Altered functional coupling of coronary K+ channels in diabetic dyslipidemic pigs is prevented by exercise

Chronic hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia have been shown to alter ionic currents in vascular smooth muscle. We tested the hypothesis that the combined effect of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia (diabetic dyslipidemia) would increase the Ca2+-sensitive K+ (KCa) current as a compensatory response to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. We also hypothesized that exercise training would prevent this elevation in KCa current. Miniature Yucatan swine were randomly assigned to five groups: control, standard pig chow (C, n = 6); hyperlipidemic, high-fat pig chow (H, n = 5); diabetic, standard pig chow (D, n = 7); diabetic, high-fat pig chow ("diabetic dyslipidemic," DD, n = 12); and exercise-trained DD (DDX, n = 9). High-fat chow consisted of standard minipig chow supplemented with cholesterol (2%) and coconut oil. Increased coronary vasoconstriction assessed in vivo and in vitro in DD was prevented by exercise. Patch-clamp experiments performed on right coronary artery smooth muscle cells resulted in greater K+ current densities in the H, D, and DD groups vs. the DDX group between -10 and 40 mV. In fura 2-loaded cells, current activated by caffeine-induced Ca2+ release was greater in H, D, and DD compared with C and DDX (P < 0.05), whereas intracellular Ca2+ concentration was not different across groups. Finally, there were no differences in the KCa or Kv channel protein content between groups. These data indicate that hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and diabetic dyslipidemia lead to elevated whole cell K+ current and increased functional coupling of KCa and Ca2+ release. Endurance exercise prevented increased coupling of Ca2+ release to KCa channel activation in diabetic dyslipidemia.