Hypercholesterolemia (HC) is a mary risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease. Coronary ion regulation, especially calcium, is thought to be important in coronary heart disease development; however, the influence of high dietary fat and cholesterol on coronary arterial smooth muscle (CASM) ion channels is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of diet-induced HC on CASM voltage-gated calcium current (I(Ca)). Male miniature swine were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (40% kcal fat, 2% wt cholesterol) for 20-24 wk, resulting in elevated serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Histochemistry indicated early atherosclerosis in large coronary arteries. CASM were isolated from the right coronary artery (>1.0 mm ID), small arteries ( approximately 200 microm), and large arterioles ( approximately 100 microm). I(Ca) was determined by whole cell voltage clamp. L-type I(Ca) was reduced approximately 30% by HC compared with controls in the right coronary artery (-5.29 +/- 0.42 vs. -7.59 +/- 0.41 pA/pF) but not the microcirculation (small artery, -8.39 +/- 0.80 vs. -10.13 +/- 0.60; arterioles, -10.78 +/- 0.93 vs. -11.31 +/- 0.95 pA/pF). Voltage-dependent activation was unaffected by HC in both the macro- and microcirculation. L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (Ca(v)1.2) mRNA and membrane protein levels were unaffected by HC. Inhibition of I(Ca) by HC was reversed in vitro by the cholesterol scavenger methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and mimicked in control CASM by incubation with the cholesterol donor cholesterol:methyl-beta-cyclodextrin. These data indicate that CASM L-type I(Ca) is decreased in large coronary arteries in early stages of atherosclerosis, whereas I(Ca) in the microcirculation is unaffected. The inhibition of calcium channel activity in CASM of large coronary arteries is likely due to increases in membrane free cholesterol.

Evidence indicates that gender and sex hormonal status influence cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. We recently demonstrated increased L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ current (ICa,L) in coronary arterial smooth muscle (CASM) of male compared with female swine. The promoter region of the L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) (Cav1.2) gene contains a hormone response element that is activated by testosterone. Thus the purpose of the present study was to determine whether endogenous testosterone regulates CASM ICa,L through regulation of VGCC expression and activity. Sexually mature male and female Yucatan swine (7-8 mo; 35-45 kg) were obtained from the breeder. Males were left intact (IM, n=8), castrated (CM, n=8), or castrated with testosterone replacement (CMT, n=8; 10 mg/day Androgel). Females remained gonad intact (n=8). In right coronary arteries, both Cav1.2 mRNA and protein were greater in IM compared with intact females. Cav1.2 mRNA and protein were reduced in CM compared with IM and restored in CMT. In isolated CASM, both peak and steady-state ICa were reduced in CM compared with IM and restored in CMT. In males, a linear relationship was found between serum testosterone levels and ICa. In vitro, both testosterone and the nonaromatizable androgen, dihydrotestosterone, increased Cav1.2 expression. Furthermore, this effect was blocked by the androgen receptor antagonist cyproterone. We conclude that endogenous testosterone is a primary regulator of Cav1.2 expression and activity in coronary arteries of males.

Sex hormone status has emerged as an important modulator of coronary physiology and cardiovascular disease risk in both males and females. Our previous studies have demonstrated that testosterone increases protein kinase C (PKC) delta expression and activity in coronary smooth muscle (CSMC). Because PKCdelta has been implicated in regulation of proliferation and apoptosis in other cell types, we sought to determine if testosterone modulates CSMC proliferation and/or apoptosis through PKCdelta. Porcine CSMC cultures (passages 2-6) from castrated males were treated with testosterone for 24 h. Testosterone (20 and 100 nM) decreased [(3)H]thymidine incorporation in proliferating CSMC to 59 +/- 5.3 and 33.1 +/- 4.5% of control. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that testosterone induced G(1) arrest in CSMC with a concomitant reduction in the S phase cells. Testosterone reduced protein levels of cyclins D(1) and E and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein while elevating levels of p21(cip1) and p27(kip1). There were no significant differences in the levels of cyclins D(3), CDK2, CDK4, or CDK6. Testosterone significantly reduced kinase activity of CDK2 and -6, but not CDK4, -7, or -1. PKCdelta small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented testosterone-mediated G(1) arrest, p21(cip1) upregulation, and cyclin D(1) and E downregulation. Furthermore, testosterone increased CSMC apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which was blocked by either PKCdelta siRNA or caspase 3 inhibition. These findings demonstrate that the anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic effects of testosterone on CSMCs are substantially mediated by PKCdelta.

Sex hormones have emerged as important modulators of cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. Our previous studies demonstrated that testosterone increases expression and activity of L-type, voltage-gated calcium channels (Ca v 1.2) in coronary arteries of males. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether testosterone (T) alters coronary protein kinase C ␦ (PKC␦) expression and whether PKC␦ plays a role in coronary Ca v 1.2 expression. For in vitro studies, porcine right coronary arteries (RCA) and post-confluent (passages 3-6) 5-day, serum-restricted coronary smooth muscle cell cultures (CSMC) were incubated in the presence and absence of T or dihydrotestosterone (10 and 100 nM) for 18 h at 37°C in a humidified chamber. For sex and endogenous testosterone-dependent effects, RCA were obtained from intact males, castrated males, castrated males with T replacement, and intact females. In vitro T and dihydrotestosterone caused an ϳ2-3-fold increase in PKC␦ protein levels, ϳ1.5-2-fold increase in PKC␦ kinase activity, and localization of PKC␦ toward the plasma membrane and nuclear envelope. PKC␦ protein levels were higher in coronary arteries of intact males compared with intact females. Elimination of endogenous testosterone by castration reduced RCA PKC␦ protein levels, an effect partially (ϳ45%) reversed by exogenous T (castrated males with T replacement). In CSMC, PKC inhibition with either the general PKC inhibitor, cheylerythrine, or the putative PKC␦ inhibitor, rottlerin, completely inhibited the T-mediated increase in coronary Ca v 1.2 protein levels. Conversely, Go6976, a conventional PKC isoform inhibitor, failed to inhibit T-induced increases in coronary Ca v 1.2 protein levels. PKC␦ short interference RNA completely blocked T-induced increases in Ca v 1.2 protein levels in CSMC. These results demonstrate for the first time that 1) endogenous T is a primary modulator of coronary PKC␦ protein and activity in males and 2) T increases Ca v 1.2 protein expression in a PKC␦-dependent manner.Coronary heart disease is a major cause of global mortality and represents an underlying cause for most heart attacks and sudden death (1). Men 30 -50 years of age have an increased incidence of coronary heart disease compared with women of similar age (2-4), a sex difference that led many to the conclusion that testosterone increases the risk of coronary heart disease in men. However, recent clinical studies have failed to support a detrimental effect of testosterone on coronary heart disease (5-7). On the contrary, low testosterone concentrations in men are associated with a higher risk of atherosclerosis (7). Men with low testosterone levels are often more obese, hypertensive, and have increased blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels and increased carotid artery atherosclerosis with diabetes (5, 7). Additionally, Dunajaska et al. (6) have shown that low levels of total testosterone, testosterone/estradiol ratio, and free androgen index are associated with coronary artery disease in men. These f...

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