title: Dual effects of hexanol and halothane on the regulation of calcium sensitivity in airway smooth muscle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contraction of airway smooth muscle is regulated by receptor-coupled mechanisms that control the force developed for a given cytosolic calcium concentration (i.e., calcium sensitivity). Halothane antagonizes acetylcholine-induced increases in calcium sensitivity by inhibiting GTP-binding (G)-protein pathways. The authors tested the hypothesis that hexanol, like halothane, inhibits agonist-induced increases in calcium sensitivity in airway smooth muscle by inhibiting G-protein pathways.
  
  
  METHODS
  Calcium sensitivity was assessed using alpha-toxin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle. In selected experiments, regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation was also determined by Western blotting in the presence and absence of 10 mm hexanol and/or 100 microm acetylcholine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hexanol (10 mm) and halothane (0.76 mm) attenuated acetylcholine-induced calcium sensitization by decreasing regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation during receptor stimulation. Hexanol also inhibited increases in calcium sensitivity due to direct stimulation of heterotrimeric G-proteins with tetrafluoroaluminate but not with 3 microm GTPgammaS, consistent with prior results obtained with halothane. In contrast, in the absence of receptor stimulation, both compounds produced a small increase in calcium sensitivity by a G-protein-mediated increase in regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation that was not affected by pertussis toxin treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors noted dual effects of hexanol and halothane. In the presence of muscarinic receptor stimulation, hexanol, like halothane, decreases calcium sensitivity by interfering with heterotrimeric G-protein function. However, in the absence of muscarinic receptor stimulation, hexanol and halothane slightly increase calcium sensitivity by a G-protein-mediated process not sensitive to pertussis toxin. Hexanol may represent a useful experimental tool to study the effect of anesthetics on heterotrimeric G-protein function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Hayashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Warner
mesh_terms: D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / Q000494:pharmacology; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000441:Hexanols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D018994:Myosin Light Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000187:drug effects; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000441:Hexanols; D018994:Myosin Light Chains; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; C050992:tetrafluoroaluminate; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate); D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D005459:Fluorides; D002118:Calcium; D006221:Halothane