Endothelin-1 induces intracellular [Ca2+] increase via Ca2+ influx through the L-type Ca2+ channel, Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release and a pathway involving ETA receptors, PKC, PKA and AT1 receptors in cardiomyocytes

Abstract

Using fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester (AM) fluorescence imaging and patch clamp techniques, we found that endothelin-1 (ET-1) significantly elevated the intracellular calcium level ([Ca(2+)](i)) in a dose-dependent manner and activated the L-type Ca(2+) channel in cardiomyocytes isolated from rats. The effect of ET-1 on [Ca(2+)](i) elevation was abolished in the presence of the ET(A) receptor blocker BQ123, but was not affected by the ET(B) receptor blocker BQ788. ET-1-induced an increase in [Ca(2+)](i), which was inhibited 46.7% by pretreatment with a high concentration of ryanodine (10 micromol/L), a blocker of the ryanodine receptor. The ET-1-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase was also inhibited by the inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC) and angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1 receptor). We found that ET-1 induced an enhancement of the amplitude of the whole cell L-type Ca(2+) channel current and an increase of open-state probability (NPo) of an L-type single Ca(2+) channel. BQ123 completely blocked the ET-1-induced increase in calcium channel open-state probability. In this study we demonstrated that ET-1 regulates calcium overload through a series of mechanisms that include L-type Ca(2+) channel activation and Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR). ETA receptors, PKC, PKA and AT1 receptors may also contribute to this pathway.