Bladder urothelium plays an active role in response to bacterial infection. There is little known about the electrophysiological activity in urothelial cells in this process. We used a nonenzymatic method to isolate bladder urothelial tissue and to patch clamp umbrella cells in situ. A 200 pS conductance potassium (K) channel was detected from female C57BL6 mice. Of 58 total patches, 17.2% patches displayed the 200 pS K conductance channel. This K conductance channel showed Ca sensitivity and voltage dependence. Specific big-conductance potassium channel (BK) inhibitors (paxilline, iberiotoxin) blocked the 200 pS K conductance channel activity. RT-PCR and immunoblot confirmed BK channel pore-forming α-subunit (BK-α) mRNA and protein in urothelium. Immunohistochemistry also showed the BK-α located in urothelium. The above data provided evidence that the 200 pS K conductance channel was a BK channel. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of uropathogenic Escherichia coli, was used to investigate the role of BK channel in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection. BK channel activity as NP increased threefold within 30 min of exposure to LPS. mRNAs for LPS receptors (TLR4, CD14, MD-2) were expressed in the urothelium but not in lamina propria or detrusor. Blockade of the receptors by an antagonist (polymyxin B) abrogated LPS's effect on BK channel. The involvement of protein kinase A (PKA) on BK channel activity was demonstrated by applying PKA blockers (H89 and PKI). Both PKA inhibitors abolished the BK channel activity induced by LPS. In conclusion, BK channel was identified in bladder umbrella cells, and its activity was significantly increased by LPS.

Urothelium and mBUC secreted GM-CSF as an early response to LPS. GM-CSF mediated downstream expression of VEGF and COX-2. Urothelial GM-CSF may function as a signaling mediator for both inflammation and pain transduction. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:1020-1025, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The open probability of calcium-activated voltage-gated potassium channel (BK channel) on bladder umbrella urothelial cells is increased by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is hypothesized that this channel’s activity is important in the urothelial innate immune response during urinary tract infection (UTI). We performed in vivo studies using female C57BL/6 mice whose bladders were inoculated with LPS (150 μl of 1 mg/ml) or uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC, UTI89), without and with intravesical BK inhibitor iberiotoxin (IBTX, 1 μM). Inflammatory biomarkers (chemokines and cytokines) were measured in urine specimens collected 2 h after inoculation using a 32-multiplex ELISA. Of these 32 biomarkers, 19 and 15 were significantly elevated 2 h after LPS and UPEC exposure, respectively. IBTX significantly abrogated the elevations of 15 out of 19 biomarkers after LPS inoculation and 12 out of 15 biomarkers after UPEC inoculation. In a separate experiment, qPCR for IL-6, interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (CXCL10), and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (CXCL2) in urothelium paralleled the changes measured in urine of these same biomarkers, supporting that urinary changes in biomarker levels reflected urothelial expression changes. These in vivo data demonstrated that BK channel activity is crucial in the urothelial host innate immune response, as measured by changes in urinary biomarkers, in UTI pathogenesis.

OVX mice persisted with increased voiding frequency after LPS. Urothelial genes that could mediate this voiding behavior include IL6, COX-2, and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase.

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