The large conductance Ca(2+) -activated K(+) (BKCa) channel regulates cell proliferation in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by activating the staurosporine-sensitive protein kinases

Here we investigated on the role of the calcium activated K(+)-channels(BKCa) on the regulation of the neuronal viability. Recordings of the K(+)-channel current were performed using patch-clamp technique in human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) in parallel with measurements of the cell viability in the absence or presence of the BKCa channel blockers iberiotoxin(IbTX) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) and the BKCa channel opener NS1619. Protein kinase C/A (PKC, PKA) activities in the cell lysate were investigated in the presence/absence of drugs. The whole-cell K(+)-current showed a slope conductance calculated at negative membrane potentials of 126.3 pS and 1.717 nS(n = 46) following depolarization. The intercept of the I/V curve was −33 mV. IbTX(10(−8) – 4 × 10(−7) M) reduced the K(+)-current at +30 mV with an IC(50) of 1.85 × 10(−7) M and an Imax of −46% (slope = 2.198) (n = 21). NS1619(10–100 × 10(−6) M) enhanced the K(+)-current of +141% (n = 6), at −10 mV(Vm). TEA(10(−5)–10(−3) M) reduced the K(+)-current with an IC(50) of 3.54 × 10(−5) M and an Imax of −90% (slope = 0.95) (n = 5). A concentration-dependent increase of cell proliferation was observed with TEA showing a maximal proliferative effect(MPE) of +38% (10(−4) M). IbTX showed an MPE of +42% at 10(−8) M concentration, reducing it at higher concentrations. The MPE of the NS1619(100 × 10(−6) M) was +42%. The PKC inhibitor staurosporine (0.2–2 × 10(−6) M) antagonized the proliferative actions of IbTX and TEA. IbTX (10 × 10(−9) M), TEA (100 × 10(−6) M), and the NS1619 significantly enhanced the PKC and PKA activities in the cell lysate with respect to the controls. These results suggest that BKCa channel regulates proliferation of the SH-SY5Y cells through PKC and PKA protein kinases.