The smooth muscle cell-restricted KCNMB1 ion channel subunit is a direct transcriptional target of serum response factor and myocardin.

ABSTRACT: Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (MaxiK) channels play a pivotal role in maintaining normal arterial tone by regulating the excitation-contraction coupling process. MaxiK channels comprise alpha and beta subunits encoded by Kcnma and the cell-restricted Kcnmb genes, respectively. Although the functionality of MaxiK channel subunits has been well studied, the molecular regulation of their transcription and modulation in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is incomplete. Using several model systems, we demonstrate down-regulation of Kcnmb1 mRNA upon SMC phenotypic modulation in vitro and in vivo. As part of a broad effort to define all functional CArG elements in the genome (i.e. the CArGome), we discovered two conserved CArG boxes located in the proximal promoter and first intron of the

SUBMITTER: Long X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2785209 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature