Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (BKCa) α-subunit splice variants in resistance arteries from rat cerebral and skeletal muscle vasculature.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies report functional differences in large conductance Ca2+ activated-K+ channels (BKCa) of smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from rat cerebral and cremaster muscle resistance arteries. The present studies aimed to determine if this complexity in BKCa activity may, in part, be due to splice variants in the pore-forming α-subunit. BKCa variants in the intracellular C terminus of the α-subunit, and their relative expression to total α-subunit, were examined by qPCR. Sequencing of RT-PCR products showed two α-subunit variants, ZERO and STREX, to be identical in cremaster and cerebral arteries. Levels of STREX mRNA expression were, however, significantly higher in cremaster VSMCs (28.9±4.2% of total α-BKCa) compared with cerebral vessels (16.5±0.9%). Further, a low level of BKCa SS4 α-su

SUBMITTER: Nourian Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4055454 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature