Vijayan Elimban

Decreased expression of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump ATPase in congestive heart failure due to myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction in rats induced by occluding the left coronary artery for 4, 8 and 16 weeks has been shown to result in congestive heart failure (CHF) characterized by hypertrophy of the viable ventricular myocardial tissue. We have previously demonstrated a decreased calcium transport activity in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of post-myocardial infarction failing rat hearts. In this study we have measured the steady state levels of the cardiac SR Ca2+-pump ATPase (SERCA2) mRNA using Northern blot and slot blot analyses. The relative amounts of SERCA2 mRNA were decreased with respect to GAPDH mRNA and 28 S rRNA in experimental failing hearts at 4 and 8 weeks post myocardial infarction by about 20% whereas those at 16 weeks declined by about 35% of control values. The results obtained by Western blot analysis, revealed that the immunodetectable levels of SERCA2 protein in 8 and 16 weeks postinfarcted animals were decreased by about 20% and 30%, respectively. The left ventricular SR Ca2+-pump ATPase specific activity was depressed in the SR preparations of failing hearts as early as 4 weeks post myocardial infarction and declined by about 65% at 16 weeks compared to control. These results indicate that the depressed SR Ca2+-pump ATPase activity in CHF may partly be due to decreased steady state amounts of SERCA2 mRNA and SERCA2 protein in the failing myocardium.

Modification of subcellular organelles in pressure-overloaded heart by etomoxir, a carnitine palmitoyltransferase I inhibitor.

To examine the signals regulating cardiac growth and molecular structure of subcellular organelles, cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by constriction of the abdominal aorta for 12–13 wk or by treatment with a carnitine palmitoyltransferase I inhibitor, etomoxir (12–15 mg/kg body wt) for 12–13 wk. In contrast to pressure overload, etomoxir redistributed the myosin isozyme population from V3 to V1 and increased the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+‐stimulated ATPase activity. When rats with pressure‐overloaded hearts were treated with etomoxir, the cardiac hypertrophy was increased whereas the shift in myosin isozymes from V1 to V3 was prevented and the depression in SR Ca2+ ‐stimulated ATPase activity was reversed. Plasma thyroid hormone and insulin concentrations were not altered but triglyceride concentrations were reduced in etomoxir‐treated rats with pressure overload. The data demonstrate a dissociation between cardiac muscle growth and changes in subcellular organelles and indicate that a shift in myocardial substrate utilization may represent an important signal for molecular remodeling of the heart.—Rupp, H.; Elimban, V.; Dhalla, N. S. Modification of subcellular organelles in pressure‐overloaded heart by etomoxir, a carnitine palmitoyltransferase I inhibitor. FASEB J. 6: 2349‐2353; 1992.

Modification of myosin isozymes and SR Ca2+-pump ATPase of the diabetic rat heart by lipid-lowering interventions

To define metabolic influences on cardiac myosin expression and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-stimulated ATPase streptozotocin-diabetic rats were treated for 9–10 wk with etomoxir, an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-1) and fatty acid synthesis, or an antilipolytic drug, acipimox. Etomoxir reduced myosin V3 of diabetic rats but did not normalize it. However, the high serum triglyceride, free-fatty acid and cholesterol concentrations in diabetic animals were greatly reduced. After bypassing the CPT-1 inhibition with a medium-chain fatty acid (miglyol) diet, the V3 contents and serum lipids were still reduced in the etomoxir-treated diabetic rats; V3 was also reduced in diabetic rats fed miglyol or treated with acipimox. Since low serum insulin or triiodothyronine concentrations in diabetic rats were not improved by these interventions but changes in V3 were correlated with those in triglyceride, free-fatty acid and cholesterol concentrations, it is likely that myosin may be influenced by some metabolic factors. To assess the role of adrenergic influences, diabetic rats (7–8 wk) were treated with an antisympathotonic drug, moxonidine, a β-adrenoceptor blocking drug, propranolol, and a bradycardic drug, tedisamil. Myosin V3 was not reduced significantly in moxonidine-treated or propranolol-treated rats in comparison to untreated diabetic rats. Serum thyroid hormones and insulin were not altered, whereas triglycerides were reduced but not significantly by these antiadrenergic agents. Lowering serum lipids in diabetic rats by treatment with etomoxir, miglyol and acipimox increased the depressed SR Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activity. On the other hand, in diabetic rats treated with moxonidine, propranolol or tedisamil, the ATPase activity was not increased significantly. These results suggest that normalization of blood lipids is important for improving subcellular organelle function in diabetic hearts with impaired glucose utilization.

Sequence of alterations in subcellular organelles during the development of heart dysfunction in diabetes

Although changes in different subcellular organelles such as myofibrils, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), mitochondria and sarcolemma (SL), as well as in heart function have been reported to occur in chronic diabetes, their inter-relationships and functional significance are poorly understood. In order to gain information on this aspect, diabetes in rats was induced by an intravenous injection of streptozotocin and animals were assessed hemodynamically at 15-27 days. Ventricular tissue from several diabetic animals was pooled, subcellular organelles were isolated and their biochemical activities determined. Significant depressions in cardiac contractile and relaxation were observed to be associated with decreases in myofibrillar Ca(2+)-stimulated ATPase and SR Ca(2+)-pump activities at 21 days from the induction of diabetes. Likewise, the SL Na+-Ca2+ exchange and Ca(2+)-channel density were decreased at 21 days but the affinity of SL Ca(2+)-channels was increased in the diabetic heart. The SL Ca(2+)-pump and Na+-K+ ATPase activities were depressed at 18 and 24 days, respectively. Both alpha- and beta- adrenoceptor densities in SL were decreased at 27 days whereas no changes in mitochondrial function were observed at these early stages of diabetes. The SL low affinity Ca(2+)-binding was decreased while the low affinity Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was increased at 18 days following the induction of diabetes. These results indicate that SL defects precede those in SR, myofibrils or mitochondria and suggest that abnormalities in Ca(2+)-handling as well as interaction of Ca2+ with myofilaments in cardiomyocytes may lead to the development of heart dysfunction in chronic diabetes.

Characterization of the purified rat heart plasma membrane Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase

The purified Ca2+/Mgu2+ ATPase from rat heart plasma membrane was activated by Ca2+ and Mg2+ with Ka values of 1.47 mM and 2.51 mM, respectively; other divalent cations also activated the enzyme but to a lesser extent. Divalent cations like Cu2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cd2+ were potent inhibitors of the enzyme activity in the presence of Ca2+ or Mg2+ whereas Na+, K+ or HC0−3did not affect the Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase activity; the pH optima was 8.5. The enzyme hydrolyzed ATP with a Km of 0.34 mM for Ca2+ ATPase and 0.48 mM for Mg2+ ATPase; various nucleoside triphosphate such as ITP, CTP, GTP, and UTP were also hydrolyzed. Phospholipase A and C as well as neuraminidase decreased the Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase activity whereas phospholipase D was ineffective. The purified Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase was found to bind ATP-r-35S with two affinities; the KD values were 50.9 ± 0.8 and 1160 ± 198 nM and the Bmax values were 8.71 ± 0.16 and 145 ± 9.7 nmol/mg protein for high and low affinity sites, respectively. Treatment of the enzyme preparation with phospholipases and neuraminidase did not affect the ATP-r-35S binding. Ca2+ was also found to bind with Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase with a KD of 0.384 mM and a Bmax of 1.85 µmol/mg protein; Ni2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ at 1 mM concentrations inhibited the Ca2+ binding but Mg2+ and verapamil were without effect. Phospholipase A and neuraminidase decreased the Ca2+-binding by 20–30%; this indicated that Ca2+-binding with the purified enzyme may be partly due to the phospholipids and sialic acid residues associated with the enzyme. These results show that the purified Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase is a Ca2+-binding glycoprotein having two binding sites for ATP. Furthermore, this study suggests that phospholipids associated with purified Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase are required for maximal activity.

Biophysical characterization of rat cardiac Ca2+/Mg2+ ecto-ATPase (Myoglein)

Sarcolemmal Ca2+/Mg2+ ecto-ATPase (Myoglein; MW 180 kD) is a membrane bound enzyme which requires a millimolar concentration of either Ca2+ or Mg2+ for maximal hydrolysis of ATP. The isoelectric point (pI) of the cardiac ecto-ATPase was 5.7. The purified Ca2+/Mg2+ ecto-ATPase from the rat heart sarcolemmal appeared as a single band with MW ∼90 kD in the SDS-PAGE. In order to understand the nature of this enzyme, the 90 kD band in the SDS-PAGE was electroeluted; the analysis of the eluate showed 2 prominent bands with MW ∼90 and 85 kD. The presence of 2 bands was further confirmed by gradient gel (10-20%) electrophoresis in 0.375 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.8. Analysis of the purified Ca2+/Mg2+ ecto-ATPase as well as the electroeluted protein in a non-equilibrium linear two dimensional electrophoresis (Ampholyte pI 3.0-10.0) also showed two distinct bands. Mass spectroscopic analysis of the enzyme using different matrix combinations revealed the presence of multi-components indicating microheterogeneity in the protein structure. Treatment of the ecto-ATPase with DL-dithiothreitol did not alter the pattern of mass spectroscopic analysis and this indicated that the microheterogeneity may be due to some posttranslational modifications. It is concluded that rat cardiac Ca2+/Mg2+ ecto-ATPase is an acidic protein having two subunits. Furthermore, the enzyme shows microheterogeneity in its molecular structure.

A comparative study of the rat heart sarcolemmal Ca2+-dependent ATPase and myosin ATPase

In order to gain some information regarding Ca2+-dependent ATPase, the enzyme was purified from cardiac sarcolemma and its properties were compared with Ca2+-ATPase activity of myosin purified from rat heart. Both Ca2+-dependent ATPase and myosin ATPase were stimulated by Ca2+ but the maximal activation of Ca2+-dependent ATPase required 4 mM Ca2+ whereas that of myosin ATPase required 10 mM Ca2+. These ATPases were also activated by other divalent cations in the order of Ca2+ > Mn2+ > Sr2+ > Br2+ > Mg2+; however, there was a marked difference in the pattern of their activation by these cations. Unlike the myosin ATPase, the ATP hydrolysis by Ca2+-dependent ATPase was not activated by actin. The pH optima of Ca2+-dependent ATPase and myosin ATPase were 9.5 and 6.5 respectively. Na+ markedly inhibited Ca2+-dependent ATPase but had no effect on the myosin ATPase activity. N-ethylmaleimide inhibited Ca2+-dependent ATPase more than myosin ATPase whereas the inhibitory effect of vanadate was more on myosin ATPase than Ca2+-dependent ATPase. Both Ca2+-dependent ATPase and myosin ATPase were stimulated by K-EDTA and NH4-EDTA. When myofibrils were treated with trypsin and passed through columns similar to those used for purifying Ca2+-ATPase from sarcolemma, an enzyme with ATPase activity was obtained. This myofibrillar ATPase was maximally activated at 3–4 mM Ca2+ and 3 to 4 mM ATP like sarcolemmal Ca2+-dependent ATPase. K+ stimulated both ATPase activities in the absence of Ca2+ and inhibited in the presence of Ca2+. Both enzymes were inhibited by Na+, Mg2+, La3+, and azide similarly. However, Ca2+ ATPase from myofibrils showed three peptide bands in SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis whereas Ca2+ ATPase from sarcolemma contained only two bands. Sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase had two affinity sites for ATP (0.012 mM and 0.23 mM) while myofibrillar Ca2+-ATPase had only one affinity site (0.34 mM). Myofibrillar Ca2+-ATPase was more sensitive to maleic anhydride and iodoacetamide than sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase. These observations suggest that Ca2+-dependent ATPase may be a myosin like protein in the heart sarcolemma and is unlikely to be a tryptic fragment of myosin present in the myofibrils.