Purinergic receptors play an important role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells that regulate GI smooth muscle activity. We studied the functional roles of external adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) on pacemaker activity in cultured ICCs from mouse small intestines by using the whole-cell patch clamp technique and intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]ᵢ) imaging. External ATP dose-dependently depolarized the resting membrane and produced tonic inward pacemaker currents, and these effects were antagonized by suramin, a purinergic P2 receptor antagonist. ATP-induced effects on pacemaker currents were suppressed by an external Na⁺-free solution and inhibited by the nonselective cation channel blockers, flufenamic acid and niflumic acid. The removal of external Ca²⁺ or treatment with thapsigargin (inhibitor of Ca²⁺ uptake into endoplasmic reticulum) inhibited the ATP-induced effects on pacemaker currents. Spontaneous [Ca²⁺]ᵢ oscillations were enhanced by external ATP. These results suggest that external ATP modulates pacemaker activity by activating nonselective cation channels via external Ca²⁺ influx and [Ca²⁺]ᵢ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, it seems that activating the purinergic P2 receptor may modulate GI motility by acting on ICCs in the small intestine.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Flufenamic Acid ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; Intestine, Small ; Membranes ; Mice ; Muscle, Smooth ; Niflumic Acid ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Receptors, Purinergic ; Receptors, Purinergic P2 ; Suramin ; Thapsigargin

The effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on pacemaker activities of cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) from murine small intestine were investigated using whole-cell patch-clamp technique at 30degrees C and Ca2+ image analysis. ICC generated spontaneous pacemaker currents at a holding potential of -70 mV. The treatment of ICC with EGCG resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the frequency and amplitude of pacemaker currents. SQ-22536, an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, and ODQ, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, did not inhibit the effects of EGCG. EGCG-induced effects on pacemaker currents were not inhibited by glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker and TEA, a Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker. Also, we found that EGCG inhibited the spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in cultured ICC. In conclusion, EGCG inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC and reduced [Ca2+]i oscillations by cAMP-, cGMP-, ATP-sensitive K+channel-independent manner.
Adenine ; Adenylyl Cyclases ; Animals ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Glyburide ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; Intestine, Small ; Mice ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Tea

In this study, we studied whether hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has an effect on the pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), in the small intestine of mice. The actions of H2S on pacemaker activity were investigated using whole-cell patch-clamp technique, intracellular Ca2+ analysis at 30degrees C and RT-PCR in cultured mouse intestinal ICC. Exogenously applied sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS), a donor of hydrogen sulfide, caused a slight tonic inward current on pacemaker activity in ICC at low concentrations (50 and 100 micrometer), but at high concentration (500 micrometer and 1 mM) it seemed to cause light tonic inward currents and then inhibited pacemaker amplitude and pacemaker frequency, and also an increase in the resting currents in the outward direction. Glibenclamide or other potassium channel blockers (TEA, BaCl2, apamin or 4-aminopydirine) did not have an effect on NaHS-induced action in ICC. The exogenous application of carbonilcyanide p-triflouromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and thapsigargin also inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC as NaHS. Also, we found NaHS inhibited the spontaneous intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) oscillations in cultured ICC. In doing an RT-PCR experiment, we found that ICC enriched population lacked mRNA for both CSE and CBS, but was prominently detected in unsorted muscle. In conclusion, H2S inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC by modulating intracellular Ca2+. These results can serve as evidence of the physiological action of H2S as acting on the ICC in gastrointestinal (GI) motility.
Animals ; Apamin ; Barium Compounds ; Chlorides ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Glyburide ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; Intestine, Small ; Light ; Mice ; Muscles ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; RNA, Messenger ; Sodium ; Sulfides ; Thapsigargin ; Tissue Donors

To investigate whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) affects intestinal motility, pacemaker currents and membrane potential were recorded in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) from murine small intestine by using a whole-cell patch clamp. In whole cell patch technique at 30 degress C, ICC generated spontaneous pacemaker potential under current clamp mode (I=0) and inward currents (pacemaker currents) under voltage clamp mode at a holding potential of -70 mV. When ICC were treated with H2O2 in ICC, H2O2 hyperpolarized the membrane potential under currents clamp mode and decreased both the frequency and amplitude of pacemaker currents and increased the resting currents in outward direction under voltage clamp mode. Also, H2O2 inhibited the pacemaker currents in a dose-dependent manner. Because the properties of H2O2 action on pacemaker currents were same as the effects of pinacidil (ATP-sensitive K+ channels opener), we tested the effects of glibenclamide (ATP-sensitive K+ channels blocker) on H2O2 action in ICC, and found that the effects of H2O2 on pacemaker currents were blocked by co- or pre-treatment of glibenclamide. These results suggest that H2O2 inhibits pacemaker currents of ICC by activating ATP-sensitive K(+) channels.
Gastrointestinal Motility ; Glyburide ; Hydrogen Peroxide* ; Hydrogen* ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal* ; Intestine, Small ; Membrane Potentials ; Pinacidil