Chloride ion currents contribute functionally to norepinephrine-induced vascular contraction

Norepinephrine (NE) increases Cl- efflux from vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. An increase in Cl- conductance produces membrane depolarization. We hypothesized that if Cl- currents are important for agonist-induced depolarization, then interfering with cellular Cl- handling should alter contractility. Isometric contraction of rat aortic rings was studied in a bicarbonate buffer. Substitution of extracellular Cl- with 130 mM methanesulfonate (MS; 8 mM Cl-) did not cause contraction. NE- and serotonin-induced contractions were potentiated in this low-Cl- buffer, whereas responses to K+, BAY K 8644, or NE in the absence of Ca2+ were unaltered. Substitution of Cl- with I- or Br- suppressed responses to NE. Inhibition of Cl- transport with bumetanide (10(-5) M) or bicarbonate-free conditions (10 mM HEPES) inhibited NE- but not KCl-induced contraction. The Cl--channel blockers DIDS (10(-3) M), anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (10(-3) M), and niflumic acid (10(-5) M) all inhibited NE-induced contraction, whereas tamoxifen (10(-5) M) did not. Finally, disruption of sarcoplasmic reticular function with cyclopiazonic acid (10(-7) M) or ryanodine (10(-5) M) prevented the increase in the peak response to NE produced by low-Cl- buffer. We conclude that a Cl- current with a permeability sequence of I- > Br- > Cl- > MS is critical to agonist-induced contraction of VSM.