title: Evidence that a Ca2+ sparks/STOCs coupling mechanism is responsible for the inhibitory effect of caffeine on electro-mechanical coupling in guinea pig ureteric smooth muscle.
abstract: Recent studies have highlighted the role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in controlling excitability, Ca2+ signalling and contractility in smooth muscle. Caffeine, an agonist of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) on the SR has been previously shown to effect Ca2+ signalling but its effects on excitability and contractility are not so clear. We have studied the effects of low concentration of caffeine (1 mM) on Ca2+ signalling, action potential and contractility of guinea pig ureteric smooth muscle. Caffeine produced reversible inhibition of the action potentials, Ca2+ transients and phasic contractions evoked by electrical stimulation. It had no effect on the inward Ca2+ current or Ca2+ transient but increased the amplitude and the frequency of spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) in voltage clamped ureteric myocytes, suggesting Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BK) are affected by it. In isolated cells and cells in situ caffeine produced an increase in the frequency and the amplitude of Ca2+ sparks as well the number of spark discharging sites per cell. Inhibition of Ca2+ sparks by ryanodine (50 microM) or SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) cyclopiazonic acid (CPA, 20 microM) or BKCa channels by iberiotoxin (200 nM) or TEA (1 mM), fully reversed the inhibitory effect of caffeine on Ca2+ transients and force evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS). These data suggest that the inhibitory effect of caffeine on the action potential, Ca2+ transients and force in ureteric smooth muscle is caused by activation of Ca2+ sparks/STOCs coupling mechanism.
authors.affiliation: The Physiological Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borisova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shmygol
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wray
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burdyga
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000378:metabolism; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D014513:Ureter / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D007211:Indoles; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D012433:Ryanodine; D002110:Caffeine; C000543:cyclopiazonic acid