Up-regulation of ryanodine receptor expression increases the calcium-induced calcium release and spontaneous calcium signals in cerebral arteries from hindlimb unloaded rats

Microgravity induces a redistribution of blood volume. Consequently, astronauts' body pressure is modified so that the upright blood pressure gradient is abolished, thereby inducing a modification in cerebral blood pressure. This effect is mimicked in the hindlimb unloaded rat model. After a duration of 8 days of unloading, Ca 2+ signals activated by depolarization and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate intracellular release were increased in cerebral arteries. In the presence of ryanodine and thapsigargin, the depolarization-induced Ca 2+ signals remained increased in hindlimb suspended animals, indicating that Ca 2+ influx and Ca 2+ -induced Ca 2+ release mechanism were both increased. Spontaneous Ca 2+ waves and localized Ca 2+ events were also investigated. Increases in both amplitude and frequency of spontaneous Ca 2+ waves were measured in hindlimb suspension conditions. After pharmacological segregation of Ca 2+ sparks and Ca 2+ sparklets, their kinetic parameters were characterized. Hindlimb suspension induced an increase in the frequencies of both Ca 2+ localized events, suggesting an increase of excitability. Labeling with bodipy compounds suggested that voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels and ryanodine receptor expressions were increased. Finally, the expression of the ryanodine receptor subtype 1 (RyR1) was increased in hindlimb unloading conditions. Taken together, these results suggest that RyR1 expression and voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels activity are the focal points of the regulation of Ca 2+ signals activated by vasoconstriction in rat cerebral arteries with an increase of the voltage-dependent Ca 2+ influx.