title: A smooth muscle Cav1.2 calcium channel splice variant underlies hyperpolarized window current and enhanced state-dependent inhibition by nifedipine.
abstract: Native smooth muscle L-type Ca(v)1.2 calcium channels have been shown to support a fraction of Ca(2+) currents with a window current that is close to resting potential. The smooth muscle L-type Ca(2+) channels are also more susceptible to inhibition by dihydropyridines (DHPs) than the cardiac channels. It was hypothesized that smooth muscle Ca(v)1.2 channels exhibiting hyperpolarized shift in steady-state inactivation would contribute to larger inhibition by DHP, in addition to structural differences of the channels generated by alternative splicing that modulate DHP sensitivities. In addition, it has also been shown that alternative splicing modulates DHP sensitivities by generating structural differences in the Ca(v)1.2 channels. Here, we report a smooth muscle L-type Ca(v)1.2 calcium channel splice variant, Ca(v)1.2SM (1/8/9(*)/32/Delta33), that when expressed in HEK 293 cells display hyperpolarized shifts for steady-state inactivation and activation potentials when compared with the established Ca(v)1.2b clone (1/8/9(*)/32/33). This variant activates from more negative potentials and generates a window current closer to resting membrane potential. We also identified the predominant cardiac isoform Ca(v)1.2CM clone (1a/8a/Delta9(*)/32/33) that is different from the established Ca(v)1.2a (1a/8a/Delta9(*)/31/33). Importantly, Ca(v)1.2SM channels were shown to be more sensitive to nifedipine blockade than Ca(v)1.2b and cardiac Ca(v)1.2CM channels when currents were recorded in either 5 mM Ba(2+) or 1.8 mM Ca(2+) external solutions. This is the first time that a smooth muscle Ca(v)1.2 splice variant has been identified functionally to possess biophysical property that can be linked to enhanced state-dependent block by DHP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Dejie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tan Fong
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Jia Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.forename: Yeow Leng
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Tuck Wah
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Soong
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D004095:Dihydropyridines; C419385:L-type calcium channel alpha(1C); D020033:Protein Isoforms; D009543:Nifedipine