Cholesterol increases the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel current in arterial smooth muscle cells.

To determine whether membrane free cholesterol affects calcium currents in vascular smooth muscle cells, whole-cell patch clamp recordings were made before and after cholesterol enrichment of cells by exposure to cholesterol-rich liposomes. Exposure to cholesterol-rich liposomes resulted in a gradual increase in the L-type current over 20 hours and a plateau (73 +/- 7% increase over basal) between 20 and 32 hours. This effect was associated with a rightward shift in the inactivation potential and a decrease in the sensitivity to (-)-PN-202-791, a dihydropyridine antagonist. There was no change in the maximum L-type current stimulated by (+)-PN-202-791, a dihydropyridine agonist. Liposome exposure caused a small, transient increase in the T-type current (peak effect, 20 minutes). We conclude that membrane cholesterol has important effects on the L-type calcium current in vascular smooth muscle cells, which is most likely due to an alteration in channel functional state rather than an increase in channel expression.