Hydrogen peroxide mediates oxidant-dependent stimulation of arterial smooth muscle L-type calcium channels

Changes in calcium and redox homeostasis influence multiple cellular processes. Dysregulation of these signaling modalities is associated with pathology in cardiovascular, neuronal, endocrine, and other physiological systems. Calcium and oxidant signaling mechanisms are frequently inferred to be functionally related. To address and clarify this clinically relevant issue in the vasculature we tested the hypothesis that the ubiquitous reactive oxygen molecule hydrogen peroxide mediates oxidant-dependent stimulation of cerebral arterial smooth muscle L-type calcium channels. Using a combinatorial approach including intact arterial manipulations, electrophysiology, and total internal reflection fluorescence imaging, we found that application of physiological levels of hydrogen peroxide to isolated arterial smooth muscle cells increased localized calcium influx through L-type calcium channels. Similarly, oxidant-dependent stimulation of L-type calcium channels by the vasoconstrictor ANG II was abolished by intracellular application of catalase. Catalase also prevented ANG II from increasing localized subplasmalemmal sites of increased oxidation previously associated with colocalized calcium influx through L-type channels. Furthermore, catalase largely attenuated the contractile response of intact cerebral arterial segments to ANG II. In contrast, enhanced dismutation of superoxide to hydrogen peroxide with SOD had no effect on ANG II-dependent stimulation of L-type calcium channels. From these data we conclude that hydrogen peroxide is important for oxidant-dependent regulation of smooth muscle L-type calcium channels and arterial function. These data also support the emerging concept of hydrogen peroxide as a biologically relevant oxidant second messenger in multiple cell types with a diverse array of physiological functions.