Cell-cycle-dependent regulation of Ca2+-activated K+ channel in Jurkat T-lymphocyte.

Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK2) channel plays an important role in the activation of Jurkat T-lymphocytes by maintaining electrical gradients for the sustained Ca2+ influx. Apamin-sensitive K+ current was significantly decreased with cell-cycle progression from G0/G1 into G2/M phases, and protein expression of SK2 channels showed parallel down-regulation, with its highest expression at early G0/G1 phase. In the G0/G1 phase, the apamin-sensitive component of thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ influx was significantly larger than that in the G2/M phase. These observations suggest that SK2-channel activation may largely contribute to the sustained Ca2+ influx in the G0/G1 phase in comparison of that in the G2/M phase in Jurkat T-lymphocytes.