Cb. Neylon et al., MULTIPLE TYPES OF RYANODINE RECEPTOR CA2+ RELEASE CHANNELS ARE EXPRESSED IN VASCULAR SMOOTH-MUSCLE/, Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 215(3), 1995, pp. 814-821
Functional studies on vascular smooth muscle suggest the presence of r
yanodine receptors (RyRs) with differing properties. In an attempt to
understand such differences we investigated, using reverse transcripti
on-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the possibility that smooth mus
cle cells express multiple types of RyRs. RNA was extracted from rat a
orta, superior and small mesenteric arterial vessels, purified aortic
smooth muscle media, or cultured aortic smooth muscle cells for cDNA s
ynthesis. The cDNAs encoding RyR1, RyR2, and RyR3 were amplified using
PCR primers based on sequences close to the 3' coding region of the R
yR genes and PCR products verified by restriction endonuclease analysi
s. All three members of the RyR gene family were found to be present i
n vascular smooth muscle. This finding of multiple types of RyRs expre
ssed in the same cell type indicates a complex mechanism of RyR Ca2+ c
hannel regulation involving the formation of homo- and/or heterotetram
eric complexes. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.