title: Regulation of calcium channels in smooth muscle: new insights into the role of myosin light chain kinase.
abstract: Smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) plays a crucial role in artery contraction, which regulates blood pressure and blood flow distribution. In addition to this role, MLCK contributes to Ca(2+) flux regulation in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and in non-muscle cells, where cytoskeleton has been suggested to help Ca(2+) channels trafficking. This conclusion is based on the use of pharmacological inhibitors of MLCK and molecular and cellular techniques developed to down-regulate the enzyme. Dissimilarities have been observed between cells and whole tissues, as well as between large conductance and small resistance arteries. A differential expression in MLCK and ion channels (either voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels or non-selective cationic channels) could account for these observations, and is in line with the functional properties of the arteries. A potential involvement of MLCK in the pathways modulating Ca(2+) entry in VSM is described in the present review.
authors.affiliation: a Cell physiology; IoNS; UCLouvain ; Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dessy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase
keywords: CaM, calmodulin; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; MLCK, myosin light chain kinase; Myosin light chain kinase; ROC, receptor-operated Ca2+ (channel); SMC, smooth muscle cell; SOC, store-operated Ca2+ (channel); SR, sarcoplasmic reticulum; TRP; TRP, transient receptor potential (channel); VOC, voltage-operated Ca2+ (channel); VSM, vascular smooth muscle; VSMC, vascular smooth muscle cell; [Ca2+]cyt, cytosolic Ca2+ concentration; siRNA, small interfering RNA; vascular smooth muscle; voltage-dependent calcium channels