Effects of a phorbol ester and staurosporine on electro- and pharmacomechanical coupling in a resistance artery.

We examined the role of protein kinase-C in contractile responses of small arteries of the rat by stimulating and inhibiting protein kinase-C with phorbol myristate acetate and staurosporine, respectively. The experiments were performed in isolated mesenteric resistance arteries that had been sympathectomized and mounted for recording of isometric force development. Phorbol myristate acetate (i) at concentrations lower than 3 nM increased sensitivity for the contractile effect of potassium, but not for the effect of noradrenaline or BAY-K8644, (ii) at concentrations higher than 30 nM increased the sensitivity of depolarized vessels to extracellular calcium and (iii) at concentrations higher than 30 nM induced a contractile effect that depended on the presence of extracellular calcium and that was reduced by the calcium antagonist felodipine. Neither the phorbol ester nor staurosporine affected contractile responses to caffeine in calcium-free solution. Staurosporine (10 nM) reduced the response of resistance arteries to potassium but not to noradrenaline. These results are in agreement with direct observations by others that protein kinase-C plays a role in the activation of voltage-operated calcium channels. Protein kinase-C could participate in this way in electro-mechanical coupling in resistance arterial smooth muscle and, when strongly activated, sensitize the contractile apparatus to calcium.