Muscarinic Receptors and BK Channels Are Affected by Lipid Raft Disruption of Salivary Gland Cells

Activity-dependent fluid secretion is the most important physiological function of salivary glands and is regulated via muscarinic receptor signaling. Lipid rafts are important for G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling and ion channels in plasma membranes. However, it is not well understood whether lipid raft disruption affects all membrane events or only specific functions in muscarinic receptor-mediated water secretion in salivary gland cells. We investigated the effects of lipid raft disruption on the major membrane events of muscarinic transcellular water movement in human salivary gland (HSG) cells. We found that incubation with methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), which depletes lipid rafts, inhibited muscarinic receptor-mediated Ca(2+) signaling in HSG cells and isolated mouse submandibular acinar cells. However, MβCD did not inhibit a Ca(2+) increase induced by thapsigargin, which activates store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE). Interestingly, MβCD increased the activity of the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (BK channel). Finally, we found that MβCD did not directly affect the translocation of aquaporin-5 (AQP5) into the plasma membrane. Our results suggest that lipid rafts maintain muscarinic Ca(2+) signaling at the receptor level without directly affecting the activation of SOCE induced by intracellular Ca(2+) pool depletion or the translocation of AQP5 into the plasma membrane.