Angiotensin II (AngII) is coupled to several important intracellular signaling pathways, and increases intracellular Ca2+. In vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells, AngII is known to activate enzymes such as tyrosine protein kinase (Tyr-PK), phospholipase C (PLC), protein kinase C (PKC), and phophatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3-K). A non-receptor Tyr-PK, pp60(c-src), and PKC have been reported to stimulate the Ca2+ channels in VSM cells. However, less is known about AngII action on the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. The Ca2+-channel currents of a cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cell line, A7r5, were recorded using whole-cell voltage clamp. Application of 50 nM AngII significantly increased the amplitude of Ba2+ currents through the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (IBa) by 34. 5+/-9.1% (n=10) within 1 min. In the presence of lavendustin-A (5 microM), a selective inhibitor of Tyr-PK, AngII failed to stimulate IBa (n=5). AngII stimulation of IBa was also prevented by (5 microM) LY-294002, an inhibitor of PI-3-K (n=5). In contrast, H-7 (30 microM), an inhibitor of PKC, did not prevent the effect of AngII on IBa (n=6). These results suggest that AngII may stimulate the Ca2+ channels of VSM cells through Tyr-PK and PI-3-K under conditions that probably exclude participation of PK-C.