Protease-activated receptor regulation of Clsecretion in Calu-3 cells requires prostaglandin release and CFTR activation

Abstract
Human lung epithelial (Calu-3) cells were used to investigate the effects of protease-activated receptor (PAR) stimulation on Clsecretion. Quantitative RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) showed that Calu-3 cells express PAR-1, -2, and -3 receptor mRNAs, with PAR-2 mRNA in greatest abundance. Addition of either thrombin or the PAR-2 agonist peptide SLIGRL to the basolateral solution of monolayers mounted in Ussing chambers produced a rapid increase in short-circuit current ( Isc: thrombin, 21 ± 2 μA; SLIGRL, 83 ± 22 μA), which returned to baseline within 5 min after stimulation. Pretreatment of monolayers with the cell-permeant Ca2+-chelating agent BAPTA-AM (50 μM) abolished the increase in Iscproduced by SLIGRL. When monolayers were treated with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10 μM), nearly complete inhibition of both the thrombin- and SLIGRL-stimulated Iscwas observed. In addition, basolateral treatment with the PGE2receptor antagonist AH-6809 (25 μM) significantly inhibited the effects of SLIGRL on Isc. QRT-PCR revealed that Calu-3 cells express mRNAs for CFTR, the Ca2+-activated KCNN4 K+channel, and the KCNQ1 K+channel subunit, which, in association with KCNE3, is known to be regulated by cAMP. Stimulation with SLIGRL produced an increase in apical Clconductance that was blocked in cells expressing short hairpin RNAs designed to target CFTR. These results support the conclusion that PAR stimulation of Clsecretion occurs by an indirect mechanism involving the synthesis and release of prostaglandins. In addition, PAR-stimulated Clsecretion requires activation of CFTR and at least two distinct K+channels located in the basolateral membrane.

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