BK Channels Regulate LPS-induced CCL-2 Release from Human Pulmonary Endothelial Cells.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Zyrianova T
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7874395 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Acid sensing ion channels (ASICs), Ca(2+) and voltage-activated potassium channels (BK) are widely present throughout the central nervous system. Previous studies have shown that when expressed together in heterologous cells, ASICs inhibit BK channels, and this inhibition is relieved by acidic extracellular pH. We hypothesized that ASIC and BK channels might interact in neurons, and that ASICs may regulate BK channel activity. We found that ASICs inhibited BK currents in cultured wild-type cortical neurons, but not in ASIC1a/2/3 triple knockout neurons. The inhibition in the wild-type was partially relieved by a drop in extracellular pH to 6. To test the consequences of ASIC-BK interaction for neuronal excitability, we compared action potential firing in cultured cortical neurons from wild-type and ASIC1a/2/3 null mice. We found that in the knockout, action potentials were narrow and exhibited increased after-hyperpolarization. Moreover, the excitability of these neurons was significantly increased. These findings are consistent with increased BK channel activity in the neurons from ASIC1a/2/3 null mice. Our data suggest that ASICs can act as endogenous pH-dependent inhibitors of BK channels, and thereby can reduce neuronal excitability.
| S-EPMC3488431 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMacrophages are important cells of the innate immune system and contribute to a variety of physiological and pathophysiological responses. Monovalent and divalent ion channels have been studied in macrophage function, and while much research is still required, a role for these channels is beginning to emerge in macrophages. In addition to the plasma membrane, ion channels are also found in intracellular membranes including mitochondrial, lysosomal and nuclear membranes. While studying the function of plasma membrane located large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium channels (BK channels) in a macrophage cell line RAW264.7, we became aware of the expression of these ion channels in other cellular locations.MethodsImmunofluorescence and Western blot analysis were used to identify the expression of BK channels. To demonstrate a functional role for the nuclear located channel, we investigated the effect of the lipid soluble BK channel inhibitor paxilline on CREB phosphorylation.ResultsTreatment of resting macrophages with paxilline resulted in increased CREB phosphorylation. To confirm a role for nuclear BK channels, these experiments were repeated in isolated nuclei and similar results were found. Ca2+ and calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMK) have been demonstrated to regulate CREB phosphorylation. Inhibition of CaMKII and CaMKIV resulted in the reversal of paxilline-induced CREB phosphorylation.ConclusionsThese results suggest that nuclear BK channels regulate CREB phosphorylation in macrophages. Nuclear located ion channels may therefore be part of novel signalling pathways in macrophages and should be taken into account when studying the role of ion channels in these and other cells.
| S-EPMC8180476 | biostudies-literature
Project description:HIV-1 Tat is essential for HIV-1 replication and plays an important role in latent HIV-1 infection, HIV-1 associated neurological complication, and other HIV-1 comorbidities. Secreted from HIV-1 infected or transfected cells, Tat can be up-taken into cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis and internalized into endolysosomes. To reach nucleus where it can facilitate HIV-1 viral replication, exogenous Tat has to escape the degradation by endolysosomes. Because of findings that endolysosome de-acidification with, for example, the weak-base anti-malarial drug chloroquine prevents exogenous Tat degradation and enhances the amount of Tat available to activate HIV-1 LTR, we hypothesize that acidifying endolysosomes may enhance Tat degradation in endolysosomes and restrict LTR transactivation. Here, we determined the involvement of endolysosome-resident transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 channel (TRPML1) and the big conductance Ca2+-activated potassium (BK) channel in regulating endolysosome pH, as well as Tat-mediated HIV-1 LTR transactivation in U87MG cells stably integrated with HIV-1 LTR luciferase reporter. Activating TRPML1 channels with ML-SA1 acidified endolysosomes and restricted Tat-mediated HIV-1 LTR transactivation. These effects of ML-SA1 appeared to be mediated through activation of BK channels, because the effects of ML-SA1 on Tat-mediated HIV-1 LTR transactivation were blocked using pharmacological inhibitors or shRNA knock-down of BK channels. On the other hand, activating TRPML1 and BK channels enhanced cellular degradation of exogenous Tat. These results suggest that acidifying endolysosomes by activating TRPML1 or BK channels may provide therapeutic benefit against latent HIV-1 infection, HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders, and other HIV-1 comorbidities.
| S-EPMC6706582 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPrevious experiments revealed phospholipid scramblase 4 (PLSCR4) mRNA to be significantly increased in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) model of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs); however, the effect of PLSCR4 and its mechanism have not been reported to date. The PLSCR family is thought to mediate the transmembrane movement of phospholipids (PS), and has been found to be involved in pyroptosis through combing with gasdermin D (GSDMD). We therefore speculated that PLSCR4 may contribute to cell death via pyroptosis.MethodsTo investigate the effect and mechanism of PLSCR4 in ARDS, we constructed an in vitro model of LPS-induced ARDS in HPMECs transfected with PLSCR4 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or scramble siRNA (sc siRNA). After 4 h of LPS stimulation, western blotting, immunoprecipitation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), tracer flux assays, and fluorescence assays were used to study the relationship between PLSCR4 and pyroptosis with regards to their impact on ARDS. We also established an ARDS mouse model which was pretreated with a liquid complex of PLSCR4 siRNA/sc siRNA-lipofectamine 2000 through the fundus venous plexus. Finally, we used DNA pull-down and protein profiling to study the potential transcription factor of PLSCR4.ResultsIt was found that when the expression of PLSCR4 was elevated, the concentration of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-18 decreased, along with barrier damage (P<0.05). Furthermore, HPMEC injury was reduced with more distribution of PS and N-terminal cleavage product (GSDMD-NT) of GSDMD on the external side of cell membrane. However, the pyroptosis-relevant proteins of GSDMD and caspase-1 were not obviously changed (P<0.05); we further found that when PLSCR4 was depressed, the lung injury was aggravated in the mice. In the DNA pull-down assay, P62280 remarkably increased, which suggested that P62280 might be the transcription factor for PLSCR4.ConclusionsPLSCR4 alleviated pyroptosis by transporting PS to the outside of the membrane, blocking the formation of pyroptosis pores composed of GSDMD. Moreover, P62280 might be the transcription factor of PLSCR4. These insults may provide useful insights into the clinical treatment of ARDS.
| S-EPMC7867870 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Spontaneous action potentials in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are necessary for normal circadian timing of behavior in mammals. The SCN exhibits a daily oscillation in spontaneous firing rate (SFR), but the ionic conductances controlling SFR and the relationship of SFR to subsequent circadian behavioral rhythms are not understood. We show that daily expression of the large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (BK) in the SCN is controlled by the intrinsic circadian clock. BK channel-null mice (Kcnma1(-/-)) have increased SFRs in SCN neurons selectively at night and weak circadian amplitudes in multiple behaviors timed by the SCN. Kcnma1(-/-) mice show normal expression of clock genes such as Arntl (Bmal1), indicating a role for BK channels in SCN pacemaker output, rather than in intrinsic time-keeping. Our findings implicate BK channels as important regulators of the SFR and suggest that the SCN pacemaker governs the expression of circadian behavioral rhythms through SFR modulation.
| S-EPMC2909323 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Large-conductance Ca(2+)- and voltage-activated K(+) (BK) channels play prominent roles in shaping muscle and neuronal excitability. In the cardiovascular system, BK channels promote vascular relaxation and protect against ischemic injury. Recently, inhibition of BK channels has been shown to lower heart rate in intact rodents and isolated hearts, suggesting a novel role in heart function. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we recorded ECGs from mice injected with paxilline (PAX), a membrane-permeable BK channel antagonist, and examined changes in cardiac conduction. ECGs revealed a 19 ± 4% PAX-induced reduction in heart rate in wild-type but not BK channel knockout (Kcnma1(-/-)) mice. The heart rate decrease was associated with slowed cardiac pacing due to elongation of the sinus interval. Action potential firing recorded from isolated sinoatrial node cells (SANCs) was reduced by 55 ± 15% and 28 ± 9% by application of PAX (3 μM) and iberiotoxin (230 nM), respectively. Furthermore, baseline firing rates from Kcnma1(-/-) SANCs were 33% lower than wild-type SANCs. The slowed firing upon BK current inhibition or genetic deletion was due to lengthening of the diastolic depolarization phase of the SANC action potential. Finally, BK channel immunoreactivity and PAX-sensitive currents were identified in SANCs with HCN4 expression and pacemaker current, respectively, and BK channels cloned from SANCs recapitulated similar activation as the PAX-sensitive current. Together, these data localize BK channels to SANCs and demonstrate that loss of BK current decreases SANC automaticity, consistent with slowed sinus pacing after PAX injection in vivo. Furthermore, these findings suggest BK channels are potential therapeutic targets for disorders of heart rate.
| S-EPMC4217012 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Ion channels are essential for the regulation of neuronal functions. The significance of plasma membrane, mitochondrial, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomal ion channels in the regulation of Ca(2+) is well established. In contrast, surprisingly little is known about the function of ion channels on the nuclear envelope (NE). Here we demonstrate the presence of functional large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium channels (BK channels) on the NE of rodent hippocampal neurons. Functionally, blockade of nuclear BK channels (nBK channels) induces NE-derived Ca(2+) release, nucleoplasmic Ca(2+) elevation and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB)-dependent transcription. More importantly, blockade of nBK channels regulates nuclear Ca(2+)-sensitive gene expression and promotes dendritic arborization in a nuclear Ca(2+)-dependent manner. These results suggest that the nBK channel functions as a molecular link between neuronal activity and nuclear Ca(2+) to convey signals from synapse to nucleus and is a new modulator, operating at the NE, of synaptic activity-dependent neuronal functions.
| S-EPMC4115017 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Gliomas are morbid brain tumors that are extremely resistant to available chemotherapy and radiology treatments. Some studies have suggested that calcium-activated potassium channels contribute to the high proliferative potential of tumor cells, including gliomas. However, other publications demonstrated no role for these channels or even assigned them antitumorogenic properties. In this work we characterized the expression and functional contribution to proliferation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels in human glioblastoma cells. Quantitative RT-PCR detected transcripts for the big conductance (BK), intermediate conductance (IK1), and small conductance (SK2) K(+) channels in two glioblastoma-derived cell lines and a surgical sample of glioblastoma multiforme. Functional expression of BK and IK1 in U251 and U87 glioma cell lines and primary glioma cultures was verified using whole-cell electrophysiological recordings. Inhibitors of BK (paxilline and penitrem A) and IK1 channels (clotrimazole and TRAM-34) reduced U251 and U87 proliferation in an additive fashion, while the selective blocker of SK channels UCL1848 had no effect. However, the antiproliferative properties of BK and IK1 inhibitors were seen at concentrations that were higher than those necessary to inhibit channel activity. To verify specificity of pharmacological agents, we downregulated BK and IK1 channels in U251 cells using gene-specific siRNAs. Although siRNA knockdowns caused strong reductions in the BK and IK1 current densities, neither single nor double gene silencing significantly affected rates of proliferation. Taken together, these results suggest that Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels do not play a critical role in proliferation of glioma cells and that the effects of pharmacological inhibitors occur through their off-target actions.
| S-EPMC2924897 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Although morphine is a gold standard medication, long-term opioid use is associated with serious side effects, such as morphine-induced hyperalgesia (MIH) and anti-nociceptive tolerance. Microglia-to-neuron signalling is critically involved in pain hypersensitivity. However, molecules that control microglial cellular state under chronic morphine treatment remain unknown. Here we show that the microglia-specific subtype of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channel is responsible for generation of MIH and anti-nociceptive tolerance. We find that, after chronic morphine administration, an increase in arachidonic acid levels through the ?-opioid receptors leads to the sole activation of microglial BK channels in the spinal cord. Silencing BK channel auxiliary ?3 subunit significantly attenuates the generation of MIH and anti-nociceptive tolerance, and increases neurotransmission after chronic morphine administration. Therefore, microglia-specific BK channels contribute to the generation of MIH and anti-nociceptive tolerance.
| S-EPMC4895018 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts is critical for the development of fibrotic disorders, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Previously, we demonstrated that fibroblasts from patients with IPF exhibit changes in DNA methylation across the genome that contribute to a profibrotic phenotype. One of the top differentially methylated genes identified in our previous study was KCNMB1, which codes for the β subunit of the large-conductance potassium (BK, also known as MaxiK or KCa1.1) channel. Here, we examined how the expression of KCNMB1 differed between IPF fibroblasts and normal cells, and how BK channels affected myofibroblast differentiation. Fibroblasts from patients with IPF exhibited increased expression of KCNMB1, which corresponded to increased DNA methylation within the gene body. Patch-clamp experiments demonstrated that IPF fibroblasts had increased BK channel activity. Knockdown of KCNMB1 attenuated the ability of fibroblasts to contract collagen gels, and this was associated with a loss of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression. Pharmacologic activation of BK channels stimulated α-SMA expression, whereas BK channel inhibitors blocked the upregulation of α-SMA. The ability of BK channels to enhance α-SMA expression was dependent on intracellular calcium, as activation of BK channels resulted in increased levels of intracellular calcium and the effects of BK agonists were abolished when calcium was removed. Together, our findings demonstrate that epigenetic upregulation of KCNMB1 contributes to increased BK channel activity in IPF fibroblasts, and identify a newfound role for BK channels in myofibroblast differentiation.
| S-EPMC6993546 | biostudies-literature