Abstract
The cerebral arteries of hypertensive rats are depolarized and highly myogenic, suggesting a loss of K+ channels in the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The present study evaluated whether the dilator function of the prominent Shaker-type voltage-gated K+ (KV1) channels is attenuated in middle cerebral arteries from two rat models of hypertension. Block of KV1 channels by correolide (1 μmol/l) or psora-4 (100 nmol/l) reduced the resting diameter of pressurized (80 mmHg) cerebral arteries from normotensive rats by an average of 28 ± 3% or 26 ± 3%, respectively. In contrast, arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and aortic-banded (Ao-B) rats with chronic hypertension showed enhanced Ca2+-dependent tone and failed to significantly constrict to correolide or psora-4, implying a loss of KV1 channel-mediated vasodilation. Patch-clamp studies in the VSMCs of SHR confirmed that the peak K+ current density attributed to KV1 channels averaged only 5.47 ± 1.03 pA/pF, compared with 9.58 ± 0.82 pA/pF in VSMCs of control Wistar-Kyoto rats. Subsequently, Western blots revealed a 49 ± 7% to 66 ± 7% loss of the pore-forming α1.2- and α1.5-subunits that compose KV1 channels in cerebral arteries of SHR and Ao-B rats compared with control animals. In each case, the deficiency of KV1 channels was associated with reduced mRNA levels encoding either or both α-subunits. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that a deficit of α1.2- and α1.5- subunits results in a reduced contribution of KV1 channels to the resting diameters of cerebral arteries from two rat models of hypertension that originate from different etiologies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | H293-H303 |
Journal | American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology |
Volume | 297 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2009 |
Keywords
- Cerebral arteries
- Hypertension
- Potassium channels
- Vascular smooth muscle
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
- Physiology (medical)