Calcitonin gene-related peptide activates the K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle cells via adenylate cyclase.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle cells. Cultured smooth muscle cells from a porcine coronary artery were studied using the patch-clamp technique. Extracellular application of 100 nM CGRP activated two types of K+ channels, the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel (KCa channel) and the ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP channel) in cell-attached patch configurations. In cells pretreated with Rp-cAMPS, a membrane-permeable inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), extracellular application of 100 nM CGRP could not activate the KCa or KATP channel, indicating that the activation of the K+ channels by CGRP occurs in connection with PKA. In the cell-attached patch configurations, extracellular application of 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP, a membrane permeable cAMP, activated KCa and KATP channels. In inside-out patch configurations, application of PKA to the cytosolic side activated both the KCa and KATP channels. These results indicate that CGRP modulates the K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle cells via adenylate cyclase, i.e., cAMP-PKA pathway, and contributes to control of vascular tone.