Abstract
1. Vascular smooth muscle cells were isolated from the coronary artery of the guinea-pig. At 2.5 mM [Ca2+]o and 36 degrees C, whole cell membrane currents were recorded under voltage-clamp and the concentration of ionized calcium in the cytoplasm ([Ca2+]i) was monitored by indo-1 fluorescence. 2. At -60 mV, [Ca2+]i was 143 +/- 36 mM (mean +/- S.D.) and was insensitive to clamp steps to +100 mV. During 1 min application of acetylcholine (ACh, 10 microM) [Ca2+]i increased within approximately 2 s to 1480 +/- 250 nM. During the subsequent slow decay, [Ca2+]i was transiently increased by depolarizing clamp steps and decreased during hyperpolarizing steps. [Ca2+]i transients in response to caffeine (10 mM) could not be modulated by voltage steps. The results suggest that modulation of [Ca2+]i by membrane potential involves inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3)-induced Ca2+ release (IICR). 3. Modulation of IICR by membrane potential did not depend on sarcolemmal Ca2+ fluxes; it persisted after block of sarcolemmal Ca2+ fluxes with 3 mM lanthanum or after a change to nominally Ca(2+)-free bathing solutions. 4. Modulation of [Ca2+]i by membrane potential was recorded during cell dialysis of 50 microM GTP-gamma-S in the absence of ACh. Cell dialysis of exogenous Ins(1,4,5)P3 (50 or 100 microM) did not mimic the effects. The sensitivity of [Ca2+]i to depolarizing clamp steps was also induced by cell dialysis of lithium ions which, presumably, inhibited the breakdown of Ins(1,4,5)P3. The results are compatible with the idea that the membrane potential modulates the liberation of Ins(1,4,5)P3. 5. Modulation of IICR by membrane potential is discussed as a new mechanism that contributes to the regulation of activator calcium and to the modulation of contraction in vascular smooth muscle cells.