Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2001 Oct;5(5):433-441.

Expression of ATP-sensitive potassium channel and sulfonylurea receptor in neonate and adult rat tissues

• Lee SY
• Lee H
• Lee MH
• Ryu PD

Abstract

The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel is a member of inward rectifier potassium channel (Kir) that is inhibited by intracellular ATP and functions in close relation to sulfonylurea receptors (SUR). Although the molecular mechanism and physiological function of KATP channels are well understood, the expression pattern during development or treatment with the channel modulators such as glybenclamide is little known. In this work, we determined mRNA levels of a KATP channel (Kir6.2) and a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR2) in rat tissues by RNase protection assay. Levels of Kir6.2 and SUR2 mRNA in the rat brain and skeletal muscle were higher in adult (90-120 days) than in neonate (2-8 days), whereas those in the heart were not much different between neonate (2-8 days) and adult (90-120 days). In addition, none of KATP channel modulators (opener, pinacidil and nicorandil; blocker, glybenclamide) affected the Kir6.2 mRNA levels in the heart, brain and skeletal muscle. The results indicate that the expression of Kir and SUR genes can vary age-dependently, but the expression of Kir is not dependent on the long-term treatment of channel modulators. The effect of the channel modulators on mRNA level of SUR is remained to be studied further.

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Triphosphate
Adult*
Animals
Brain
Glyburide
Heart
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
KATP Channels
Muscle, Skeletal
Nicorandil
Pinacidil
Potassium Channels*
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying
Potassium*
Rats*
Ribonucleases
RNA, Messenger
Sulfonylurea Receptors
Adenosine Triphosphate
Glyburide
KATP Channels
Nicorandil
Pinacidil
Potassium
Potassium Channels
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying
RNA, Messenger
Ribonucleases