1. Novel Pannexin-1-Coupled Signaling Cascade Involved in the Control of Endothelial Cell Function and NO-Dependent Relaxation
- Author
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Inés Poblete, Pablo S. Gaete, Mariela Puebla, Xavier F. Figueroa, Pía C Burboa, and Mauricio A. Lillo
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Male ,Aging ,Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ,Article Subject ,Vasodilation ,Nerve Tissue Proteins ,Tetrodotoxin ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,Nitric Oxide ,Biochemistry ,Connexins ,Membrane Potentials ,Rats, Sprague-Dawley ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Superoxides ,medicine ,Animals ,Calcium Signaling ,Phosphorylation ,Mesenteries ,Membrane potential ,Mibefradil ,QH573-671 ,Chemistry ,Endothelial Cells ,NADPH Oxidases ,Depolarization ,Cell Biology ,General Medicine ,Arteries ,Hyperpolarization (biology) ,Pannexin ,Endothelial stem cell ,030104 developmental biology ,Biophysics ,Vascular Resistance ,Calcium Channels ,Cytology ,Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ,medicine.drug ,Research Article ,Signal Transduction ,Subcellular Fractions - Abstract
Deletion of pannexin-1 (Panx-1) leads not only to a reduction in endothelium-derived hyperpolarization but also to an increase in NO-mediated vasodilation. Therefore, we evaluated the participation of Panx-1-formed channels in the control of membrane potential and [Ca2+]i of endothelial cells. Changes in NO-mediated vasodilation, membrane potential, superoxide anion (O2⋅–) formation, and endothelial cell [Ca2+]i were analyzed in rat isolated mesenteric arterial beds and primary cultures of mesenteric endothelial cells. Inhibition of Panx-1 channels with probenecid (1 mM) or the Panx-1 blocking peptide 10Panx (60 μM) evoked an increase in the ACh (100 nM)-induced vasodilation of KCl-contracted mesenteries and in the phosphorylation level of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) at serine 1177 (P-eNOSS1177) and Akt at serine 473 (P-AktS473). In addition, probenecid or 10Panx application activated a rapid, tetrodotoxin (TTX, 300 nM)-sensitive, membrane potential depolarization and [Ca2+]i increase in endothelial cells. Interestingly, the endothelial cell depolarization was converted into a transient spike after removing Ca2+ ions from the buffer solution and in the presence of 100 μM mibefradil or 10 μM Ni2+. As expected, Ni2+ also abolished the increment in [Ca2+]i. Expression of Nav1.2, Nav1.6, and Cav3.2 isoforms of voltage-dependent Na+ and Ca2+ channels was confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, the Panx-1 channel blockade was associated with an increase in O2⋅– production. Treatment with 10 μM TEMPOL or 100 μM apocynin prevented the increase in O2⋅– formation, ACh-induced vasodilation, P-eNOSS1177, and P-AktS473 observed in response to Panx-1 inhibition. These findings indicate that the Panx-1 channel blockade triggers a novel complex signaling pathway initiated by the sequential activation of TTX-sensitive Nav channels and Cav3.2 channels, leading to an increase in NO-mediated vasodilation through a NADPH oxidase-dependent P-eNOSS1177, which suggests that Panx-1 may be involved in the endothelium-dependent control of arterial blood pressure.
- Published
- 2021