Cholinergic short-term conditioning and activation of ATP-sensitive K+ current in cat atrial myocytes

In atrial myocytes, an initial exposure to acetylcholine (ACh1) exerts a short-term conditioning effect such that a second ACh exposure (ACh2) activates ATP-sensitive K+ current (IK,ATP). The purpose of the present study was to determine the mechanism underlying the short-term conditioning induced by ACh that results in subsequent ACh-induced activation of IK.ATP. Cat atrial myocytes were studied using a nystatin-perforated patch whole cell recording method. Changes in L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L) amplitude were used as an index of relative changes in cyclic AMP (cAMP). The results show that when atrial myocytes are treated with two consecutive exposures to 10 microM ACh separated by a recovery interval, ACh2 activates a larger increase in potassium conductance (gK+) than ACh1. The additional ACh2-induced increase in gK+ is selectively blocked by 10 microM glibenclamide, identifying the current as IK,ATP. Moreover, ICa,L activated immediately after the withdrawal of ACh1 exhibited a transient increase in amplitude above control (+ 76%), consistent with rebound stimulation of cAMP. Rp-cAMPs (50 microM), a selective antagonist of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, blocked the rebound stimulation of ICa,L and abolished ACh2-induced activation of IK,ATP. Thapsigargin (5 microM), an inhibitor of Ca2+ ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), abolished ACh2-induced activation of IK,ATP without decreasing rebound stimulation of ICa,L. Rebound stimulation of ICa,L and ACh2-induced activation of IK,ATP both varied as a function of ACh1 duration. We conclude that withdrawal of an initial ACh exposure elicits a rebound cAMP-mediated stimulation of SR Ca2+ uptake. This mechanism induces a short-term conditioning in atrial myocytes such that a subsequent ACh exposure activates IK,ATP. The present results demonstrate novel cholinergic signaling mechanisms in the regulation of IK,ATP.