibition, resulting in increased tension and [Ca(2+)](i), whereas K(ATP)-channel inhibition showed no such effect. In addition, the K(Ca) channel appears to be coupled to the sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor. Thus differences in plasma membrane K(+)-channel activity may account, in part, for the differences in the regulation of contractility of fetal and adult cerebral arteries.
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Departments of Physiology/Pharmacology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California 92350, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Longo
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D020110:Pinacidil / Q000494:pharmacology; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000819:agonists / Q000502:physiology*; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D010455:Peptides; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; C086491:NS 1619; C064719:iberiotoxin; D020110:Pinacidil; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine