Bremerich, Dorothee H.

We studied in β-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle (CTSM) the effect of the protein kinase C (PKC) agonist phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) on isometric force at a constant submaximal Ca2+concentration (i.e., the effect on Ca2+sensitivity) and regulatory myosin light-chain (rMLC) phosphorylation. PDBu increased Ca2+sensitivity, an increase associated with a concentration-dependent, sustained increase in rMLC phosphorylation. PDBu altered the relationship between rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force such that the increase in isometric force was less than that expected for the increase in rMLC phosphorylation observed. The effect of four PKC inhibitors [calphostin C, chelerythrine chloride, a pseudosubstrate inhibitor for PKC, PKC peptide-(19—31) (PSSI), and staurosporine] on PDBu-induced Ca2+sensitization as well as the effect of calphostin C and PSSI on rMLC phosphorylation were determined. Whereas none of these compounds prevented or reversed the PDBu-induced increase in Ca2+sensitivity, the PDBu-induced increase in rMLC phosphorylation was inhibited. We conclude that PDBu increases rMLC phosphorylation by activation of PKC but that the associated PDBu-induced increases in Ca2+sensitivity are mediated by mechanisms other than activation of PKC in permeabilized airway smooth muscle.

Muscarinic receptor stimulation increases Ca2+sensitivity, i.e., the amount of force produced at a constant submaximal cytosolic Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i), in permeabilized smooth muscle preparations. It is controversial whether this increase in Ca2+sensitivity is in part mediated by protein kinase C (PKC). With the use of a β-escin permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle (CTSM) preparation, the effect of four putative PKC inhibitors {calphostin C, chelerythrine chloride, a pseudosubstrate inhibitor for PKC [PKC peptide-(19—31)], and staurosporine} on Ca2+sensitization induced by acetylcholine (ACh) plus GTP was determined. Preincubation with each of the inhibitors did not affect subsequent Ca2+sensitization induced by muscarinic receptor stimulation in the presence of a constant submaximal [Ca2+]i, neither did any of these compounds reverse the increase in Ca2+sensitivity induced by ACh plus GTP. Administration of a 1,2-diacylglycerol analog, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl- sn-glycerol, did not induce Ca2+sensitization at a constant submaximal [Ca2+]i. Thus we found no evidence that PKC mediates increases in Ca2+sensitivity produced by muscarinic receptor stimulation in permeabilized CTSM.

Agonist-induced increases in CA2+ sensitivity are mediated in part by mechanisms that increase phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chain (rMLC) at constant cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The current study tested the hypothesis that halothane inhibits acetylcholine (ACh)-induced potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation in beta-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle. ACh plus GTP significantly potentiated the increase in isometric force and rMLC phosphorylation induced by 0.8 microM free Ca2+. However, whereas the potentiation of isometric force was sustained, the potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation was biphasic, peaking at 0.5 min and then declining by approximately 10 min to a steady-state level significantly above that induced by 0.8 microM free Ca2+ alone. This finding suggests that mechanisms in addition to changes in rMLC phosphorylation may mediate ACh-induced Ca2+ sensitization, as has been reported for vascular smooth muscle. Halothane (0.91 +/- 0.10 mM) significantly inhibited ACh plus GTP-induced potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force after 2 (peak rMLC phosphorylation) and 15 (steady-state rMLC phosphorylation) min of stimulation. However, the effect of halothane on the potentiation of isometric force was significantly less than that expected from its effect on rMLC phosphorylation (i.e., halothane changed the relationship between rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force). These results demonstrate that halothane inhibits the ACh-induced increase in Ca2+ sensitivity by inhibiting the membrane receptor-coupled mechanisms that increase rMLC phosphorylation at constant submaximal [Ca2+]i. Possible additional effects of halothane on rMLC phosphorylation-independent mechanisms cannot be ruled out.

This study used a beta-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle preparation to test the hypothesis that the volatile anesthetic halothane decreases myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity by inhibiting the membrane receptor-linked second messenger systems that regulate myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity and not by inhibiting Ca(2+)-calmodulin activation of the contractile proteins. Acetylcholine (ACh) caused a GTP-dependent increase in force at constant submaximal cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. ACh, guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), and the protein kinase C agonist 12,13-phorbol dibutyrate each significantly decreased the concentration of free Ca2+ producing a half-maximal response from 0.77 +/- 0.09 microM (Ca2+ alone) to 0.16 +/- 0.01, 0.19 +/- 0.02, and 0.37 +/- 0.03 microM, respectively, demonstrating an increase in myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity. Halothane (0.92 +/- 0.12 mM) had no effect on the free Ca2+ concentration-response curves generated by Ca2+ alone. However, in the presence of 3 microM ACh plus 10 microM GTP to maximally activate muscarinic receptors, halothane significantly increased the EC50 for free Ca2+ from 0.17 +/- 0.01 microM to 0.38 +/- 0.03 microM. These findings suggest that halothane decreases myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity in beta-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle by inhibiting the membrane receptor-linked second messenger systems that regulate myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity.