Search

Abstract: We investigated the hypothesis that increased intracellular [Na+]i in heart failure contributes to preservation of SR Ca2+ load which may become particularly evident at slow heart rates. [Na+]i in SBFI-loaded myocytes from rabbits with pacing-induced heart failure (PHF) was significantly higher at each frequency as compared to Sham-operated animals. Furthermore, PHF rabbits demonstrated reduced SR Ca2+-ATPase protein levels (−37%, p <0.04) but unchanged Na+/Ca2+ exchanger protein levels. At 0.25 Hz, isometric force was similar in cardiac trabeculae from PHF rabbits as compared to control (PHF, 3.6±1.3; Sham, 4.4±0.6 mN/mm2). Rapid cooling contractures (RCCs) were unchanged indicating preserved SR Ca2+ load at this frequency. In Sham, isometric twitch force increased with rising frequencies to 29.0±2.8 mN/mm2 at 3.0Hz (p <0.05) as compared to 0.25 Hz. RCCs showed a parallel increase by 186±47% (p <0.01). In PHF, frequency-dependent increase in force (15.8±4.7 mN/mm2 at 3.0 Hz) and RCCs (increase by 70±40%) were significantly blunted. Thus, in PHF in rabbits SR Ca2+ load is preserved at low frequencies despite decreased SR Ca2+-ATPase expression. This may result from [Na+]i-dependent changes in Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Exogenous catecholamine exposure has been associated with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we investigated the regulation of p38 MAPK in cardiac remodeling elicited by endogenous adrenergic mechanisms. Methods: Transgenic male and female mice with fourfold phospholamban (PLB) overexpression exhibited enhanced circulating norepinephrine (NE), as a physiological compensatory mechanism to attenuate PLB’s inhibitory effects. This enhanced noradrenergic state resulted in left ventricular hypertrophy/dilatation and depressed function. Results: Male transgenics exhibited ventricular hypertrophy and mortality at 15 months, concurrent with cardiac p38 MAPK activation. Female transgenics, despite similar contractile dysfunction, displayed a temporal delay in p38 activation, hypertrophy, and mortality (22 months), which was associated with sustained cardiac levels of MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), a potent inhibitor of p38. At 22 months, decreases in cardiac MKP-1 were accompanied by increased levels of p38 activation. In vitro studies indicated that preincubation with 17-β-estradiol induced high MKP-1 levels, which precluded NE-induced p38 activation. Conclusion: These findings suggest that norepinephrine-induced hypertrophy is linked closely with p38 MAP kinase activation, which can be endogenously modulated through estrogen-responsive regulation of MKP-1 expression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Phospholamban ablation or ectopic expression of SERCA1a in the heart results in significant increases in cardiac contractile parameters. The aim of the present study was to determine whether a combination of these two genetic manipulations may lead to further augmentation of cardiac function. Methods: Transgenic mice with cardiac specific overexpression of SERCA1a were mated with phospholamban deficient mice to generate a model with SERCA1a overexpression in the phospholamban null background (SERCA1OE/PLBKO). The cardiac phenotype was characterized using quantitative immunoblotting, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake and single myocyte mechanics and calcium kinetics. Results: Quantitative immunoblotting revealed an increase of 1.8-fold in total SERCA level, while SERCA2 was decreased to 50% of wild types. Isolated myocytes indicated increases in the maximal rates of contraction by 195 and 125%, the maximal rates of relaxation by 200 and 124%, while the time for 80% decay of the Ca2+-transient was decreased to 43 and 75%, in SERCA1OE/PLBKO hearts, compared to SERCA1a overexpressors and phospholamban knockouts, respectively. These mechanical alterations reflected parallel alterations in Vmax and EC50 for Ca2+ of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ transport system. Furthermore, there were no significant cardiac histological or pathological alterations, and the myocyte contractile parameters remained enhanced, up to 12 months of age. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a combination of SERCA1a overexpression and phospholamban ablation results in further enhancement of myocyte contractility over each individual alteration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The role of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the onset and progression of heart failure is controversial. We tested the hypothesis that impairment of SR Ca2+ sequestration may be a primary cause for progressive left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and the phospholamban hinge domain may be critical in this process. Methods: A phospholamban hinge domain mutant (PLB/N27A) was introduced in the cardiac compartment of the phospholamban null mouse. An integrative approach was used to characterize the resulting cardiac phenotype at a structural, cellular, whole organ and intact animal level. Results: NMR analysis revealed a defined alteration in the α-helical configuration between residues Q22 to F35 in mutant phospholamban. Transgenic lines expressing similar levels of mutant compared to wild-type phospholamban exhibited super-inhibition of the SR Ca2+ ATPase affinity for Ca2+ (EC50 0.52 μM) in oxalate-supported Ca2+ uptake measurements, which translated into impaired relaxation and attenuated responses to β-adrenergic stimulation. Importantly, a blunted force–frequency relation was observed in mutant hearts preceding left ventricular dilation. Upon aging to 10 months, the predominantly diastolic dysfunction progressed to congestive heart failure, characterized by induction of a fetal gene program, cardiac remodeling, lung congestion, depressed systolic function and early mortality. Conclusion: Increased inhibition of Ca2+ sequestration may be a causative factor in the development of left ventricular dysfunction and myocyte remodeling leading to heart failure. Furthermore, the hinge domain may play an important role in transmitting PLB’s regulatory effects on SERCA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To determine whether the hyperdynamic phospholamban-knockout hearts are capable of withstanding a chronic aortic stenosis. Methods: The transverse section of the aorta was banded in phospholamban-knockout and their isogenic wild-type mice, which were followed with echocardiography in parallel, along with sham-operated mice, before and at 2.5, 5 and 10 weeks after surgery. Results: Cardiac decompensation was evidenced by the presence of lung congestion in some banded knockouts and wild-types, giving rise to a subset of non-failing and failing hearts within each group. The incidence of heart failure was not genotype-dependent but rather associated with higher heart rates before surgery. The development of left ventricular hypertrophy was similar between knockouts and wild-types and longitudinal assessment of end-diastolic dimension indicated progressive increases after banding, with a greater dilation in failing mice. Fractional shortening was reduced in failing knockouts and wild-types to a similar degree, with an earlier onset in the knockouts. In addition, fractional shortening was decreased in non-failing knockouts but not wild-types. Ejection times shortened after aortic banding particularly for failing hearts. Assessment of the SR Ca2+-ATPase protein levels indicated similar downregulation for failing knockouts and wild-types, while the phospholamban levels were not significantly altered in wild-types. Conclusion: The hyperdynamic phospholamban-knockout hearts are able to compensate against a sustained aortic stenosis similar to wild-types. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Stretch activates various signal transduction pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Stretch-induced phosphorylation of MAPK-contribution to contractility in human myocardium is unknown. We tested the effects of stretch on p44/42-, p38-MAPK and p90rsk phosphorylation and the functional relevance for force development in failing (F) and non-failing (NF) human myocardium. Trabeculae were stretched to a diastolic tension of 12mN/mm2 for 2.5 to 30 minutes and frozen for Western Blot analysis. Stretch induced a time-dependent increase in phosphorylation of p44/42-, p38-MAPK and p90rsk. For functional analysis, trabeculae from F myocardium were stretched and the immediate (Frank-Starling mechanism; FSM) and delayed (slow force response; SFR) increase in twitch force was assessed before and after blocking the activation of p44/42-MAPK (30 micromol/L U0126) and p38-MAPK (10 micromol/L SB203580). Inhibition of p44/42-MAPK almost completely blocked the SFR (106.7 3.7% vs. 125.4 2.9%), while p38-MAPK-blockade significantly increased the SFR (124.6 1.9% vs. 121.2 2.2%). Stretch induced a time-dependent increase in p44/42-, p38-MAPK and p90rsk phosphorylation in F and NF myocardium. While p44/42-MAPK phosphorylation contributed to the SFR, p38-MAPK activation antagonized the stretch-induced SFR.

We investigated the hypothesis that increased intracellular [Na+]i in heart failure contributes to preservation of SR Ca2+ load which may become particularly evident at slow heart rates. [Na+]i in SBFI-loaded myocytes from rabbits with pacing-induced heart failure (PHF) was significantly higher at each frequency as compared to Sham-operated animals. Furthermore, PHF rabbits demonstrated reduced SR Ca2+-ATPase protein levels (-37%, p < 0.04) but unchanged Na+/Ca2+ exchanger protein levels. At 0.25 Hz, isometric force was similar in cardiac trabeculae from PHF rabbits as compared to control (PHF, 3.6+/-1.3; Sham, 4.4+/-0.6 mN/mm2). Rapid cooling contractures (RCCs) were unchanged indicating preserved SR Ca2+ load at this frequency. In Sham, isometric twitch force increased with rising frequencies to 29.0+/-2.8 mN/mm2 at 3.0 Hz (p < 0.05) as compared to 0.25 Hz. RCCs showed a parallel increase by 186+/-47% (p < 0.01). In PHF, frequency-dependent increase in force (15.8+/-4.7 mN/mm2 at 3.0 Hz) and RCCs (increase by 70+/-40%) were significantly blunted. Thus, in PHF in rabbits SR Ca2+ load is preserved at low frequencies despite decreased SR Ca2+-ATPase expression. This may result from [Na+]i-dependent changes in Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity.

Phospholamban, the critical regulator of the cardiac SERCA2a Ca2+ affinity, is phosphorylated at Ser16 and Thr17 during beta-adrenergic stimulation (eg, isoproterenol). To assess the impact of nonphosphorylatable phospholamban, a S16A, T17A double-mutant (DM) was introduced into phospholamban knockout mouse hearts. Transgenic lines expressing DM phospholamban at levels similar to wild types (WT) were identified. In vitro phosphorylation confirmed that DM phospholamban could not be phosphorylated, but produced the same shift in EC50 of SERCA2a for Ca2+ as unphosphorylated WT phospholamban. Rates of basal twitch [Ca2+]i decline were not different in DM versus WT cardiomyocytes. Isoproterenol increased the rates of twitch [Ca2+]i decline in WT, but not DM myocytes, confirming the prominent role of phospholamban phosphorylation in this response. Increased L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) density, with unaltered characteristics, was the major compensation in DM myocytes. Consequently, the normal beta-adrenergic-induced increase in ICa caused larger dynamic changes in absolute ICa density. Isoproterenol increased Ca2+ transients to a comparable amplitude in DM and WT. There were no changes in myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity, or the expression levels and Ca2+ removal activities of other Ca2+-handling proteins. Nor was there evidence of cardiac remodeling up to 10 months of age. Thus, chronic inhibition of SERCA2a by ablation of phospholamban phosphorylation (abolishing its adrenergic regulation) results in a unique cellular adaptation involving greater dynamic ICa modulation. This ICa modulation may partly compensate for the loss in SERCA2a responsiveness and thereby partially normalize beta-adrenergic inotropy in DM phospholamban mice.

Cardiac-specific overexpression of murine cardiac calsequestrin results in depressed contractile parameters and hypertrophy in transgenic mice. To determine the long-term consequences of calsequestrin overexpression, the cardiac phenotype of young (2-3-months old) and aged (17 months old) transgenic FVB/N mice was characterized. Ventricular/body weight ratios, which were increased in young transgenics compared with wild-types, were unaltered with age. Left atria of aged transgenics exhibited enlargement and mineralization, but their ventricles did not display fibrosis, mineralization and other injuries. Although echocardiography suggested a time-dependent change in ventricular geometry and loading conditions in vivo, as well as an age-dependent reduction of left ventricular fractional shortening in transgenic mice, Langendorff-perfused hearts of young and aged transgenics indicated that there were no age-related reductions of contractile parameters (+/-dP/dt). Furthermore, neither genotype nor age altered lung/body weight ratios. Thus, our findings suggest that left ventricular performance in calsequestrin overexpressing mice becomes apparently depressed with age, but this depression is not associated with progressive reduction of left ventricular contractility and heart failure.

Objective: The role of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the onset and progression of heart failure is controversial. We tested the hypothesis that impairment of SR Ca2+ sequestration may be a primary cause for progressive left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and the phospholamban hinge domain may be critical in this process., Methods: A phospholamban hinge domain mutant (PLB/N27A) was introduced in the cardiac compartment of the phospholamban null mouse. An integrative approach was used to characterize the resulting cardiac phenotype at a structural, cellular, whole organ and intact animal level., Results: NMR analysis revealed a defined alteration in the alpha-helical configuration between residues Q22 to F35 in mutant phospholamban. Transgenic lines expressing similar levels of mutant compared to wild-type phospholamban exhibited super-inhibition of the SR Ca2+ ATPase affinity for Ca2+ (EC50 0.52 microM) in oxalate-supported Ca2+ uptake measurements, which translated into impaired relaxation and attenuated responses to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Importantly, a blunted force-frequency relation was observed in mutant hearts preceding left ventricular dilation. Upon aging to 10 months, the predominantly diastolic dysfunction progressed to congestive heart failure, characterized by induction of a fetal gene program, cardiac remodeling, lung congestion, depressed systolic function and early mortality., Conclusion: Increased inhibition of Ca2+ sequestration may be a causative factor in the development of left ventricular dysfunction and myocyte remodeling leading to heart failure. Furthermore, the hinge domain may play an important role in transmitting PLB's regulatory effects on SERCA.