Phospholipids as Modulators of KATP Channels: Distinct Mechanisms for Control of Sensitivity to Sulphonylureas, K+ Channel Openers, and ATP

  1. Tobias Krauter,
  2. J. Peter Ruppersberg and
  3. Thomas Baukrowitz
  1. Department of Physiology II, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Abstract

    Recent work has established membrane phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) as potent regulators of KATP channels controlling open probability and ATP sensitivity. We here investigated the effects of phospholipids on the pharmacological properties of cardiac type KATP(Kir6.2/SUR2A) channels. In excised membrane patches KATPchannels showed considerable variability in sensitivity to glibenclamide and ATP. Application of the phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) phosphatidylinositiol-4-phosphate, PIP2, and phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate reduced sensitivity to ATP and glibenclamide closely resembling the native variability. Insertion of the patch back into the oocyte (patch-cramming) restored high ATP and glibenclamide sensitivity, indicating reversible modulation of KATP channels via endogenous PIPs-degrading enzymes. Thus, the observed variability seemed to result from differences in the membrane phospholipid content. PIP2 also diminished activation of KATPchannels by the K+ channel openers (KCOs) cromakalim and P1075. The properties mediated by the sulphonylurea receptor (sensitivity to sulfonylureas and KCOs) seemed to be modulated by PIPs via a different mechanism than ATP inhibition mediated by the Kir6.2 subunits. First, polycations abolished the effect of PIP2on ATP inhibition consistent with an electrostatic mechanism but only weakly affected glibenclamide inhibition and activation by KCOs. Second, PIP2 had clearly distinct effects on the concentration-response curves for ATP and glibenclamide. However, PIPs seemed to mediate the different effects via the Kir6.2 subunits because a mutation in Kir6.2 (R176A) attenuated simultaneously the effects of PIP2 on ATP and glibenclamide inhibition. Finally, experiments with various lipids revealed structural features necessary to modulate KATP channel properties and an artificial lipid (dioleoylglycerol-succinyl-nitriloacetic acid) that mimicked the effects of PIPs on KATP channels.

    Footnotes

    • Send reprint requests to: Dr. Thomas Baukrowitz, Department of Physiology II, Ob dem Himmelreich 7, 72074 Tübingen, Germany. E-mail: thomas.baukrowitz{at}uni-tuebingen.de

    • This work was supported by Grant Ba 1793 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (T.B.).

    • Abbreviations:
      KATP
      ATP-sensitive K+channel
      SUR
      sulphonylurea receptor
      Kir
      inward-rectifier potassium channel
      KCO
      K+ channel opener
      PIPs
      phosphatidylinositol phosphates
      PIP2
      phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate
      PI(4,5)P2
      l-α-phosphatidyl-d-myo-inositol-4,5-bisphosphate
      PIP
      phosphatidylinositiol-4-phosphate
      PI(4)P
      l-α-phosphatidyl-d-myo-inositol-4-phosphate
      PI
      phosphatidylinositol
      PI(3,4,5)P3
      l-α-phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate, dipalmitoyl-, heptaammonium salt
      PI(3,4)P2
      l-α-phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate, dipalmitoyl-, pentaammonium salt
      PC
      phospatidylcholine (1,2-dihexadecanoyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine)
      DOG
      dioleoylglycerol (1,2-di[cis-9-octadecenoyl]-sn-glycerol)
      DOGS-NTA
      dioleoylglycerol-succinyl-nitriloacetic acid (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-succinyl[N-(5-amino-1-carboxypentyl)iminodiacetic acid], ammonium salt)
      CR
      concentration-response
      wt
      wild-type
      • Received August 28, 2000.
      • Accepted January 19, 2001.
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