Upregulation of Na+ and Ca2+ transporters in arterial smooth muscle from ouabain-induced hypertensive rats
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
Authors: Pulina, Maria V.; Zulian, Alessandra; Berra-Romani, Roberto; Beskina, Olga; Mazzocco-Spezzia, Amparo; Baryshnikov, Sergey G.; Papparella, Italia; Hamlyn, John M.; Blaustein, Mordecai P.; Golovina, Vera A.
Abstract
Pulina MV, Zulian A, Berra-Romani R, Beskina O, Mazzocco-Spezzia A, Baryshnikov SG, Papparella I, Hamlyn JM, Blaustein MP, Golovina VA. Upregulation of Na+ and Ca2+ transporters in arterial smooth muscle from ouabain-induced hypertensive rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 298: H263-H274, 2010. First published November 6, 2009; doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00784.2009.-Prolonged ouabain administration (25 mu g.kg(-1).day(-1) for 5 wk) induces "ouabain hypertension" (OH) in rats, but the molecular mechanisms by which ouabain elevates blood pressure are unknown. Here, we compared Ca2+ signaling in mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) from normotensive (NT) and OH rats. Resting cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](cyt); measured with fura-2) and phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ transients were augmented in freshly dissociated OH ASMCs. Immunoblots revealed that the expression of the ouabain-sensitive alpha(2)-subunit of Na+ pumps, but not the predominant, ouabain-resistant alpha(1)-subunit, was increased (2.5-fold vs. NT ASMCs) as was Na+/Ca2+ exchanger-1 (NCX1; 6-fold vs. NT) in OH arteries. Ca2+ entry, activated by sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store depletion with cyclopiazonic acid (SR Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor) or caffeine, was augmented in OH ASMCs. This reflected an augmented expression of 2.5-fold in OH ASMCs of C-type transient receptor potential TRPC1, an essential component of store-operated channels (SOCs); two other components of some SOCs were not expressed (TRPC4) or were not upregulated (TRPC5). Ba2+ entry activated by the diacylglycerol analog 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol [a measure of receptor-operated channel (ROC) activity] was much greater in OH than NT ASMCs. This correlated with a sixfold upregulation of TRPC6 protein, a ROC family member. Importantly, in primary cultured mesenteric ASMCs from normal rats, 72-h treatment with 100 nM ouabain significantly augmented NCX1 and TRPC6 protein expression and increased resting [Ca2+](cyt) and ROC activity. SOC activity was also increased. Silencer RNA knockdown of NCX1 markedly downregulated TRPC6 and eliminated the ouabain-induced augmentation; silencer RNA knockdown of TRPC6 did not affect NCX1 expression but greatly attenuated its upregulation by ouabain. Clearly, NCX1 and TRPC6 expression are interrelated. Thus, prolonged ouabain treatment up-regulates the Na+ pump alpha(2)-subunit-NCX1-TRPC6 (ROC) Ca2+ signaling pathway in arterial myocytes in vitro as well as in vivo. This may explain the augmented myogenic responses and enhanced phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction in OH arteries (83) as well as the high blood pressure in OH rats.
Subunit composition of mammalian transient receptor potential channels in living cells
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Authors: Hofmann, T; Schaefer, M; Schultz, G; Gudermann, T
Abstract
Hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors give rise to calcium entry via receptor-activated cation channels that are activated downstream of phospholipase C activity. Members of the transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) family have been characterized as molecular substrates mediating receptor-activated cation influx. TRPC channels are assumed to be composed of multiple TRPC proteins. However, the cellular principles governing the assembly of TRPC proteins into homo- or heteromeric ion channels still remain elusive. By pursuing four independent experimental approaches-i.e., subcellular cotrafficking of TRPC subunits, differential functional suppression by dominant-negative subunits, fluorescence resonance energy transfer between labeled TRPC subunits, and coimmunoprecipitation-we investigate the combinatorial rules of TRPC assembly. Our data show that (i) TRPC2 does not interact with any known TRPC protein and (ii) TRPC1 has the ability to form channel complexes together with TRPC4 and TRPC5. (iii) All other TRPCs exclusively assemble into homo- or heterotetramers within the confines of TRPC subfamilies-e.g., TRPC4/5 or TRPC3/6/7. The principles of TRPC channel formation offer the conceptual framework to assess the physiological role of distinct TRPC proteins in living cells.