The Effect of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors on the L-type Calcium Current in Rat Basilar Smooth Muscle Cells

Objective : Tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be useful in the management of cerebral vasospasm. It has not yet been reported whether L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels playa role in tyrosine kinase inhibitors-induced vascular relaxation of cerebral artery. This study was undertaken to clarify the role of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels in tyrosine kinase inhibitors-induced vascular relaxation, and to investigate the effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels currents in freshly isolated smooth muscle cells from rat basilar artery. Methods : The isolation of rat basilar smooth muscle cells was performed by special techniques. The whole cell currents were recorded by whole cell patch clamp technique in freshly isolated smooth muscle cells from rat basilar artery. Results : Patch clamp studies revealed a whole-cell current which resembles the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current reported by others. The amplitude of this current was decreased by nimodipine and increased by Bay K 8644. Genistein[n=5], tyrphostin A-23[n=3]. A-25[n=6] $30{\mu}M$ reduced the amplitude of the L -type $Ca^{2+}$ channel current in whole cell mode. In contrast, diadzein $30{\mu}M$ [n=3]. inactive analogue of genistein, did not decrease the amplitude of the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels current. Conclusion : These results suggest that tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as genistein, tyrphostin A-23, A-25 may relax cerebral vessel through decreasing level of intracellular calcium, [$Ca^{2+}$]i, by inhibition of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel.