James Watras

Differential regulation of two types of intracellular calcium release channels during end-stage heart failure.

The molecular basis of human heart failure is unknown. Alterations in calcium homeostasis have been observed in failing human heart muscles. Intracellular calcium-release channels regulate the calcium flux required for muscle contraction. Two forms of intracellular calcium-release channels are expressed in the heart: the ryanodine receptor (RyR) and the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R). In the present study we showed that these two cardiac intracellular calcium release channels were regulated in opposite directions in failing human hearts. In the left ventricle, RyR mRNA levels were decreased by 31% (P < 0.025) whereas IP3R mRNA levels were increased by 123% (P < 0.005). In situ hybridization localized both RyR and IP3R mRNAs to human cardiac myocytes. The relative amounts of IP3 binding sites increased approximately 40% compared with ryanodine binding sites in the failing heart. RyR down-regulation could contribute to impaired contractility; IP3R up regulation may be a compensatory response providing an alternative pathway for mobilizing intracellular calcium release, possibly contributing to the increased diastolic tone associated with heart failure and the hypertrophic response of failing myocardium.

Kinetic analysis of receptor-activated phosphoinositide turnover

We studied the bradykinin-induced changes in phosphoinositide composition of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells using a combination of biochemistry, microscope imaging, and mathematical modeling. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) decreased over the first 30 s, and then recovered over the following 2–3 min. However, the rate and amount of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) production were much greater than the rate or amount of PIP2 decline. A mathematical model of phosphoinositide turnover based on this data predicted that PIP2 synthesis is also stimulated by bradykinin, causing an early transient increase in its concentration. This was subsequently confirmed experimentally. Then, we used single-cell microscopy to further examine phosphoinositide turnover by following the translocation of the pleckstrin homology domain of PLCδ1 fused to green fluorescent protein (PH-GFP). The observed time course could be simulated by incorporating binding of PIP2 and InsP3 to PH-GFP into the model that had been used to analyze the biochemistry. Furthermore, this analysis could help to resolve a controversy over whether the translocation of PH-GFP from membrane to cytosol is due to a decrease in PIP2 on the membrane or an increase in InsP3 in cytosol; by computationally clamping the concentrations of each of these compounds, the model shows how both contribute to the dynamics of probe translocation.

Fatty acid effects on calcium influx and efflux in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from rabbit skeletal muscle.

Low concentrations of fatty acids inhibited initial Ca uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, the extent of inhibition varying with chain length and unsaturation in a series of C14-C20 fatty acids. Oleic acid was a more potent inhibitor of initial Ca uptake than stearic acid at 25 degrees C, whereas at 5 degrees C there was less difference between the inhibitory effects of low concentrations of these fatty acids. When the fatty acids were added later, during the phase of spontaneous Ca release that follow Ca uptake in reactions carried out at 25 degrees C 1-4 microM oleic and stearic acids caused Ca content to increase. This effect was due to marked inhibition of Ca efflux and slight stimulation of Ca influx. At concentrations of greater than 4 microM, both fatty acids inhibited the Ca influx that occurs during spontaneous Ca release; in the case of oleic acid, this inhibition resembled that of initial Ca uptake at 5 degrees C. The different effects of fatty acids at various times during Ca uptake reactions may be explained in part if alterations in the physical state of the membranes occur during the transition from the phase of initial Ca uptake to that of spontaneous Ca release.

INOSITOL 1,4,5-TRISPHOSPHATE RECEPTOR IN SKELETAL MUSCLE: DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION IN MYOFIBRES

SummaryThe role of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate as a second messenger in signal transduction has been well established in many cell types. However, conflicting reports have led to a controversy regarding the role, if any, of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signalling in skeletal muscle. Indeed, expression of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor has not previously been demonstrated in skeletal muscle. In the present study we used in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and [3H]-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding to demonstrate that rat skeletal muscle fibres contain inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors. RNAse protection and partial sequencing suggested that the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors expressed in skeletal muscle was most similar to the non-neuronal form of the type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. While in situ hybridization showed inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA in all types of skeletal myofibres, immunodetectable inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor protein and specific [3H]-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding sites were preferentially expressed in slow oxidative (type I) and fast oxidative-glycolytic (type IIA) fibres, but not in fast glycolytic (type IIB) fibres. These findings indicate that an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is preferentially expressed in oxidative fibres of skeletal muscle.

Analysis of Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate Signaling in Cerebellar Purkinje Spines

A 3D model was developed and used to explore dynamics of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) signaling in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Long-term depression in Purkinje neurons depends on coincidence detection of climbing fiber stimulus evoking extracellular calcium flux into the cell and parallel fiber stimulus evoking inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-meditated calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Experimental evidence shows that large concentrations of IP3 are required for calcium release. This study uses computational analysis to explore how the Purkinje cell provides sufficient PIP2 to produce large amounts of IP3. Results indicate that baseline PIP2 concentration levels in the plasma membrane are inadequate, even if the model allows for PIP2 replenishment by lateral diffusion from neighboring dendrite membrane. Lateral diffusion analysis indicates apparent anomalous diffusion of PIP2 in the spiny dendrite membrane, due to restricted diffusion through spine necks. Stimulated PIP2 synthesis and elevated spine PIP2 mediated by a local sequestering protein were explored as candidate mechanisms to supply sufficient PIP2. Stimulated synthesis can indeed lead to high IP3 amplitude of long duration; local sequestration produces high IP3 amplitude, but of short duration. Simulation results indicate that local sequestration could explain the experimentally observed finely tuned timing between parallel fiber and climbing fiber activation.

Regulation of Calcium Uptake in Bovine Aortic Sarcoplasmic Reticulum by Cyclic AMP-dependent Protein Kinase

The effect of cAMP-dependent protein kinase on calcium uptake and protein phosphorylation in bovine aortic microsomes was examined. Acid gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the aortic microsomes contained a Ca2+-dependent, hydroxylamine-sensitive phosphoenzyme (Mr 110 kDa), characteristic of the calcium pump in sarcoplasmic reticulum, but showed no evidence of a sarcolemmal calcium pump. Calcium uptake by these aortic vesicles was markedly stimulated by oxalate, whereas calcium uptake by canine cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles was oxalate-independent. Both cAMP plus protein kinase (cAMP-PK) and catalytic subunit of protein kinase stimulated oxalate-supported calcium uptake by bovine aortic microsomes 23 +/- 3% (P less than 0.05) at 0.3 microM Ca2+, but had no effect at 6 to 10 microM Ca2+. Catalytic subunit of protein kinase and cAMP-PK phosphorylated an 11 kDa protein in bovine aortic microsomes which comigrated with canine cardiac phospholamban after boiling in sodium dodecylsulfate. The stoichiometry of the aortic 11 kDa phosphoprotein to 110 kDa phosphoenzyme was approximately 1:1. These data are consistent with the recent identification of phospholamban in various smooth muscles, and suggest that cAMP-mediated vascular relaxation may in part be attributable to stimulation of calcium uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Changes in rat cardiac myosin during development and in culture

Abstract Developmental changes in the subunit composition and ATPase activity of myosin isolated from rat ventricular myocardium and 5-day-old myocardial tissue cultures were examined. Electrophoretic analysis of cardiac myosin from 12-week-old adults, 9-, and 16-day neonates, and 5-day tissue cultures demonstrated two light chains (Mol. wt 25 500 and 20 000) with a molar ratio of 1: 1. In 21-day fetal myosin, three light chains were observed (Mol. wt: 25 500; 24 500; 20 000), with a molar ratio of 0.82:0.15: 1.0. Analysis of ATPase activity in the presence of three activators (Ca 2+ , K + , and F-actin) showed significant differences between these myosin preparations, though the time course of the change was activator specific. The change in K + -activated ATPase activity occurred soon after birth and correlated with the disappearance of the third light chain (Mol. wt 24 500) and a partial isozymic shift from V 3 to V 1 myosin. The Ca 2+ - and actin-activated ATPase activities increased more slowly and were accompanied by continuation of the V 3 to V 1 myosin shift. Thus, it appears that V 3 myosin is heterogeneous. Moreover, kinetic analysis of tissue culture myosin is consistent with the predominance of V 3 myosin with low K + -activated ATPase activity.

Effects of Mg2+ on calcium accumulation by two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

Calcium accumulation by two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum presumably derived from longitudinal tubules (light vesicles) and terminal cisternae (heavy vesicles) was examined radiochemically in the presence of various free Mg2+ concentrations. Both fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum exhibited a Mg2+-dependent increase in phosphate-supported calcium uptake velocity, though half-maximal velocity in heavy vesicles occurred at a much higher free Mg2+ concentration than that in light vesicles (i.e., approx. 0.90 mM vs. approx. 0.02 mM Mg2+). Calcium uptake velocity in light vesicles correlated with Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, suggesting that Mg2+ stimulated the calcium pump. Calcium uptake velocity in heavy vesicles did not correlate with Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, although a Mg2+-dependent increase in calcium influx was observed. Thus, Mg2+ may increase the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to calcium transport in heavy vesicles. Analyses of calcium sequestration (in the absence of phosphate) showed a similar trend in that elevation of Mg2+ from 0.07 to 5 mM stimulated calcium sequestration in heavy vesicles much more than in light vesicles. This difference between the two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum was not explained by phosphoenzyme (EP) level or distribution. Analyses of calcium uptake, Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, and unidirectional calcium flux in the presence of approx. 0.4 mM Mg2+ suggested that ruthenium red (0.5 microM) can also increase the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to calcium transport in heavy vesicles, with no effect in light vesicles. These functional differences between light and heavy vesicles suggest that calcium transport in terminal cisternae is regulated differently from that in longitudinal tubules.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release from canine aortic sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release from canine aortic smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was examined using the calcium indicator antipyrylazo III. Calcium release was initiated by addition of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) to aortic vesicles 7 min after initiation of ATP-supported calcium uptake. Half-maximal calcium release occurred at 1 microM IP3, with maximal calcium release amounting to 25 +/- 2% of the intravesicular calcium (n = 12, 9 preparations). Ruthenium red (10-20 microM), which has been reported to block IP3-induced calcium release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum, did not inhibit aortic IP3-induced calcium release. Elevation of Mg2+ concentration from 0.06 to 7.8 mM inhibited aortic IP3-induced calcium release 75%, which contrasts with the Mg2+-insensitive IP3-induced calcium release from platelet reticular membranes. The IP3-dependence of aortic calcium release suggested that Mg2+ acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor. Thus, aortic sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles contain an IP3-sensitive calcium pathway which is inhibited by millimolar concentrations of Mg2+, but which is not inhibited by Ruthenium red and so differs from the previously described IP3-sensitive calcium pathways in skeletal muscle and platelet reticular membranes.

QUERCETIN STIMULATION OF CALCIUM RELEASE FROM RABBIT SKELETAL MUSCLE SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM

To elucidate the mechanism by which quercetin enhances the rate of tension development in skinned muscle fibers, effects on calcium release from longitudinal tubule-derived SR (LSR) after phosphate-supported calcium uptake were examined. In all studies, 100 microM quercetin (which inhibits initial calcium uptake velocity 85%) was added at or shortly after the time calcium content reached a maximum at various extravesicular Ca2+ concentrations (Cao). At moderate Cao (0.2-1.0 microM), where spontaneous calcium release rate depended on Cao, quercetin caused a marked stimulation of calcium release. This was accompanied by a 60% reduction in calcium influx and a 30-fold increase in calcium efflux. Thus, the previously reported quercetin-induced increase in the rate of tension development by skinned muscle fibers may result, at least in part, from sensitization of Ca2+-triggered calcium release to lower Cao.