Sodium nitroprusside and cGMP decrease Ca2+ channel availability in basilar artery smooth muscle cells

 We studied the effect of the nitric oxide (NO) donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), on the macroscopic and single-channel currents due to the 22-pS Ca²⁺ channel in smooth muscle cells from guinea pig basilar artery. In nystatin-perforated whole-cell recordings, 50 nM SNP decreased the macroscopic current to 63±12% of control values, without changing the voltage dependence of the current. In cell-attached patches with BAY-K8644 in the pipette, SNP caused a comparable decrease in single-channel availability (n ·P _o) that was dose dependent over the range of 10 nM to 10 μM SNP. SNP had no effect on single-channel properties, including slope conductance, voltage dependence of activation, the number of open states, the time constants of the open states, and the proportion of time spent in each open state. The effect of SNP (50 nM) on single Ca²⁺ channel openings was reproduced by 8-Br-cGMP (100 μM), which also reduced channel availability without altering channel properties. The protein kinase inhibitor H-8 (1.5 μM), which exhibits relative specificity for cGMP-dependent protein kinase, completely inhibited the decrease in single-channel availability expected with SNP. The dose-dependent decrease in Ca²⁺ channel availability caused by SNP was not altered by prior application of 8-Br-cAMP or forskolin, both of which cause an increase in Ca²⁺ channel availability in these cells. Our findings suggest that NO decreases openings of Ca²⁺ channels in basilar artery smooth muscle cells without altering channel properties, and that it does so by a mechanism likely to involve cGMP-dependent protein kinase. Received: 2 July 1996 / Received after revision: 30 September 1996 / Accepted: 2 October 1996     

The β2-agonist salbutamol affects the expression of phospholamban and both isoforms of SERCA in canine skeletal muscle and blocks changes in these induced by neuromuscular stimulation

 Chronic administration of salbutamol induced expression of hybrid fibers in canine skeletal muscles. Fast-twitch fibers expressed SERCA2a (the slow-twitch isoform of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase) and slow-twitch fibers expressed SERCA1 (the fast-twitch isoform of the Ca²⁺-ATPase). The proportion of fibers that became hybrid increased from a small percentage in the control muscles to 30% in the predominantly fast-twitch latissimus dorsi and to 45% in the predominantly slow-twitch vastus intermedius. In contrast to this response by the SERCA genes the phospholamban gene response was muscle specific. The fraction of fibers that expressed phospholamban decreased slightly in the latissimus dorsi while increasing moderately in the vastus intermedius. The effects of chronic neurostimulation of the latissimus dorsi on SERCA1, SERCA2a and phospholamban levels were mostly blocked by salbutamol. While 100% of fibers from neurostimulated muscles expressed phospholamban, only 51% of the fibers from the neurostimulated and salbutamol-treated muscles expressed it. In the neurostimulated muscle, very few muscle fibers expressed SERCA1a while 61% of the fibers that received salbutamol expressed it, albeit as hybrid fibers. The levels of SERCA2a in response to these interventions were just the opposite. In the neurostimulated muscle 37.5% of fibers were hybrid and 62.5% expressed SERCA2a only. With co-administration of neurostimulation and salbutamol, 61.3% of fibers were hybrid and 38.7% expressed SERCA2a only. Received: 4 July 1997 / Received after revision: 16 October 1997 / Accepted: 30 October 1997     

Olive pollen allergen Ole e 8: identification in mature pollen and presence of Ole e 8-like proteins in different pollens

In a first approach, Ole e 8, a novel Ca2+-binding protein from olive pollen, was cloned and produced in Escherichia coli. We have obtained the natural form of Ole e 8 (nOle e 8) from the pollen and examined its immunologic equivalence with its recombinant form (rOle e 8). Size exclusion chromatography and a phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B affinity column were used to obtain nOle e 8 from the olive pollen. Inhibition assays by immunoblotting, using rOle e 8-specific rabbit antiserum, were performed to analyze the immunologic equivalence between the natural and the recombinant allergen, as well as to detect its presence in other pollens. Recombinant and natural Ole e 8 resulted immunologically equivalents, since they completely inhibited the IgG binding of the polyclonal antiserum to each other. Ole e 8-like proteins were detected in Oleaceae and Juniperus communis pollen, and might contribute to cross-reactivity processes between taxonomically related pollens.     

心钠素对培养人心包间皮细胞内钙离子浓度的影响

目的　探讨心纳素与人类心包间皮细胞之间的关系。　方法　分离人心包间皮细胞进行体外培养 ,用Fluo 3作为钙的指示剂 ,利用激光共聚焦显微镜测定 10 - 9mol L ,10 - 1 0 mol L ,10 - 1 1 mol L心钠素 (ANP)分别用作用于人心包间皮细胞后细胞内Ca2 (Ca2 )浓度变化。　结果　人心包间皮细胞存在细胞内Ca2 浓度的改变 ,随着ANP浓度的增加 ,细胞内Ca2 浓度出现非常明显的变化 (P <0 0 0 0 1) ;细胞内Ca2 浓度随时间变化也出现明显的变化 (P <0 0 0 0 1) ;不同时间测定的钙离子浓度与ANP浓度之间存在着交互作用 (P <0 0 0 0 1)。　结论　人心包间皮细胞存在细胞内Ca2 的改变 ;不同浓度的ANP作用于间皮细胞后引起细胞内Ca2 浓度出现明显不同的改变     

Effects of veratridine, tetrodotoxin and other drugs that alter electrical behaviour on secretion of melanocyte-stimulating hormone from melanotrophs of the pituitary pars intermedia

Since melanotrophs are electrically active and exhibit spontaneous Na spikes, a study was made of the effects, on melanotroph secretion, of drugs known to influence electrical properties. The output of melanocyte-stimulating hormone was measured from perifused neurointermediate lobes of mice or melanotrophs dispersed from such lobes of mice or rats. Veratridine (200 microM), which is known to increase Na permeability in a variety of cells, caused a large, although transient, increase in secretion from the melanotrophs that required extracellular Ca2+ and was blocked by the Na-channel blocker tetrodotoxin (1 microM). Tetraethylammonium (10 mM), which blocks K channels and thus prolongs the duration of the action potential in many cells, also stimulated secretion in the melanotrophs in a Ca-dependent manner. This response was not, however, blocked by tetrodotoxin, and is thus not attributable to prolongation of Na spikes in these cells. Moreover, tetrodotoxin did not inhibit basal secretion. The stimulant effect of veratridine on secretion in melanotrophs and its suppression by tetrodotoxin suggests that voltage-dependent Na channels can participate in the regulation of hormone output in these cells of the pituitary pars intermedia. However, the apparent lack of effect of tetrodotoxin on basal secretion suggests that the spontaneous Na spikes previously observed in these cells are not required for promoting the Ca influx which other evidence shows is important for basal secretion.     

The late component of L-type calcium current during guinea-pig cardiac action potentials and its contribution to contraction

 L-Type Ca²⁺ current (I _Ca,L) elicited during the action potential (AP) of guinea-pig ventricular myocytes exhibits an early and a late component. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to characterize the process regulating the late I _Ca,L component and to assess its contribution to excitation-contraction coupling. A stepwise decrease in repolarization rate of AP-like voltage-clamp pulses led to an exponential increase in Ca²⁺ charge carried by I _Ca,L. This saturation behaviour was significantly reduced or absent when Ba²⁺ or monovalent cations were used as charge carriers, which suggests that the late component of I _Ca,L is controlled mainly by Ca²⁺-dependent processes. Simultaneously recording I _Ca,L and zero-load shortening or the internal Ca²⁺ concentration (fura-2) revealed that Ca²⁺ carried by the late component of I _Ca,L markedly contributes to the Ca²⁺ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Reducing the charge transfer by late I _Ca,L during a series of AP-like conditioning clamp pulses by 48% reduced the shortening amplitude during a subsequent test stimulation by 56%. This relationship was absent during long rectangular depolarizing conditioning clamps, during which Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange increased its influence on SR Ca²⁺ loading. The late component of I _Ca,L developed only a minor direct influence on the simultaneous cell shortening. Thus, the main contribution of the late I _Ca,L component is to supply Ca²⁺ for SR loading. Received: 5 November 1997 / Received after revision: 12 June 1998 / Accepted: 15 June 1998     

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator attenuates the endogenous Ca2+ activated Cl– conductance of Xenopus oocytes

 Oocytes from Xenopus laevis activate a Ca²⁺ dependent Cl^– conductance when exposed to the Ca²⁺ ionophore ionomycin. This Ca²⁺ activated Cl^– conductance (CaCC) is strongly outwardly rectifying and has a halide conductivity ratio (G_I– / G_Cl–) of about 4.4. This is in contrast to the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-Cl^– conductance, which produces more linear I/V curves with a G_I– / G_Cl– ratio of about 0.52. Ionomycin enhanced CaCC (ΔG) in water injected and CFTR expressing ooyctes in the absence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 1 mmol/l) by (μS) 23 ± 1.9 (n=9) and 23.6 ± 2.3 (n=11). Stimulation by IBMX did not change CaCC in water injected oocytes. CaCC was inhibited in CFTR-expressing ooyctes after stimulation with IBMX or a membrane permeable form of cAMP and was only 5.1 ± 0.48 μS (n=18) and 6.9 ± 0.6 (n=3), respectively. Inhibition of CaCC was correlated to the amount of CFTR-current activated by IBMX. ΔF508-CFTR which demonstrates only a small residual function in activating a cAMP dependent Cl^– channel in oocytes inhibited CaCC to a lesser degree (ΔG=12.1 ± 1.1 μS; n=7). Changes of CFTR and CaCC-Cl^– whole cell conductances were also measured when extracellular Cl^– was replaced by I^–. The results confirmed the reduced activation of CaCC in the presence of activated CFTR. No evidence was found for inhibition of CFTR-currents by increase of intracellular Ca²⁺. Moreover, intracellular cAMP was not changed by ionomycin and stimulation by IBMX did not change the ionomycin induced Ca²⁺ increase in Xenopus oocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of CFTR-Cl^– currents is paralleled by an inhibition of Ca²⁺ activated Cl^– currents in ooyctes of Xenopus laevis. These results provide another example for CFTR-dependent regulation of membrane conductances other than cAMP-dependent Cl^– conductance. They might explain previous findings in epithelial tissues of CF-knockout mice. Received: 17 June 1997 / Received after revision: 4 September 1997 / Accepted: 5 September 1997     

FcγRⅡB1介导的信号传导异常与SLE患者B细胞的过度活化

目的:观察系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)患者B细胞表面功能分子表达的特征及其功能状态,评价以FcγRⅡB1(CD32)为代表的B细胞自身抑制调节机制在SLE发病中的作用。方法:采用Ficoll密度梯度离心法分离出人外周血单个核细胞(PBMC),并以免疫磁珠法(MACS)分离纯化B细胞。采用荧光分光光度法检测B细胞受不同激活物刺激后细胞内钙([Ca2 ]i)的反应。用ELISA法检测B细胞与刺激物共同培养后所分泌IgG的量。采用流式细胞术及间接免疫荧光染色法,检测B细胞膜表面CD32、CD19及IgM的表达水平。结果:(1)以羊抗人μ链的F(ab′)2片段及完整IgG分别刺激SLE患者B细胞时,其[Ca2 ]i反应的比值显著低于类风湿性关节炎(RA)患者(P<0.05)及正常人对照(P<0.01)。(2)分别用葡萄球菌A蛋白(SPA)单独刺激与SPA和羊抗人μ链的完整IgG抗体共同刺激SLE患者的B细胞所分泌的IgG的比值,明显低于RA患者及正常人对照组(P<0.05)。(3)SLE患者与RA患者及正常对照组B细胞上CD19、CD32及IgM的表达无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:SLE患者B细胞上CD32抑制性信号传导的异常,可能是导致B细胞过度活化的重要机制。     

Evidence for interference of vitamin D with PTH/PTHrP receptor expression in opossum kidney cells

 Vitamin D counters the phosphaturic action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in rats in vivo. The present study was undertaken to examine this interaction using monolayers of Opossum kidney (OK) cells. ³²P uptake, cAMP generation, PTH/PTHrP receptor mRNA expression and intracellular Ca²⁺ [Ca²⁺]_i were measured in (1) control cells, (2) cells exposed to PTH, (3) cells pretreated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [1,25(OH)₂D₃], and (4) 1,25(OH)₂D₃-pretreated cells exposed to PTH. ³²P uptakes were in (1) 5.00±0.20 (mean ±SE), in (2) 2.30±0.14 (P<0.001 versus group 1), in (3) 4.80±0.24 (P NS versus group 1) and in (4) 3.70±0.20 (P<0.001 versus group 2) nmol P_i/(mg·prot 10 mm). cAMP levels were in (1) 10±3, in (2) 210±8, in (3) 12±4, and in (4) 122±12 pmol cAMP/mg protein (P<0.001 versus group 2). PTH/PTHrP receptor mRNA expression was in relative units: (1) 100±0, (2) 99.5±6.2, (3) 68.7±2.6 (P<0.001 versus group 1), and (4) 34.8±3.3 (P<0.001 versus group 1). In groups 2 and 4 PTH induced equal transient increments in [Ca²⁺]_i. These experiments demonstrate that the effect of vitamin D on phosphate transport is associated with a commensurate diminution in PTH/PTHrP receptor gene expression and PTH-induced cAMP formation but not with Ca²⁺ transients. Vitamin D per se does not affect ³²P uptake or cAMP generation while it slightly decreased PTH/PTHrP receptor gene expression. These observations demonstrate that: (1) 1.25(OH)₂D₃ directly antagonizes the effects of PTH on ³²P uptake in OK cells, (2) this effect is mediated via inhibition of PTH-induced activation of AC/cAMP system, (3) the diminution in PTH-induced cAMP formation may stem at least in part from a decrease in the expression of PTH/PTHrP receptor mRNA. Received: 2 December 1997 / Received after revision: 19 January 1998 / Accepted: 28 January 1998     

Membrane properties of rat locus coeruleus neurones

Intracellular recordings were made from neurones in the locus coeruleus contained within a slice cut from rat pons and maintained in vitro. Most neurones fired action potentials spontaneously at frequencies of between 1 and 5 Hz; this did not arise from spontaneous synaptic input but appeared to result from endogenous properties of the membrane conductances. Under voltage clamp at potentials near threshold for action potential generation (? 55 mV) there was a persistent inward calcium current. This current became less with membrane hyperpolarization and was abolished at about ?70 mV. Two potassium currents were observed. The first had properties similar to that generally described as the “fast” potassium current (I_K,A); it flowed transiently (for about 200 ms) when the membrane potential passed from about ?65 to ?45 mV, and was blocked by 4-aminopyridine. The second was a calcium-activated potassium current (I_K,Ca); it flowed for several seconds following a burst of calcium action potentials. Spontaneous and evoked action potentials had both tetrodotoxin-sensitive and tetrodotoxin-resistant components. The latter was apparently due to calcium entry. The potential changes occurring during the spontaneous firing of locus coeruleus neurones could be reconstructed qualitatively from the ionic conductances observed. The membrane properties of the locus coeruleus neurones were remarkably uniform; however, about 5% of cells impaled within the region of the locus coeruleus were electrophysiologically distinct. These atypical cells had short duration action potentials, did not fire spontaneously and had large spontaneous depolarizing synaptic potentials.