Nitric oxide (NO.) is believed to mediate nitrovasodilators and acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation via increasing intracellular guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels. The cellular mechanisms involved in No.-mediated pulmonary vasodilatation are complex and include membrane hyperpolarization. Using the patch-clamp technique in cell-attached and inside-out configurations, we examined the effect of NO. gas, 3-morpholinosydnomimine hydrochloride (SIN-1), and perfusate from ACh-stimulated human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells, or endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF), on the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ (KCa) channels in isolated cultured human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPSMC). NO., SIN-1, and EDRF caused similar increases in KCa channel activity. Inhibiting cGMP generation with methylene blue or inhibiting the effect(s) of cGMP with the cGMP antagonist 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate Rp isomer Rp-cGMPS prevented the NO.- and SIN-1-mediated activation of KCa channels, respectively. Treating the human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells with methylene blue blocked the EDRF-mediated activation of KCa channels in HPSMC. The cGMP analogue 8-bromo-cGMP increased KCa channel activity in intact cells and in excised inside-out HPSMC membrane patches. In the presence of cGMP and ATP, the alpha-isozyme of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (I alpha-cGMP-PK) significantly increased KCa channel activity, and the channel activation was further increased on addition of the protein phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and calyculin A. Furthermore, the cGMP-mediated KCa channel activation was reduced by the cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase inhibitor N-[2-methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinlinesulfonamide (H-8). Thus, in HPSMC, the mechanism of NO.- and native EDRF-induced KCa channel activation appears to be mediated via cGMP-I alpha-cGMP-PK phosphorylation of KCa channels.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of the naturally occurring hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPVC) in isolated ferret lungs and on K+ currents in isolated and cultured ferret pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (FPSMCs). Severe alveolar hypoxia (3% O2-5% CO2-92% N2) caused an initial increase in pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) that was followed by a reversal in pulmonary hypertension. Maintaining alveolar hypoxia caused a sustained secondary increase in Ppa. Pretreating the lungs with the K+-channel inhibitor tetraethylammonium (TEA) caused a small increase in baseline Ppa, potentiated HPVC, and prevented the reversal of HPVC during the sustained alveolar hypoxia. Treating the lungs with DHEA caused a near-complete reversal of HPVC in control lungs and in lungs that were pretreated with TEA. DHEA also reversed the KCl-induced increase in Ppa. In FPSMCs, DHEA caused an adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate- and guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate-independent increase in activity of the Ca2+-activated K+(KCa) current. In a cell-attached configuration, DHEA caused a mean shift of −22 mV in the voltage-dependent activation of the KCa channel. We conclude that DHEA is a novel KCa-channel opener of the pulmonary vasculature.

We investigated the effects of chronic hypoxia on the major outward K+ currents in early cultured human main pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPSMC). Unitary currents were measured from inside-out, outside-out, and cell-attached patches of HPSMC. Chronic hypoxia depolarized resting membrane potential (Em) and reduced the activity of a charybdotoxin (CTX)- and iberiotoxin-sensitive, Ca2+-dependent K+ channel (KCa). The 4-aminopyridine-sensitive and CTX-insensitive channel or the delayed rectifier K+ channel was unaffected by chronic hypoxia. Chronic hypoxia caused a +33- to +53-mV right shift in voltage-dependent activation of K(Ca) and a decrease in K(Ca) activity at all cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in the range of 0.1-10 microM. Thus the hypoxia-induced decrease in K(Ca) activity was most likely due to a decrease in K(Ca) sensitivity to Em and [Ca2+]i. Chronic hypoxia reduced the ability of nitric oxide (NO.) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) to activate K(Ca). The cGMP-dependent protein kinase-induced activation of K(Ca) was also significantly inhibited by chronic hypoxia. In addition, inhibiting channel dephosphorylation with calyculin A caused significantly less increase in K(Ca) activity in membrane patches excised from chronically hypoxic HPSMC compared with normoxic controls. This suggests that the mechanism by which hypoxia modulates NO.-induced K(Ca) activation is by decreasing the NO./cGMP-mediated phosphorylation of the channel.

In this study, we investigated the role of Na+/H+ antiport in regulating cytosolic (intracellular) pH (pHi) in isolated and cultured ferret pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PSMC). We also studied the effects of modulating pHi on the cytosolic (intracellular) calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the PSMC and on the pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) of isolated ferret lungs. pHi was modulated by the NH4Cl washout method. To eliminate the contribution of Cl-/HCO3- exchangers, the PSMC and isolated lungs were perfused in HCO3- free buffer. Blocking the Na+/H+ antiporter decreased baseline pHi and prevented the recovery from NH4Cl washout-induced intracellular acidosis. Intracellular alkalinization caused an initial transient increase in both [Ca2+]i and Ppa that were dependent on extracellular Ca2+ entry. Maintaining cytosolic alkalinization caused another increase in Ppa that was not associated with an increase in [Ca2+]i. Intracellular acidosis also caused an increase in [Ca2+]i and Ppa. The cytosolic acidosis-induced increase in [Ca2+]i and Ppa were mediated by both extracellular Ca2+ influx and release of stored intracellular Ca2+. Cytosolic acidosis also appears to have a direct effect on the smooth muscle contractile elements. Both cytosolic alkalosis and acidosis increased vascular reactivity.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPVC) is mediated, in part, via membrane depolarization and inhibition of K+ channels. We recently observed that the naturally occurring steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reversed and prevented HPVC in isolated perfused and ventilated ferret lungs. In the current study, we investigated the effects of DHEA on the major K+ channels of chronically hypoxic human pulmonary smooth-muscle cells (HPSMC). K+ channels were recorded by using the patch-clamp technique in whole-cell and single-channel configurations. Single-channel recordings were performed in inside-out and outside-out excised patches, and in intact HPSMC in cell-attached configuration. Using whole-cell current recording, chronic hypoxia decreased the high-amplitude, high-noise, and charybdotoxin-sensitive Ca2+-dependent K+ channels (KCa). DHEA reversed the effect of chronic hypoxia on KCa, but had no effect on the low-amplitude, low-noise, and 4-aminopyridine-sensitive delayed rectifying K+ channels. In the cell-attached configuration, chronic hypoxia caused a decrease in KCa sensitivity to membrane potential (Em). DHEA reversed the effect of hypoxia on KCa sensitivity to Em and caused a mean of 40-mV left shift in voltage-dependent activation of KCa. DHEA increased KCa activation from both sides of membrane patches of hypoxic HPSMC via a cyclic adenosine monophosphate- and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-independent pathway. We concluded that DHEA is a novel KCa opener of the human pulmonary vasculature.