Here, we investigated the effects of 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-phenanthrol), a potent and
selective transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channel blocker, on the
resting membrane potential and cholinergic contractile responses to elucidate the
functional role of TRPM4 channels in the contractile activities of mouse detrusor and
ileal longitudinal smooth muscles. We observed that, 9-phenanthrol (3–30
µ
M) did not significantly inhibit high K
+
-induced
contractions in both preparations; however, 9-phenanthrol (10
µ
M)
strongly inhibited cholinergic contractions evoked by electrical field stimulation in
detrusor preparations compared to inhibitions in ileal preparations. 9-Phenanthrol (10
µ
M) significantly inhibited the muscarinic agonist, carbachol-induced
contractile responses and slowed the maximum upstroke velocities of the contraction in
detrusor preparations. However, the agent (10
µ
M) did not inhibit the
contractions due to intracellular Ca
2+
release evoked by carbachol, suggesting
that the inhibitory effect of 9-phenanthrol may primarily be due to the inhibition of the
membrane depolarization process incurred by TRPM4 channels. On the other hand,
9-phenanthrol (10
µ
M) did not affect carbachol-induced contractile
responses in ileal preparations. Further, 9-phenanthrol (10
µ
M)
significantly hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential and decreased the basal tone
in both detrusor and ileal muscle preparations. Taken together, our results suggest that
TRPM4 channels are constitutively active and are involved in setting of the resting
membrane potential, thereby regulating the basal tone in detrusor and ileal smooth
muscles. Thus, TRPM4 channels play a significant role in cholinergic signaling in
detrusor, but not ileal, smooth muscles.