title: A mechanosensitive cation channel in endothelial cells and its role in vasoregulation.
abstract: Ca2+ is an important intracellular second messenger in signal transduction of endothelial cells. It has long been recognized that a mechanosensitive Ca2+-permeable channel is present in vascular endothelial cells. The activity of this channel may increase intracellular Ca2+ level in endothelial cells. A recent finding is that the activity of this channel may be regulated by cGMP through a protein kinase G-dependent pathway. Inhibition of the channel by cGMP abolishes the Ca2+ influx elicited by flow. Several inhibitors of the cation channel including Gd3+, Ni2+, and SK&F-96365 also inhibit the Ca2+ influx due to flow stimulation. These data suggest that a mechanosensitive cation channel is the primary pathway mediating the flow-induced Ca2+ entry in vascular endothelial cells. Another important finding is that the opening of this mechanosensitive channel by KT5823 leads to endothelium-dependent vascular dilation. Therefore, it appears that this channel may play a crucial role in the regulation of vascular tone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. yao2068@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dora
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Garland
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels