Endothelin-1 induces intracellular [Ca2+] increase via Ca2+ influx through the L-type Ca2+ channel, Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release and a pathway involving ETA receptors, PKC, PKA and AT1 receptors in cardiomyocytes

Using fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester (AM) fluorescence imaging and patch clamp techniques, we found that endothelin-1 (ET-1) significantly elevated the intracellular calcium level (Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner and activated the L-type Ca2+ channel in cardiomyocytes isolated from rats. The effect of ET-1 on Ca2+]i elevation was abolished in the presence of the ETA receptor blocker BQ123, but was not affected by the ETB receptor blocker BQ788. ET-1-induced an increase in Ca2+]i, which was inhibited 46.7% by pretreatment with a high concentration of ryanodine (10 μmol/L), a blocker of the ryanodine receptor. The ET-1-induced Ca2+]i increase was also inhibited by the inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC) and angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1 receptor). We found that ET-1 induced an enhancement of the amplitude of the whole cell L-type Ca2+ channel current and an increase of open-state probability (NPo) of an L-type single Ca2+ channel. BQ123 completely blocked the ET-1-induced increase in calcium channel open-state probability. In this study we demonstrated that ET-1 regulates calcium overload through a series of mechanisms that include L-type Ca2+ channel activation and Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR). ETA receptors, PKC, PKA and AT1 receptors may also contribute to this pathway. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 200830870910).