Cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation and regulation of the cardiac dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca channel

A polyclonal antibody, CR2, prepared using the C-terminal peptide of the alpha 1 subunit of the rabbit cardiac DHP-sensitive Ca channel, specifically immunoprecipitated the [3H]PN200-110-labeled Ca channel solubilized from cardiac microsomes. The antibody recognized 250 and 200-kDa cardiac microsomal proteins as determined by immunoblotting, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylated the 250-kDa, but not the 200-kDa protein in vitro. CHO cells, transfected with the cardiac alpha 1 subunit cDNA carried by an expression vector, synthesized a 250-kDa protein which was recognized by CR2. Adding db-cAMP or forskolin to the transformed CHO cells induced phosphorylation of the 250-kDa protein and stimulated the DHP-sensitive Ba current under patch-clamp conditions. These results suggested that the cardiac DHP-sensitive Ca channel was regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the alpha 1 subunit.