Prolonged effects of acute gamma irradiation on acetylcholine-induced potassium currents in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Bourlier V, Diserbo M, Gourmelon P, Verdetti J. Radiat Res 2001 May;155(5):748-52

We have recently reported an acute effect of gamma irradiation (15 Gy, 1 Gy/min) on acetylcholine-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings. Given the importance of permeability to K(+) to endothelium-dependent relaxation, we have evaluated the effect of the same radiation on K(+) currents in human endothelial cells in culture using the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell recording configuration. Our results indicate that, in resting cells, gamma irradiation has no effect on endothelial permeability to K(+). However, irradiation during stimulation of endothelial cells with acetylcholine reduces the sustained increase in permeability to K(+) observed in the acetylcholine-stimulated, nonirradiated cells. Additional experiments using K(+) channel inhibitors (TEA, charybdotoxin, apamin) suggest that irradiation may in part decrease the prolonged activation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels by acetylcholine. Taken together with our previous finding that irradiation inhibits the acute relaxing effects of acetylcholine, these results show that gamma irradiation also affects the delayed effects of acetylcholine on permeability to K(+).