Influence of muscarinic agonists and tyrosine kinase inhibitors on L-type Ca(2+)Channels in human and bovine trabecular meshwork cells.

Trabecularmeshwork (TM), a smooth muscle-like tissue with contractile properties, is involved in the regulation of aqueous humor outflow. However, little is known about the regulation of Ca(2+)influx in trabecular meshwork cells. We investigated the influence of acetylcholine and tyrosine kinases on Ca(2+)conductances of bovine TM (BTM) and human TM (HTM) cells using the perforated-patch configuration of the patch-clamp technique and measurements of intracellular free Ca(2+)([Ca(2+)](i)). Depolarization of the cells in the presence of 10 m m Ba(2+)or Ca(2+)led to an activation of inward currents at potentials positive to -30 mV with characteristics typical of L-type Ca(2+)currents: when using 10 m m Ba(2+), maximal inward current and inactivation time constant (tau) increased; the L-type Ca(2+)channel blocker nifedipine (1 microm) reduced and the L-type Ca(2+)channel agonist BayK8644 (5 microm) enhanced maximal inward current. Acetylcholine (100 microm) and carbachol (1 microm) led to an increase in inward Ba(2+)current whereas application of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein (50 microm) and lavendustin A (20 microm) resulted in a decrease in inward current. The application of daidzein (10 microm), an inactive analog of genistein had no effect. Depolarization of the cells with 135 m m K(+)or direct stimulation of L-type channels by application of BayK 8644 led to an increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Carbachol (1 microm) induced an increase in [Ca(2+)](i)which was decreased by application of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (50 microm). We conclude that HTM and BTM cells express voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+)channels that influence intracellular Ca(2+)concentration and thus may modulate TM contractility. The activity of L-type Ca(2+)currents is influenced by muscarinic agonists and tyrosine kinases.

Involvement of protein tyrosine kinase in the InsP3-induced activation of Ca2+-dependent Cl- currents in cultured cells of the rat retinal pigment epithelium.

This combined study of patch-clamp and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) measurement was undertaken in order to identify signaling pathways that lead to activation of Ca2+-dependent Cl- channels in cultured rat retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Intracellular application of InsP3 (10 microM) led to an increase in [Ca2+]i and activation of Cl- currents. In contrast, intracellular application of Ca2+ (10 microM) only induced transient activation of Cl- currents. After full activation by InsP3, currents were insensitive to removal of extracellular Ca2+ and to the blocker of ICRAC, La3+ (10 microM), despite the fact that both maneuvers led to a decline in [Ca2+]i. The InsP3-induced rise in Cl- conductance could be prevented either by thapsigargin-induced (1 microM) depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores or by removal of Ca2+ prior to the experiment. The effect of InsP3 could be mimicked by intracellular application of the Ca2+-chelator BAPTA (10 mm). Block of PKC (chelerythrine, 1 microM) had no effect. Inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin kinase (KN-63, KN-92; 5 microM) reduced Cl--conductance in 50% of the cells investigated without affecting [Ca2+]i. Inhibition of protein tyrosine kinase (50 microM tyrphostin 51, 5 microM genistein, 5 microM lavendustin) reduced an increase in [Ca2+]i and Cl- conductance. In summary, elevation of [Ca]i by InsP3 leads to activation of Cl- channels involving cytosolic Ca2+ stores and Ca2+ influx from extracellular space. Tyrosine kinases are essential for the Ca2+-independent maintenance of this conductance.

Altered regulation of L-type channels by protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinases as a pathophysiologic effect in retinal degeneration.

The effect of protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) on L-type calcium channels in cultured retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) from rats with retinal dystrophy was investigated. Barium currents through Bay K 8644 (10(-6) M) sensitive L-type channels were measured using the patch-clamp technique. The current density of L-type currents is twice as high and the inactivation time constants are much slower than in cells from nondystrophic control rats. Application of the PTK blockers genistein, lavendustin A, and herbimycin A (all 5 x 10(-6) M) led to an increase of L-type currents. Intracellular application of pp60c-src (30 U/ml) via the patch pipette led to a transient decrease of L-type currents. The protein kinase A (PKA) and PKG blocker H9 (10(-6) M) showed no effect on L-type currents. However, the protein kinase C blocker chelerythrine (10(-5) M) reduced these currents. Up-regulation of PKC by 10(-6) M 4beta-phorbol-12 myristate-13 acetate (PMA) led to a decrease of L-type currents. Additional application of genistein led to a further decrease of these currents. However, intracellular application of pp60(c-src) in PMA-treated cells led to a transient increase of L-type currents. Investigating the calcium response to bFGF application showed that RPE cells from RCS rats used different pathways than control RPE cells to increase cytosolic free calcium. This different pathway does not involve the activation of L-type channels. The present study with RPE cells from rats with retinal dystrophy shows a changed integration of PTK and PKC in channel regulation. Considering the altered response to bFGF in RCS-RPE cells, this disturbed regulation of L-type channels by tyrosine kinases is involved in the etiology of retinal degeneration in RCS rats.

Activation of a Cl--conductance by protein kinase-dependent phosphorylation in cultured rat retinal pigment epithelial cells.

While chloride conductances are involved in signals of the electroretinogram generated by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), patch-clamp experiments of freshly isolated or cultured RPE cells have shown that potassium conductances predominate. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanisms which activate Cl--conductances in RPE cells. Membrane currents of cultured rat RPE cells were measured using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique under extra- and intracellular K+-free conditions. The bath solution was hyperosmolal to the pipette solution to prevent hypoosmotic swelling. Exchange of the physiological intracellular fluid by a pipette solution with physiological levels of ATP (2 mm) induced a continuous increase of membrane conductance. Conductance was blocked by DIDS (1 mm), and showed a reversal potential close to the Nernst potential for Cl-. When the experiments were carried out under conditions in which all cations, and not only potassium, were replaced by NMDG, the same responses could be observed. Current activation was independent of extracellular calcium. Chloride currents were also induced when ATPgammaS or AMP-PNP were used instead of ATP. In the presence of AMP-PNP currents were 10 times smaller than in the presence of ATP or ATPgammaS. In cells preincubated with staurosporine or chelerythrine no currents were induced. Establishing the whole-cell configuration with ATP and with myristoylated PKC substrate in addition, no voltage-dependent currents were activated. We conclude that ATP hydrolysis leads to activation of chloride currents via PKC in the whole-cell configuration. The perforated patch configuration, with the intracellular compartment intact, no currents were induced under otherwise identical experimental conditions. Inhibition of phosphatase by calyculin (10 nm) in the perforated-patch configuration did not change membrane conductance. In the intact cell, chloride conductance is possibly inhibited by a cytosolic factor which is washed out when the whole-cell configuration is established.