In summary, BK channels are an integral part of the subsarcolemmal
calcium signaling complex that regulates vascular
tone. Understanding how this modulating influence on vasoconstriction
is impaired in disease may open new pathways
for treating cardiovascular complications of diabetes mellitus,
hypertension, and heart failure. The present study takes the
first step by establishing that the calcineurin–NFATc3 pathway
contributes to hypertension in diabetes mellitus by downregulating
expression of the calcium-sensitizing β1 subunit of
the BK channel