
Electrophysiologic studies have demonstrated that adrenal medulla chromaffin cells express voltage-dependent P/Q-, N-, L-, and R-type Ca2+ channels and that these channels regulate release of norepinephrine and epinephrine. However, N-type Ca2+ channel alpha1B-deficient mice with a CBA/JN background show normal plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels, presumably owing to compensation by other gene(s). To examine the expression patterns of the P/Q-type alpha1A, L-type alpha1C/alpha1D, and R-type alpha1E, beta1, beta2, beta3, and beta4 subunits, as well as of tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), dopamine beta hydroxylase (Dbh), and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (Pnmt) in the adrenal gland of alpha1B-deficient mice, we used real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. The expression levels of alpha1A, beta4, Th, and Th phosphorylated at serine 40 were higher in homozygous mice than in wild-type and heterozygous mice, but the expression levels of alpha1C, alpha1D, alpha1E, beta1, beta2, beta3, Dbh, and Pnmt did not differ among wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous mice. These results suggest that the compensatory mechanisms to maintain normal levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the adrenal gland of N-type Ca2+ channel alpha1B-deficient mice include increased expression of alpha1A and beta4 subunits and increased catecholamine biosynthetic activity.
Male, Mice, Knockout, Calcium Channels, L-Type, Epinephrine, Genotype, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Blotting, Western, Gene Expression, Calcium Channels, P-Type, Calcium Channels, Q-Type, Mice, Norepinephrine, Calcium Channels, N-Type, Adrenal Glands, Models, Animal, Mice, Inbred CBA, Animals, Female, RNA, Messenger, Phosphorylation
Male, Mice, Knockout, Calcium Channels, L-Type, Epinephrine, Genotype, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Blotting, Western, Gene Expression, Calcium Channels, P-Type, Calcium Channels, Q-Type, Mice, Norepinephrine, Calcium Channels, N-Type, Adrenal Glands, Models, Animal, Mice, Inbred CBA, Animals, Female, RNA, Messenger, Phosphorylation
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