AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 263, Issue 6 C1160-C1171, Copyright © 1992 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Negative-feedback regulation of excitation-contraction coupling in gastric smooth muscle

H. Ozaki, L. Zhang, I. L. Buxton, K. M. Sanders and N. G. Publicover
Department of Physiology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno 89557.

The role of phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover in excitation-contraction coupling was investigated in canine antral smooth muscle. Acetylcholine (ACh; 0.1-1 microM) transiently increased tissue levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and increased the amplitudes of the plateau phase of slow waves and associated Ca2+ transients and phasic contractions. ACh also increased basal concentrations of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c), but these changes were not associated with an increase in resting tension. ATP (0.3 mM) had similar effects on Ins(1,4,5)P3 levels, basal [Ca2+]c, and resting tension. However, in contrast to the effects of ACh, ATP transiently reduced the amplitude of the plateau phase of slow waves and reduced the amplitudes of associated Ca2+ transients and phasic contractions. We investigated the possibility that two products of PI turnover, diacylglycerol (DAG) and Ins(1,4,5)P3, might provide negative feedback to regulate Ca2+ entry during slow waves. 1) DAG is known to activate protein kinase C (PKC). Activation of PKC by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu, 0.5 microM) reduced the amplitude of the plateau phase of slow waves and corresponding Ca2+ transients and phasic contractions. Assay of PKC showed that ACh, ATP, and PDBu stimulated enzyme activity. 2) Ins(1,4,5)P3 is known to increase [Ca2+]c by release of Ca2+ from internal stores. Basal [Ca2+]c was also increased by elevated external K+, ionomycin, thapsigargin, or caffeine. Each of these compounds reduced the amplitude and duration of slow waves. Results suggest that products of PI turnover may provide negative-feedback control of Ca2+ influx during slow waves, tending to reduce the amplitude of phasic contractile activity in gastric muscles. Differences in responses to ACh and ATP can be explained by a G protein-dependent mechanism in which ACh suppresses the voltage dependence of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels.