title: Activation of large-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channels by cannabinoids.
abstract: We have examined the effects of the cannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and its stable analog, methanandamide (methAEA), on large-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels using human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells, in which the alpha-subunit of the BK channel (BK-alpha), both alpha- and beta1-subunits (BK-alphabeta1), or both alpha- and beta4-subunits (BK-alphabeta4) were heterologously expressed. In a whole cell voltage-clamp configuration, each cannabinoid activated BK-alphabeta1 within a similar concentration range. Because methAEA could potentiate BK-alpha, BK-alphabeta1, and BK-alphabeta4 with similar efficacy, the beta-subunits may not be involved at the site of action for cannabinoids. Under cell-attached patch-clamp conditions, application of methAEA to the bathing solution increased BK channel activity; however, methAEA did not alter channel activity in the excised inside-out patch mode even when ATP was present on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Application of methAEA to HEK-BK-alpha and HEK-BK-alphabeta1 did not change intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Moreover, methAEA-induced potentiation of BK channel currents was not affected by pretreatment with a CB1 antagonist (AM251), modulators of G proteins (cholera and pertussis toxins) or by application of a selective CB2 agonist (JWH133). Inhibitors of CaM, PKG, and MAPKs (W7, KT5823, and PD-98059) did not affect the potentiation. Application of methAEA to mouse aortic myocytes significantly increased BK channel currents. This study provides the first direct evidence that unknown factors in the cytoplasm mediate the ability of endogenous cannabinoids to activate BK channel currents. Cannabinoids may be hyperpolarizing factors in cells, such as arterial myocytes, in which BK channels are highly expressed.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City Univ., 3-1 Tanabedori, Mizuhoku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sade
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muraki
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohya
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000166:cytology; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D016296:Mutagenesis; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D021122:Protein Subunits; C088155:methanandamide; C078814:anandamide