Involvement of phrixotoxin-2 sensitive KV4 family of potassium channels in the relaxation mediated by resveratrol in human saphenous vein from diabetic patients

Abstract

Background and Aims: Resveratrol (RSV), a valuable plant polyphenol, causes relaxation of blood vessels acting mainly through different vascular potassium (K) channels. However, the expression of many types K channels is compromised in pathological conditions affecting systemic vasculature, like diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2). Previously, it was shown that voltage-gated potassium (KV) channels are involved in the RSV- mediated relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) of diabetic patients. Since the vascular SMCs express several different members of KV channels, we wanted to investigate whether family of KV4.x, specifically KV4.2 and KV4.3 channels, are involved in the RSV relaxation of the human saphenous vein (HSV) from diabetic patients.