guanosine-triphosphate and chelerythrine

We previously demonstrated that Ca(2+) sensitization has an essential role for carbachol-induced contraction in the longitudinal muscle of the rat distal colon. In the present study, we extended these studies to clarify the role of Ca(2+) sensitization in contraction induced by the activation of muscarinic receptors in the circular muscle of the rat distal colon. Carbachol induced a rapid phasic contraction followed by a sustained contraction that was significantly lower than the phasic and was superimposed with the rhythmic contractions. The extent of increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration that was measured simultaneously with tension recording was dissociated from the phasic contraction, whereas it exhibited to a similar extent as sustained contraction. In alpha-toxin-permeabilized preparations, Ca(2+) induced contraction comprising a rapid phasic and a subsequent low sustained component. After Ca(2+)-induced sustained contraction reached a constant level, guanosine triphosphate (GTP) addition resulted in the enhancement of contractile force in a concentration-dependent manner. Carbachol in the presence of GTP caused a further minimal increase in tension (Ca(2+) sensitization). Chelerythrine, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, inhibited carbachol-induced Ca(2+) sensitization but not GTP-induced Ca(2+) sensitization. In contrast, Y-27632, a Rho kinase inhibitor, inhibited GTP-induced Ca(2+) sensitization but not that induced by carbachol. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, a PKC activator, increased the sustained contraction. These results suggest that the activation of muscarinic receptor with carbachol induces Ca(2+) sensitization via activation of PKC, but this action is minor in the circular muscle of the rat distal colon as a result of limited coupling between muscarinic receptors and Ca(2+) sensitization via the PKC pathway.

Topics: Alkaloids; Amides; Animals; Benzophenanthridines; Calcium; Carbachol; Carcinogens; Cholinergic Agonists; Colon; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Guanosine Triphosphate; Male; Muscle Contraction; Muscle Relaxants, Central; Muscle, Smooth; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; Pyridines; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Muscarinic

The mechanisms by which uridine triphosphate (UTP) stimulates ATP release from Schwann cells cultured from the sciatic nerve were investigated using online bioluminescence techniques. UTP, a P2Y(2) and P2Y(4) receptor agonist, stimulated ATP release from Schwann cells in a dose-dependent manner with an ED(50) of 0.24 microm. UTP-stimulated ATP release occurs through P2Y(2) receptors as it was blocked by suramin which inhibits P2Y(2) but not P2Y(4) receptors. Furthermore, positive immunostaining of P2Y(2) receptors on Schwann cells was revealed and GTP, an equipotent agonist with UTP at rat P2Y(4) receptors, did not significantly stimulate ATP release. UTP-stimulated ATP release involved second messenger pathways as it was attenuated by the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122, the protein kinase C inhibitor chelerytherine chloride, the IP(3) formation inhibitor lithium chloride, the cell membrane-permeable Ca(2+) chelator BAPTA-AM and the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin. Evidence that ATP may be stored in vesicles that must be transported to the cell membrane for exocytosis was found as release was significantly reduced by the Golgi-complex inhibitor brefeldin A, microtubule disruption with nocodazole, F-actin disruption with cytochalasin D and the specific exocytosis inhibitor botulinum toxin A. ATP release from Schwann cells also involves anion transport as it was significantly reduced by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator inhibitor glibencamide and anion transporter inhibitor furosemide. We suggest that UTP-stimulated ATP release is mediated by activation of P2Y(2) receptors that initiate an IP(3)-Ca(2+) cascade and protein kinase C which promote exocytosis of ATP from vesicles as well as anion transport of ATP across the cell membrane.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Alkaloids; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Benzophenanthridines; Botulinum Toxins; Botulinum Toxins, Type A; Brefeldin A; Calcium; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Cytochalasin D; Diagnostic Imaging; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Estrenes; Furosemide; Glyburide; Glycyrrhetinic Acid; Guanosine Triphosphate; Immunohistochemistry; Isoquinolines; Microscopy, Confocal; Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; Phenanthridines; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; Protein Kinase C; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Purinergic P2 Receptor Agonists; Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; Pyridoxal Phosphate; Pyrrolidinones; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Purinergic P2; Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2; Schwann Cells; Sciatic Nerve; Sulfonamides; Suramin; Thapsigargin; Time Factors; Type C Phospholipases; Uridine Triphosphate

1. Mechanisms involved in Ca(2+) sensitization of contractile elements induced by the activation of muscarinic receptors in membrane-permeabilized preparations of the rat proximal and distal colon were studied. 2. In alpha-toxin-permeabilized preparations from the rat proximal and distal colon, Ca(2+) induced a rapid phasic and subsequent tonic component. After Ca(2+)-induced contraction reached a plateau, guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) and carbachol (CCh) in the presence of GTP further contracted preparations of both the proximal and distal colon (Ca(2+) sensitization). Y-27632, a rho-kinase inhibitor, inhibited GTP plus CCh-induced Ca(2+) sensitization more significantly in the proximal colon than in the distal colon. 3. Y-27632 at 10 microm had no effect on Ca(2+)-induced contraction or slightly inhibited phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate-induced Ca(2+) sensitization in either proximal or distal colon. Chelerythrine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, inhibited GTP plus CCh-induced Ca(2+) sensitization in the distal colon, but not in the proximal colon. The component of Ca(2+) sensitization that persisted after the chelerythrine treatment was completely inhibited by Y-27632. 4. In beta-escin-permeabilized preparations of the proximal colon, C3 exoenzyme completely inhibited GTP plus CCh-induced Ca(2+) sensitization, but PKC(19-31) did not. In the distal colon, C3 exoenzyme abolished GTP-induced Ca(2+) sensitization. It inhibited CCh-induced sensitization by 50 % and the remaining component was inhibited by PKC(19-31). 5. These results suggest that both protein kinase C and rho pathways in parallel mediate the Ca(2+) sensitization coupled to activation of muscarinic receptors in the rat distal colon, whereas the rho pathway alone mediates this action in the proximal colon.

Topics: ADP Ribose Transferases; Alkaloids; Amides; Animals; Bacterial Toxins; Benzophenanthridines; Botulinum Toxins; Calcium; Carbachol; Cell Membrane Permeability; Colon, Ascending; Colon, Descending; Escin; Guanosine Triphosphate; Hemolysin Proteins; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Japan; Male; Muscle Contraction; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle; Peptide Fragments; Phenanthridines; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; Protein Kinase C; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Pyridines; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Muscarinic; rho-Associated Kinases; Tritium; Type C Phospholipases

The relationship between protein kinase C (PKC) activation and Ras function was investigated in cardiac cells. Ras function was required for ERK activation by phorbol esters in cardiac myocytes, but not in cardiac fibroblasts. Accordingly, treatment with phorbol esters resulted in GTP loading of Ras in cardiac myocytes, but not fibroblasts. Ras activation by phorbol esters was abolished by a PKC specific inhibitor, but was insensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Ras activation was mediated by stimulation of guanine nucleotide exchange. These results suggest the existence of a novel pathway for Ras activation, specific to cardiac myocytes, with implications for myocardial hypertrophy.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Benzophenanthridines; Cells, Cultured; Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; Guanosine Triphosphate; Lovastatin; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Myocardium; Phenanthridines; Protein Kinase C; ras Proteins; Rats; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate

Muscarinic receptor stimulation increases Ca2+ sensitivity, i.e., the amount of force produced at a constant submaximal cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), in permeabilized smooth muscle preparations. It is controversial whether this increase in Ca2+ sensitivity is in part mediated by protein kinase C (PKC). With the use of a beta-escin permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle (CTSM) preparation, the effect of four putative PKC inhibitors [calphostin C, chelerythrine chloride, a pseudosubstrate inhibitor for PKC [PKC peptide-(19-31)], and staurosporine] on Ca2+ sensitization induced by acetylcholine (ACh) plus GTP was determined. Preincubation with each of the inhibitors did not affect subsequent Ca2+ sensitization induced by muscarinic receptor stimulation in the presence of a constant submaximal [Ca2+]i, neither did any of these compounds reverse the increase in Ca2+ sensitivity induced by ACh plus GTP. Administration of a 1,2-diacylglycerol analog, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol, did not induce Ca2+ sensitization at a constant submaximal [Ca2+]i. Thus we found no evidence that PKC mediates increases in Ca2+ sensitivity produced by muscarinic receptor stimulation in permeabilized CTSM.

Topics: Acetylcholine; Alkaloids; Animals; Benzophenanthridines; Calcium; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cytosol; Diglycerides; Dogs; Enzyme Inhibitors; Escin; Female; Guanosine Triphosphate; In Vitro Techniques; Kinetics; Male; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Smooth; Naphthalenes; Peptide Fragments; Phenanthridines; Protein Kinase C; Receptors, Muscarinic; Staurosporine; Trachea