Salts of Short-Chain Fatty Acids Increase the Activity of Large Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels and Decrease Calcium Oscillations in Rat GH3 Cells

• Published in: Biophysics (Oxford) 2023, Vol.68 (4), p.561-569
• Main Authors: Shaidullov, I. F., Ermakova, E. V., Sorokina, D. M., Yakovleva, O. V., Sitdikova, G. F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Calcium (intracellular); Calcium channels; Calcium conductance; Calcium signalling; Cell Biophysics; Cell culture; Central nervous system; Channel opening; Fatty acids; Hyperpolarization; Muscle contraction; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Pituitary; Potassium; Potassium channels (calcium-gated); Potassium conductance; Potassium currents; Smooth muscle; Sodium acetate; Tetraethylammonium
• ISSN: 0006-3509; 1555-6654
• DOI: 10.1134/S0006350923040188

Short-chain fatty acids (which include acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) are metabolites of microbiota that can have diverse physiological effects both in the intestine and outside it, including in the central nervous system. The aim of our work was to study the effect of sodium acetate, propionate, and butyrate on the activity of large conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + channels and calcium oscillations in the culture of rat pituitary GH3 cells. It was demonstrated that the studied fatty acids cause a dose-dependent increase in the amplitude of the integral outward potassium currents; these effects are prevented by tetraethylammonium, which indicates the involvement of large conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + channels in the effects of fatty acids. Indeed, fatty acids increased open probability of single channels without a change in the amplitude and mean channel open time (dwell time). In addition, they led to a significant decrease in the amplitude and frequency of Ca 2+ oscillations in GH3 cells. An increase in potassium conductance and a decrease in the level of intracellular Ca 2+ under the effect of short-chain fatty acids can mediate their effects in different excitable structures, such as a decrease in the contractility of intestinal and vascular smooth muscle cells, hyperpolarization of neurons, and regulation of the release of hormones and neurotransmitters.