Local Ca2+ Signals within Caveolae Cause Nuclear Translocation of CaMK1α in Mouse Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

An increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) activates Ca2+-sensitive enzymes such as Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMK) and induces gene transcription in various types of cells. This signaling pathway is called excitation-transcription (E-T) coupling. Recently, we have revealed that a L-type Ca2+ channel/CaMK kinase (CaMKK) 2/CaMK1α complex located within caveolae in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) can convert [Ca2+]i changes to gene transcription profiles that are related to chemotaxis. Although CaMK1α is expected to be the key molecular identity that can transport Ca2+ signals originated within caveolae to the nucleus, data sets directly proving this scheme are lacking. In this study, multicolor fluorescence imaging methods were utilized to address this question. Live cell imaging using mouse primary aortic SMCs revealed that CaMK1α can translocate from the cytosol to the nucleus; and that this movement was blocked by nifedipine or a CaMKK inhibitor, STO609. Experiments using two types of Ca2+ chelators, ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), combined with caveolin-1 knockout (cav1-KO) mice showed that local Ca2+ events within caveolae are required to trigger this CaMK1α nuclear translocation. Importantly, overexpression of cav1 in isolated cav1-KO myocytes recovered the CaMK1α translocation. In SMCs freshly isolated from mesenteric arteries, CaMK1α was localized mainly within caveolae in the resting state. Membrane depolarization induced both nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of CaMK1α. These responses were inhibited by nifedipine, STO609, cav1-KO, or BAPTA. These new findings strongly suggest that CaMK1α can transduce Ca2+ signaling generated within or very near caveolae to the nucleus and thus, promote E-T coupling.

Ion-pair formation between Cd(II), Na(I), and Ag(I) complex ions with 18-crown-6 ether derivatives and various pairing anions in water: an understanding of the ion-pair formation based on the HSAB principle.

The ion-pair formation constants (K(MLX)(0)/mol(-1) dm(3)) of CdL(2+) with Br(-) or NaL(+) with N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate ion (DDTC(-)) in water were determined potentiometrically at 25°C; ionic strength (I)→0: L denotes 18-crown-6 ether (18C6) and its mono-benzo derivative for the CdBr(2)-L system and 15-crown-5 ether and 18C6 for the NaDDTC-L one. The formation constant corresponding to the simple salt, NaDDTC, in water was also determined at I→0. Using the log K(CdLX)(0) values of CdLCl(+), CdLBr(+), CdLPic(+), and CdLSO(4), then CdL(2+) and picrate ion (Pic(-)) in water have been classified with the hard and soft acids and bases principle, where the values were available in the literature, except for CdLBr(+). The same classification was examined in NaX-L systems with X(-) = DDTC(-), trifluoroacetate ion, MnO(4)(-), ReO(4)(-), Pic(-), and BPh(4)(-) and the AgPic-L one. Consequently, CdL(2+), NaL(+), and AgL(+) were classified as the hard acids, while Pic(-) and BPh(4)(-) as the hard bases. These results reflected the reactivities of the complex ions in ion-pair formation with X(-) and SO(4)(2-) in water.