Nonselective cation currents regulate membrane potential of rabbit coronary arterial cell: modulation by lysophosphatidylcholine.

BACKGROUND The effects of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) on electrophysiological activities and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were investigated in coronary arterial smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). METHODS AND RESULTS The patch clamp techniques and Ca2+ measurements were applied to cultured rabbit CASMCs. The membrane potential was -46.0+/-5.0 mV, and LPC depolarized it. Replacement of extracellular Na+ with NMDG+ hyperpolarized the membrane and antagonized the depolarizing effects of LPC. In Na+-, K+-, or Cs+-containing solution, the voltage-independent background current with reversal potential (E(r)) of approximately +0 mV was observed. Removal of Cl- failed to affect it. When extracellular cations were replaced by NMDG+, E(r) was shifted to negative potentials. La3+ and Gd3+ abolished the background current, but nicardipine and verapamil did not inhibit it. In Na+-containing solution, LPC induced a voltage-independent current with E(r) of approximately +0 mV concentration-dependently. Similar current was recorded in K+- and Cs+-containing solution. La3+ and Gd3+ inhibited LPC-induced current, but nicardipine and verapamil did not inhibit it. In cell-attached configurations, single-channel activities with single-channel conductance of approximately 32pS were observed when patch pipettes were filled with LPC. LPC increased [Ca2+]i as the result of Ca2+ influx, and La3+ completely antagonized it. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that (1) nonselective cation current (I(NSC)) contributes to form membrane potentials of CASMCs and (2) LPC activates I(NSC), resulting in an increase of [Ca2+]i. Thus, LPC may affect CASMC tone under various pathophysiological conditions such as ischemia.