Mutation of protein kinase C phosphorylation site S1076 on α-subunits affects BKCachannel activity in HEK-293 cells

Abstract

Large conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BKCa) channels are important modulators of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle membrane potential, and phosphorylation of BKCachannels by protein kinases regulates pulmonary arterial smooth muscle function. However, little is known about the effect of phosphorylating specific channel subunits on BKCachannel activity. The present study was done to determine the effect of mutating protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation site serine 1076 (S1076) on transfected human BKCachannel α-subunits in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells, a heterologous expression system devoid of endogenous BKCachannels. Results showed that mutating S1076 altered the effect of PKC activation on BKCachannels in HEK-293 cells. Specifically, the phospho-deficient mutation BKCa-α(S1076A)/β1attenuated the excitatory effect of the PKC activator phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) on BKCachannels, whereas the phospho-mimetic mutation BKCa-α(S1076E)/β1increased the excitatory effect of PMA on BKCachannels. In addition, the phospho-null mutation S1076A blocked the activating effect of cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) on BKCachannels. Collectively, these results suggest that specific putative PKC phosphorylation site(s) on human BKCachannel α-subunits influences BKCachannel activity, which may subsequently alter pulmonary vascular smooth muscle function and tone.