Exercise training reverses unparallel downregulation of MaxiK channel α- and β1-subunit to enhance vascular function in aging mesenteric arteries.

This study was designed to determine the effects of aerobic exercise training on aging-associated selective changes of the function and expression of the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (MaxiK) channels in mesenteric arteries. Male Wistar rats aged 19-21 months were randomly assigned to sedentary (O-SED) and exercise-trained groups (O-EX). Two-month-old rats were used as Young control. Addition of iberiotoxin (10(-8) M) increased the norepinephrine-induced arterial contraction in all three groups, with the greatest enhancement being in Young and the least in O-SED. Patch clamp study revealed the characteristics of aging on MaxiK channel function in mesenteric arteries, mainly including (a) decrease of iberiotoxin-sensitive whole-cell K(+) current, (b) decrease of open probability and Ca(2+)/voltage sensitivity of single MaxiK channel, and (c) reduction of tamoxifen-induced MaxiK activation. After exercise training, all of these changes were markedly inhibited. Western blotting revealed that the protein expression of MaxiK was significantly reduced with aging and the suppression of β1-subunit was larger than that of α-subunit, although exercise training diminished this alteration. Taken together, aerobic exercise training reverses the aging-related unparallel downregulation of MaxiK α- and β1-subunit expression on mesenteric arteries, which partly underlies the beneficial effect of exercise on restoring aging-associated reduction in mesenteric artery vasodilatory properties.