Gregory B. Kowalsky

Identification of a C-terminus domain critical for the sensitivity of Kir2.1 to cholesterol

A variety of ion channels are regulated by cholesterol, a major lipid component of the plasma membrane whose excess is associated with multiple pathological conditions. However, the mechanism underlying cholesterol sensitivity of ion channels is unknown. We have recently shown that an increase in membrane cholesterol suppresses inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir2) channels that are responsible for maintaining membrane potential in a variety of cell types. Here we show that cholesterol sensitivity of Kir2 channels depends on a specific region of the C terminus of the cytosolic domain of the channel, the CD loop. Within this loop, the L222I mutation in Kir2.1 abrogates the sensitivity of the channel to cholesterol whereas a reverse mutation in the corresponding position in Kir2.3, I214L, has the opposite effect, increasing cholesterol sensitivity. Furthermore, the L222I mutation has a dominant negative effect on cholesterol sensitivity of Kir2.1 WT. Mutations of 2 additional residues in the CD loop in Kir2.1, N216D and K219Q, partially affect the sensitivity of the channel to cholesterol. Yet, whereas these mutations have been shown to affect activation of the channel by the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], other mutations outside the CD loop that have been previously shown to affect activation of the channel by PI(4,5)P2 had no effect on cholesterol sensitivity. Mutations of the lipid-facing residues of the outer transmembrane helix also had no effect. These findings provide insights into the structural determinants of the sensitivity of Kir2 channels to cholesterol, and introduce the critical role of the cytosolic domain in cholesterol dependent channel regulation.

oxLDL facilitates flow-induced realignment of aortic endothelial cells

Alignment of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) in the direction of the flow is considered a key factor in maintaining endothelial integrity in an active hemodynamic environment. Our recent studies showed that exposure to oxidized LDL (oxLDL), one of the major proatherogenic lipoproteins, significantly increases the stiffness of human aortic ECs, suggesting that oxLDL may have a significant impact on the sensitivity of ECs to mechanical stimuli. In this study, we show that oxLDL strongly enhances the ability of ECs to realign in the direction of the flow and facilitates the formation of F-actin stress fibers under static and flow conditions. The impact of oxLDL on the flow-induced realignment is observed on whole cell and single-fiber levels. We also show that, similar to the effect of oxLDL on endothelial stiffness, the impact of oxLDL on flow-induced realignment can be simulated by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin-induced cholesterol depletion, supporting the hypothesis that oxLDL acts as cholesterol acceptor, rather than cholesterol donor, for ECs. Finally, we propose that oxLDL/cholesterol depletion-induced sensitization of ECs to flow may be a result of an increase in cellular stiffness and a respective increase in membrane-cytoskeleton tension.

Distant Cytosolic Residues Mediate a Two-way Molecular Switch That Controls the Modulation of Inwardly Rectifying Potassium (Kir) Channels by Cholesterol and Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2)

Background: Cholesterol modulates inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels. Results: A two-way molecular cytosolic switch controls channel modulation by cholesterol and PI(4,5)P2. Conclusion: Cholesterol and PI(4,5)P2 induce a common gating pathway of Kir2.1 despite their opposite impact on channel function. Significance: These findings provide insights into structure-function relationship of ion channels and contribute to understanding of the mechanisms underlying their regulation by lipids. Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels play an important role in setting the resting membrane potential and modulating membrane excitability. An emerging feature of several Kir channels is that they are regulated by cholesterol. However, the mechanism by which cholesterol affects channel function is unclear. Here we show that mutations of two distant Kir2.1 cytosolic residues, Leu-222 and Asn-251, form a two-way molecular switch that controls channel modulation by cholesterol and affects critical hydrogen bonding. Notably, these two residues are linked by a residue chain that continues from Asn-251 to connect adjacent subunits. Furthermore, our data indicate that the same switch also regulates the sensitivity of the channels to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, a phosphoinositide that is required for activation of Kir channels. Thus, although cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate do not interact with the same region of Kir2.1, these different modulators induce a common gating pathway of the channel.

Cholesterol increases the open probability of cardiac KACh currents

Cholesterol is one of the major lipid components of membranes in mammalian cells. In recent years, cholesterol has emerged as a major regulator of ion channel function. The most common effect of cholesterol on ion channels in general and on inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels in particular is a decrease in activity. In contrast, we have recently shown that native G-protein gated Kir (GIRK or Kir3) channels that underlie atrial KACh currents are up-regulated by cholesterol. Here we unveil the biophysical basis of cholesterol-induced increase in KACh activity. Using planar lipid bilayers we show that cholesterol significantly enhances the channel open frequency of the Kir3.1/Kir3.4 channels, which underlie KACh currents. In contrast, our data indicate that cholesterol does not affect their unitary conductance. Furthermore, using fluorescent and TIRF microscopy as well as surface protein biotinylation, we also show that cholesterol enrichment in vitro has no effect on surface expression of GFP-tagged channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes or transfected into HEK293 cells. Together, these data demonstrate for the first time that cholesterol enhances Kir3-mediated current by increasing the channel open probability.

Cholesterol Depletion Facilitates Recovery from Hypotonic Cell Swelling in CHO Cells

The maintenance of cell volume homeostasis is critical for preventing pathological cell swelling that may lead to severe cellular dysfunction or cell death. Our earlier studies have shown that volume-regulated anion channels that play a major role in the regulation of cell volume are facilitated by a decrease in cellular cholesterol suggesting that cholesterol depletion should also facilitate regulatory volume decrease (RVD), the ability of cells to recover from hypotonic swelling. In this study, we test this hypothesis using a novel methodology developed to measure changes in cell volume using a microfluidics chamber. Our data show that cholesterol depletion of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) significantly facilitates the recovery process, as is apparent from a faster onset of the RVD (162±10 s. vs. 114±5 s. in control and cholesterol depleted cells respectively) and a higher degree of volume recovery after 10 min of the hypotonic challenge (41%±6% vs. 65%±6% in control and cholesterol depleted cells respectively). In contrast, enriching cells with cholesterol had no effect on the RVD process. We also show here that similarly to our previous observations in endothelial cells, cholesterol depletion significantly increases the stiffness of CHO cells suggesting that facilitation of RVD may be associated with cell stiffening. Furthermore, we also show that increasing cell stiffness by stabilizing F-actin with jasplakinolide also facilitates RVD development. We propose that cell stiffening enhances cell mechano-sensitivity, which in turn facilitates the RVD process.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein alters the effect of matrix stiffness on the formation of endothelial networks and capillary lumens

Formation of new blood vessels is essential for vascular repair and remodeling, and it is known that biomechanical properties of extracellular matrix play a major role in this process. Our earlier studies have also shown that exposing endothelial cells to oxidized modification of low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) increases endothelial stiffness and facilitates their ability to form cellular networks, suggesting that it facilitates endothelial angiogenic potential. The goal of this study, therefore, was to test the interrelationship between matrix stiffness and oxLDL in the regulation of angiogenesis. Our results show that, as expected, an increase in matrix stiffness inhibited endothelial network formation and that exposure to oxLDL significantly facilitated this process. We also show, however, that oxLDL-induced facilitation of endothelial networks was observed only in stiff (3 mg/mL) but not in soft (1 mg/mL) collagen gels, resulting in blunting the effect of matrix stiffness. Also unexpectedly, we show that an increase in matrix stiffness results in a significant increase in the number of capillary lumens that are formed by single cells or pairs of cells, suggesting that while endothelial connectivity is impaired, formation of single-cell lumens is facilitated. oxLDL facilitates lumen formation, but this effect is also matrix dependent and is observed only in soft gels and not in stiff gels. Finally, an increase in both matrix stiffness and oxLDL exposure results in changes in capillary morphology, with the formation of larger capillary lumens. Overall, our study suggests that oxLDL plays an important role in formation of new capillaries and their morphology and that this effect is critically dependent on the extracellular environments compliance, thereby underlining the importance of the interdependence of these parameters.