Inhibition of cAMP mediated relaxation in rat coronary vessels by block of Ca++ activated K+ channels

The hypothesis for this study is that block of calcium activated potassium (KCa) channels inhibits cAMP induced relaxation in pressurized rat coronary resistance arteries. Pressure-diameter experiments with septal arteries (200-270 microns internal diameter at 60 mmHg and maximum dilation) showed significant basal tone over a range of pressure from 40-120 mmHg. The level of tone was increased with the thromboxane A2 analogue 9,11-dideoxy-11 alpha, 9 alpha-epoxy-methanoprostaglandin F2 alpha (U46619) in all experiments. Receptor activation of the cAMP pathway was done with adenosine (ADO) and isoproterenol (ISO). Tetraethylammonium ion (TEA+), 1mM, significantly inhibited relaxation to ADO (10(-6)-10(-3)M) with a maximal inhibition of 75 +/- 7% (as a % of maximum diameter change with the vasodilator alone) at 10(-3)M ADO. TEA+ inhibited ISO (10(-6)M) relaxation by 63 +/- 9%. Direct activation of the cAMP pathway was done with forskolin and 8-bromo-cAMP. TEA+ significantly inhibited forskolin (10(-6)-10(-4)M) induced relaxation with a maximal inhibition of 81.3 +/- 1.2% at 10(-4)M forskolin. TEA+ and iberiotoxin (10(-7)M) significantly inhibited 8- bromo-cAMP (10(-3)M) induced relaxation by 72 +/- 5% and 56 +/- 3% respectively. The effect of TEA+ on relaxation induced by nitroprusside (a cGMP dependent vasodilator) was not significant. The results show that rat coronary resistance arteries possess significant myogenic tone and modulation of Kca channels plays a major role in cAMP mediated relaxation.