Changes in morphology and inward rectifier currents in human atrial myocytes depend on culture conditions

Human atrial myocytes were cultured under systematically varied conditions in order to obtain stable cells for future gene manipulation. Transient (I_to) and sustained outward current (I_so), and voltage- and muscarinic receptor-activated inward rectifier K⁺ currents (I_K1, I_K,ACh) were measured in freshly isolated cells and after 5 days in culture. Myocytes were grown on polylysin or laminin in medium with or without 10 % serum (medium+S, medium-S). Cultured myocytes dedifferentiated to a greater extent in medium+S than medium-S, but independent of the chemical nature of the adherence surface. Apparent surface area increased in medium+S, whereas membrane capacitance declined under all culture conditions. I_to of myocytes cultured in medium-S was increased. Myocytes grown on polylysin and laminin exhibited reduced I_K1 current density. Under all culture conditions, I_K,ACh was attenuated with carbachol but hardly affected with sphingosine-1-phosphate as agonists. In conclusion, morphological and electrophysiological changes depended on serum in the culture medium rather than on adherence surface being coated with laminin or polylysin. Received: 4 October 2001, Returned for revision: 25 October 2001, Revision received: 4 July 2002, Accepted: 25 July 2002 H. M. H. and M. P. contributed equally to this work. Correspondence to: U. Ravens     

Barium block of Kir2 and human cardiac inward rectifier currents: evidence for subunit-heteromeric contribution to native currents

BACKGROUND: Kir2 subunits are believed to underlie the cardiac inwardly rectifying current I(K1). The subunit composition of native I(K1) currents is uncertain, and it has been suggested that heteromultimer formation may play a role. METHODS: We studied Ba(2+) block of homo- and heteromeric Kir2 channels in Xenopus oocytes and compared the properties observed to those of human cardiac I(K1) in cells isolated from myocardial biopsies of normal human hearts. RESULTS: Homomeric expression of Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 produced currents with similar Ba(2+) sensitivities (e.g. IC(50) at -120 mV: 16.2+/-3.4, n=11 and 18.5+/-2.1, n=10, respectively), but these were less sensitive to Ba(2+) than native I(K1) (4.7+/-0.5 microM, n=10, P=0.001, P<0.001, respectively) and had different Ba(2+) blocking kinetics from cardiac I(K1). Kir2.2 sensitivity was similar to cardiac I(K1) (e.g., 2.8+/-0.4 microM, Kir2.2, n=9, vs. 4.7+/-0.5 microM for I(K1)), but the blocking kinetics of Kir2.2 were faster than those of I(K1). Currents resulting from co-expression of Kir2 subunits had similar Ba(2+) sensitivities and blocking kinetics among groups and were similar to I(K1) in both Ba(2+) sensitivity (e.g., IC(50) at -120 mV: 4.5+/-1.0, 2.5+/-0.5, and 2.3+/-0.4 microM for co-injected Kir2.1/2.2, n=6, Kir2.1/2.3, n=5, and Kir2.2/2.3, n=4, respectively) and blocking kinetics. CONCLUSION: Co-injection of Kir2 subunits results in currents with Ba(2+) blocking properties different from homomeric Kir2 expression but similar to cardiac I(K1). These observations suggest that a substantial proportion of native I(K1) may result from heteromultimer formation among diverse Kir2 family subunits.     

咪达普利对家兔肥厚心肌内向整流钾电流跨室壁异质性的作用

目的探讨咪达普利（IMI）对家兔左室肥厚心肌（LVH）内向整流钾电流（IK1）的跨室壁不均一性的影响。方法用腹主动脉缩窄法制备家兔LVH模型,并口服IMI[0.625mg/（kg·d）]连续8周进行干预。取心脏分离左室游离壁3层心肌细胞,用全细胞膜片钳技术记录IK1。结果因LVH模型心肌细胞膜电容增加所致IK1密度明显减少,心外膜下心肌、中层心肌和心内膜下心肌分别从（5.9±0.7）pA/pF、（6.1±0.5）pA/pF和（4.9±0.3）pA/pF降低为（4.4±0.5）pA/pF、（4.5±0.4）pA/pF和（2.1±0.2）pA/pF,各层细胞间电流密度差异加大。IMI处理后,可逆转心肌的病变,IK1的密度明显高于IMI未干预的LVH组（P<0.05）,心外膜下心肌、中层心肌和心内膜下心肌分别为（5.4±0.8）pA/pF、（5.8±0.6）pA/pF和（4.3±0.5）pA/pF,使3层细胞间电流密度的差异减小。结论IMI可逆转LVH后心肌细胞IK1的改变,减少跨室壁差异,提示可能是其减少LVH后发生快速心律失常的机制之一。     

肺静脉肌袖心肌细胞内向整流性钾电流特性研究

心房颤动（房颤）是临床上最常见的一种快速性心律失常,严重影响患者的生活质量,因其机制复杂,至今仍缺乏理想的治疗方法.近年来一些学者发现,大多数阵发性房颤存在异位的局灶兴奋点,对该部位行射频消融可以有效地终止或减少房颤的发生.而90%以上的异常兴奋灶集中在肺静脉口及其附近,推测这些兴奋灶以某种机制触发房颤,可能与触发活动、自律性增高或微折返有关.     

夹竹桃麻素对兔心房肌IK1氧化损伤的保护作用

目的 探讨夹竹桃麻素(APO)对兔左心房肌细胞内向整流钾电流(I_K1)的保护作用。 方法 运用低浓度(50 μmol/L)的过氧化氢(H₂O₂)建立氧化应激模型。应用膜片钳全细胞技术,探讨APO(100 μmol/L)对兔左心房肌细胞I_K1及动作电位时程(APD)氧化应激损伤的保护作用。Western blot检测各组兔左心房中Kir2.1蛋白的表达。反转录聚合酶联反应(RT-PCR)检测兔左心房中的KCNJ2 mRNA表达。 结果 与对照组比较,低浓度H₂O₂(50 μmol/L)组I_K1峰值从(?182.2±15.6) pA/pF 下降到(?119.3±8.9)pA/pF (P<0.05),APO(100 μmol/L)组I_K1峰值为(?175.3±15.2)pA/pF无差异;与H₂O₂组比较,H₂O₂(50 μmol/L)+APO(100 μmol/L)组I_K1峰值恢复到(?160.5±13.5)pA/pF (P<0.05);APO使由于H₂O₂处理后减小的静息膜电位(RMP)绝对值及缩短的90%的APD(APD₉₀)得以恢复;与对照组相比,H₂O₂组Kir2.1蛋白表达下降(P<0.05);与H₂O₂组相比,H₂O₂+APO组Kir2.1蛋白表达明显恢复(P<0.05);与对照组相比,H₂O₂组KCNJ2 mRNA表达下降(P<0.05);与H₂O₂组相比APO+H₂O₂组KCNJ2 mRNA表达恢复(P<0.05) 结论 APO对兔左心房肌细胞I_K1具有保护作用。     

Cardiac strong inward rectifier potassium channels

Cardiac I_K1 and I_KACh are the major potassium currents displaying classical strong inward rectification, a unique property that is critical for their roles in cardiac excitability. In the last 15 years, research on I_K1 and I_KACh has been propelled by the cloning of the underlying inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels, the discovery of the molecular mechanism of strong rectification and the linking of a number of disorders of cardiac excitability to defects in genes encoding Kir channels. Disease-causing mutations in Kir genes have been shown experimentally to affect one or more of the following channel properties: structure, assembly, trafficking, and regulation, with the ultimate effect of a gain- or a loss-of-function of the channel. It is now established that I_K1 and I_KACh channels are heterotetramers of Kir2 and Kir3 subunits, respectively. Each homomeric Kir channel has distinct biophysical and regulatory properties, and individual Kir subunits often display different patterns of regional, cellular, and membrane distribution. These differences are thought to underlie important variations in the physiological properties of I_K1 and I_KACh. It has become increasingly clear that the contribution of I_K1 and I_KACh channels to cardiac electrical activity goes beyond their long recognized role in the stabilization of resting membrane potential and shaping the late phase of action potential repolarization in individual myocytes but extends to being critical elements determining the overall electrical stability of the heart.     

Decreased inward rectifier current in adult rabbit ventricular myocytes maintained in primary culture: a single-channel study.

OBJECTIVE: Regulation of ion channel function in heart has been shown to be affected by changes in the cellular environment. Recently it was shown that rabbit ventricular myocytes kept in primary culture, show a strong reduction in inward rectifier current (IK1). The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism underlying this decrease in IK1, using single-channel measurements. In addition, we studied the effects of primary culture on the ATP-regulated K+ (K.ATP) channel, also a member of the inwardly rectifying K+ channel family. METHODS: Adult rabbit ventricular myocytes were cultured for up to 3 days in Ham's F-10 medium complemented with 1% rabbit serum and 5% glutamine. IK1 and K.ATP channel activity was studied in the inside-out patch configuration of the patch-clamp technique with equimolar K+ concentrations (140 mM K+) on the intra- and extracellular side. Single channel characteristics were determined at various times during culture and compared to those present in freshly isolated myocytes. RESULTS: IK1 channels in freshly isolated myocytes (day 0) had a single-channel conductance of 56.1 +/- 2.5 pS (mean +/- SEM) and an open probability of 0.64 +/- 0.05 (mean +/- SEM). Neither the single-channel conductance nor the open probability (Po) underwent significant changes during culture. The mean number of channels per patch, however, was drastically reduced from 1.2 +/- 0.3 (mean +/- SEM) at day 0 to 0.17 +/- 0.06 at day three. K.ATP channel density and open probability, on the other hand, were both increased with an optimum at day two. Po increased from 0.27 +/- 0.06 at day 0 to 0.63 +/- 0.06 at day three. The mean number of channels per patch was 2.29 +/- 0.57 and 3.25 +/- 0.48 at days 0 and 3 respectively. The unitary current amplitude at -50 mV remained unchanged, suggesting no change in the K.ATP single-channel conductance. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in IK1 in rabbit ventricular myocytes as has been observed during primary culture is the result of a reduction in the number of active channels and not of altered kinetic or conductive channel properties. The increase in K.ATP channel activity under the same conditions suggests that gene expression of both channel types is differently regulated.     

Andersen mutations of KCNJ2 suppress the native inward rectifier current IK1 in a dominant-negative fashion

OBJECTIVE: The Andersen's syndrome is a hereditary disease, which is characterized by cardiac arrhythmias, periodic paralysis and dysmorphic features. Recently, mutations of the KCNJ2 gene, which encodes the inward rectifying potassium channel subunit Kir2.1, have been identified in affected individuals. However, the functional effects of these mutations have not yet been fully elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: To clarify this situation we generated known Andersen disease mutants of KCNJ2 which did not yield any measurable K(+) currents in CHO cells indicating that the Andersen mutants failed to form functional homomultimeric complexes. EGFP-tagged KCNJ2 wild-type and mutant channels distributed in a similar homogeneous pattern in the cell membrane suggesting that protein trafficking was not altered by the Andersen mutations but rather implicating that the mutations rendered the KCNJ2 channel non-functional. In heterologous coexpression experiments the Andersen mutants exerted a dominant-negative effect on wild-type KCNJ2. However, the extent of suppression varied between the different KCNJ2 mutants. Given our results in CHO cells, we expressed the disease mutant KCNJ2-S136F in neonate rat cardiomyocytes using adenoviral gene transfer to test the effect of Andersen mutants on native I(K1). I(K1) density was indeed significantly reduced in KCNJ2-S136F-infected cells (n=9) compared to control cells (n=9) over a voltage range from -70 to -150 mV (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results support that Kir2.x channels are a critical component of native I(K1) in neonate rat cardiomyocytes and that a dominant-negative suppression of I(K1) in native cells is the pathophysiological correlate of the Andersen's syndrome.     

Role of Mg block of the inward rectifier K current in cardiac repolarization reserve: A quantitative simulation

Different K⁺ currents serve as “repolarization reserve” or a redundant repolarizing mechanism that protects against excessive prolongation of the cardiac action potential and therefore arrhythmia. Impairment of the inward rectifier K⁺ current (I_K1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias. The characteristics of I_K1 reflect the kinetics of channel block by intracellular cations, primarily spermine (a polyamine) and Mg²⁺, whose cellular levels may vary under various pathological conditions. However, the relevance of endogenous I_K1 blockers to the repolarization reserve is still not fully understood in detail. Here we used a mathematical model of a cardiac ventricular myocyte which quantitatively reproduces the dynamics of I_K1 block to examine the effects of the intracellular spermine and Mg²⁺ concentrations, through modifying I_K1, on the action potential repolarization. Our simulation indicated that an I_K1 transient caused by relief of Mg²⁺ block flows during early phase 3. Increases in the intracellular spermine/Mg²⁺ concentration, or decreases in the intracellular Mg²⁺ concentration, to levels outside their normal ranges prolonged action potential duration by decreasing the I_K1 transient. Moreover, reducing both the rapidly activating delayed rectifier current (I_Kr) and the I_K1 transient caused a marked retardation of repolarization and early afterdepolarization because they overlap in the voltage range at which they flow. Our results indicate that the I_K1 transient caused by relief of Mg²⁺ block is an important repolarizing current, especially when I_Kr is reduced, and that abnormal intracellular free spermine/Mg²⁺ concentrations may be a missing risk factor for malignant arrhythmias in I_Kr-related acquired (drug-induced) and congenital long QT syndromes.     

Functional role of CLC-2 chloride inward rectifier channels in cardiac sinoatrial nodal pacemaker cells

A novel Cl⁻ inward rectifier channel (Cl,ir) encoded by ClC-2, a member of the ClC voltage-gated Cl⁻ channel gene superfamily, has been recently discovered in cardiac myocytes of several species. However, the physiological role of Cl,ir channels in the heart remains unknown. In this study we tested the hypothesis that Cl,ir channels may play an important role in cardiac pacemaker activity. In isolated guinea-pig sinoatrial node (SAN) cells, Cl,ir current was activated by hyperpolarization and hypotonic cell swelling. RT-PCR and immunohistological analyses confirmed the molecular expression of ClC-2 in guinea-pig SAN cells. Hypotonic stress increased the diastolic depolarization slope and decreased the maximum diastolic potential, action potential amplitude, APD₅₀, APD₉₀, and the cycle-length of the SAN cells. These effects were largely reversed by intracellular dialysis of anti-ClC-2 antibody, which significantly inhibited Cl,ir current but not other pacemaker currents, including the hyperpolarization-activated non-selective cationic “funny” current (I_f), the L-type Ca²⁺ currents (I_Ca,L), the slowly-activating delayed rectifier I_Ks and the volume-regulated outwardly-rectifying Cl⁻ current (I_Cl,vol). Telemetry electrocardiograph studies in conscious ClC-2 knockout (Clcn2^−/−) mice revealed a decreased chronotropic response to acute exercise stress when compared to their age-matched Clcn2^+/+ and Clcn2^+/− littermates. Targeted inactivation of ClC-2 does not alter intrinsic heart rate but prevented the positive chronotropic effect of acute exercise stress through a sympathetic regulation of ClC-2 channels. These results provide compelling evidence that ClC-2-encoded endogenous Cl,ir channels may play an important role in the regulation of cardiac pacemaker activity, which may become more prominent under stressed or pathological conditions.     

急性心肌梗死对心室肌细胞钾电流的影响

目的 :研究急性心肌梗死 （AMI）心室肌细胞瞬时外向钾电流 （Ito）和内向整流性钾电流 （IK1 ）的变化。方法 :采用结扎兔冠状动脉左前降支的方法建立 AMI动物模型 ,应用膜片钳全细胞记录方法 ,记录比较 AMI后 1周心外膜梗死区心肌细胞 Ito和 IK1 的变化。结果 :心梗组 Ito明显下降 ,I- V曲线明显下移。指令电位为 +60 m V时 ,Ito在心梗组为 1.0 8± 0 .2 4n A（n=12 ） ,与对照组 （2 .0 9± 0 .3 9n A ,n=16）相比 ,显著下降 ,P<0 .0 1;心梗组 IK1 与对照组比较 ,明显下降 ,特别在超极化时。指令电位为 - 12 0 m V时 ,心梗组 IK1 为 3 .0 1± 0 .49n A （n=11） ,对照组为 4.12±0 .5 1n A（n=10 ,P<0 .0 5 ）。结论 :AMI可引起心室肌细胞 Ito和 IK1 的下降 ,从而导致动作电位平台期延长、复极异常 ,这可能是导致 AMI后出现折返性室性心律失常的原因     

The inward rectifier current (IK1) controls cardiac excitability and is involved in arrhythmogenesis

The cardiac inwardly rectifying potassium current (I(K1)) stabilizes the resting membrane potential and is responsible for shaping the initial depolarization and final repolarization of the action potential. The inwardly rectifying potassium channel (Kir2.x) subfamily members primarily mediate cardiac I(K1), but other inward rectifiers, including the acetylcholine-sensitive (Kir3.x) and ATP-sensitive (Kir6.x) inward rectifiers, also may modulate cardiac excitability. Studies suggest I(K1) plays a role in ventricular arrhythmias, highlighted by the recently described Andersen's syndrome and studies in the guinea pig heart model of ventricular fibrillation. This article describes the salient properties of cardiac I(K1) and discusses the role of this current in the cardiac action potential and in underlying regional differences in cardiac excitability. The mechanism of channel block, assembly, and structure are reviewed. The article discusses the role of I(K1) in ventricular fibrillation and speculates on modulation of I(K1) as a preventative antiarrhythmic mechanism.     

Unique Kir2.x properties determine regional and species differences in the cardiac inward rectifier K+ current

The inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) 2.x channels mediate the cardiac inward rectifier potassium current (I(K1)). In addition to differences in current density, atrial and ventricular I(K1) have differences in outward current profiles and in extracellular potassium ([K+]o) dependence. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to study these properties in heterologously expressed Kir2.x channels and atrial and ventricular I(K1) in guinea pig and sheep hearts. Kir2.x channels showed distinct rectification profiles: Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 rectified completely at potentials more depolarized than -30 mV (I approximately 0 pA). In contrast, rectification was incomplete for Kir2.3 channels. In guinea pig atria, which expressed mainly Kir2.1, I(K1) rectified completely. In sheep atria, which predominantly expressed Kir2.3 channels, I(K1) did not rectify completely. Single-channel analysis of sheep Kir2.3 channels showed a mean unitary conductance of 13.1+/-0.1 pS in 15 cells, which corresponded with I(K1) in sheep atria (9.9+/-0.1 pS in 32 cells). Outward Kir2.1 currents were increased in 10 mmol/L [K+]o, whereas Kir2.3 currents did not increase. Correspondingly, guinea pig (but not sheep) atrial I(K1) showed an increase in outward currents in 10 mmol/L [K+]o. Although the ventricles of both species expressed Kir2.1 and Kir2.3, outward I(K1) currents rectified completely and increased in high [K+]o-displaying Kir2.1-like properties. Likewise, outward current properties of heterologously expressed Kir2.1-Kir2.3 complexes in normal and 10 mmol/L [K+]o were similar to Kir2.1 but not Kir2.3. Thus, unique properties of individual Kir2.x isoforms, as well as heteromeric Kir2.x complexes, determine regional and species differences of I(K1) in the heart.     

Human inward rectifier potassium channels in chronic and postoperative atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVE: We showed recently that the 825T allele of the G-protein beta 3-subunit C825T polymorphism is associated with large inward rectifier K(+) currents I(K1) but low acetylcholine-activated K(+) current I(K,ACh) amplitudes. During chronic atrial fibrillation (AF), I(K1) and I(K,ACh) current densities were increased when compared to sinus rhythm (SR). It is unknown whether chronic AF and G beta 3 gene status are independent contributors to atrial K(+) current activity. We measured I(K1) and I(K,ACh) in tissue from AF patients with different G beta 3 genotypes and assessed the relation between the I(K1) and I(K,ACh) amplitudes and the incidence of postoperative AF. METHODS: We measured the amplitudes of I(K1) and I(K,ACh) in atrial myocytes from 26 patients with sinus rhythm (SR) and from 16 patients with chronic AF (>6 months). The K(+) currents were measured with standard patch-clamp techniques. The G beta 3 gene status of the patients was determined by PCR and restriction analysis. RESULTS: At -100 mV, the amplitude of I(K1) was larger in AF (10.9+/-1.0 pA/pF, n=49/16, cells/patients) than in SR (6.3+/-0.6 pA/pF, n=68/26, P<0.05), whereas the amplitude of I(K,ACh) was smaller in chronic AF (2.9+/-0.7 pA/pF, n=49/16) than in SR (6.3+/-0.7 pA/pF, n=68/26, P<0.05). These changes were independent of the patient G beta 3 gene status. Eight patients out of 26 in the SR group (31%) developed postoperative AF. When analysed based on incidence of postoperative AF, current amplitudes did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: We provide evidence for up-regulation of I(K1) but down-regulation of I(K,ACh) in chronic AF which are independent of G beta 3 gene status. Atrial myocytes from patients who are in SR but later develop postoperative AF have no manifestation of altered I(K1) and I(K,ACh) at the time of cardiac surgery. Our results suggest that the AF-related changes of I(K1) and I(K,ACh) may be a consequence of or a contributory factor to chronic AF.     

Delayed rectifier potassium current in undiseased human ventricular myocytes

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the properties of the delayed rectifier potassium current (IK) in myocytes isolated from undiseased human left ventricles. METHODS: The whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was applied in 28 left ventricular myocytes from 13 hearts at 35 degrees C. RESULTS: An E-4031 sensitive tail current identified the rapid component of IK (IKr) in the myocytes, but there was no evidence for an E-4031 insensitive slow component of IK (IKs). When nifedipine (5 microM) was used to block the inward calcium current (ICa), IKr activation was fast (tau = 31.0 +/- 7.4 ms, at +30 mV, n = 5) and deactivation kinetics were biexponential and relatively slow (tau 1 = 600.0 +/- 53.9 ms and tau 2 = 6792.2 +/- 875.7 ms, at -40 mV, n = 7). Application of CdCl2 (250 microM) to block ICa altered the voltage dependence of the IKr considerably, slowing its activation (tau = 657.1 +/- 109.1 ms, at +30 mV, n = 5) and accelerating its deactivation (tau = 104.0 +/- 18.5 ms, at -40 mV, n = 8). CONCLUSIONS: In undiseased human ventricle at 35 degrees C IKr exists having fast activation and slow deactivation kinetics; however, there was no evidence found for an expressed IKs. IKr probably plays an important role in the frequency dependent modulation of repolarization in undiseased human ventricle, and is a target for many Class III antiarrhythmic drugs.     

Trichostatin A accentuates doxorubicin-induced hypertrophy in cardiac myocytes

Histone deacetylase inhibitors represent a new class of anticancer therapeutics and the expectation is that they will be most effective when used in combination with conventional cancer therapies, such as the anthracycline, doxorubicin. The dose-limiting side effect of doxorubicin is severe cardiotoxicity and evaluation of the effects of combinations of the anthracycline with histone deacetylase inhibitors in relevant models is important. We used a well-established in vitro model of doxorubicin-induced hypertrophy to examine the effects of the prototypical histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin A. Our findings indicate that doxorubicin modulates the expression of the hypertrophy-associated genes, ventricular myosin light chain-2, the alpha isoform of myosin heavy chain and atrial natriuretic peptide, an effect which is augmented by Trichostatin A. Furthermore, we show that Trichostatin A amplifies doxorubicin-induced DNA double strand breaks, as assessed by γH2AX formation. More generally, our findings highlight the importance of investigating potential side effects that may be associated with emerging combination therapies for cancer.     

Inhibition of inward rectifier K+ currents by angiotensin II in rat atrial myocytes: lack of effects in cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We examined the effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) on inward rectifier K+ currents (IK1) in rat atrial myocytes. [125I]Ang II-binding assays revealed the presence of both Ang II type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptors in atrial membrane preparations. Ang II inhibited IK1 in isolated atrial myocytes with an IC50 of 46 nmol/l. This inhibition was abolished by the AT, antagonist RNH6270 but not at all by the AT2 antagonist PD123319. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin or a synthetic decapeptide corresponding to the carboxyl-terminus of Gialpha-3 abolished the inhibition by Ang II, indicating the role of a Gi-dependent signaling pathway. Accordingly, Ang II failed to inhibit IK1 in the presence of forskolin, dibutyryl-cAMP or protein kinase A catalytic subunits. In spite of the increased binding capacities for [125I]Ang II, Ang II failed to affect IKI in cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). AT, immunoprecipitation from atrial extracts revealed decreased amounts of Gialpha-2 and Gialpha-3 proteins associated with this receptor in SHR as compared with controls. The reduced coupling of AT, with Gialpha. proteins may underlie the unresponsiveness of atrial IK1 to Ang II in SHR cells.