Influence of calcium on myosin thick filament formation in intact airway smooth muscle

2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (2) ◽  
pp. C310-C316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. Herrera ◽  
Kuo-Hsing Kuo ◽  
Chun Y. Seow

Myosin thick filaments have been shown to be structurally labile in intact smooth muscles. Although the mechanism of thick filament assembly/disassembly for purified myosins in solution has been well described, regulation of thick filament formation in intact muscle is still poorly understood. The present study investigates the effect of resting calcium level on thick filament maintenance in intact airway smooth muscle and on thick filament formation during activation. Cross-sectional density of the thick filaments measured electron microscopically showed that the density increased substantially (144%) when the muscle was activated. The abundance of filamentous myosins in relaxed muscle was calcium sensitive; in the absence of calcium (with EGTA), the filament density deceased by 35%. Length oscillation imposed on the muscle under zero-calcium conditions produced no further reduction in the density. Isometric force and filament density recovered fully after reincubation of the muscle in normal physiological saline. The results suggest that in airway smooth muscle, filamentous myosins exist in equilibrium with monomeric myosins; muscle activation favors filament formation, and the resting calcium level is crucial for preservation of the filaments in the relaxed state.

2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 1811-1816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Hsing Kuo ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Peter D. Paré ◽  
Lincoln E. Ford ◽  
Chun Y. Seow

Airway smooth muscle adapts to different lengths with functional changes that suggest plastic alterations in the filament lattice. To look for structural changes that might be associated with this plasticity, we studied the relationship between isometric force generation and myosin thick filament density in cell cross sections, measured by electron microscope, after length oscillations applied to the relaxed porcine trachealis muscle. Muscles were stimulated regularly for 12 s every 5 min. Between two stimulations, the muscles were submitted to repeated passive ±30% length changes. This caused tetanic force and thick-filament density to fall by 21 and 27%, respectively. However, in subsequent tetani, both force and filament density recovered to preoscillation levels. These findings indicate that thick filaments in airway smooth muscle are labile, depolymerization of the myosin filaments can be induced by mechanical strain, and repolymerization of the thick filaments underlies force recovery after the oscillation. This thick-filament lability would greatly facilitate plastic changes of lattice length and explain why airway smooth muscle is able to function over a large length range.


2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (6) ◽  
pp. C1298-C1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Qi ◽  
R. W. Mitchell ◽  
T. Burdyga ◽  
L. E. Ford ◽  
K.-H. Kuo ◽  
...  

Phosphorylation of the 20-kDa regulatory myosin light chain (MLC) of smooth muscle is known to cause monomeric myosins in solution to self-assemble into thick filaments. The role of MLC phosphorylation in thick filament formation in intact muscle, however, is not clear. It is not known whether the phosphorylation is necessary to initiate thick filament assembly in vivo. Here we show, by using a potent inhibitor of MLC kinase (wortmannin), that the MLC phosphorylation and isometric force in trachealis muscle could be abolished without affecting calcium transients. By measuring cross-sectional densities of the thick filaments electron microscopically, we also show that inhibition of MLC phosphorylation alone did not cause disassembly of the filaments. The unphosphorylated thick filaments, however, partially dissolved when the muscle was subjected to oscillatory strains (which caused a 25% decrease in the thick filament density). The postoscillation filament density recovered to the preoscillation level only when wortmannin was removed and the muscle was stimulated. The data suggest that in vivo thick filament reassembly after mechanical perturbation is facilitated by the cyclic MLC phosphorylation associated with repeated stimulation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 285 (2) ◽  
pp. C384-C390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Hsing Kuo ◽  
Ana M. Herrera ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Peter D. Paré ◽  
Lincoln E. Ford ◽  
...  

Airway smooth muscle is able to adapt and maintain a nearly constant maximal force generation over a large length range. This implies that a fixed filament lattice such as that found in striated muscle may not exist in this tissue and that plastic remodeling of its contractile and cytoskeletal filaments may be involved in the process of length adaptation that optimizes contractile filament overlap. Here, we show that isometric force produced by airway smooth muscle is independent of muscle length over a twofold length change; cell cross-sectional area was inversely proportional to cell length, implying that the cell volume was conserved at different lengths; shortening velocity and myosin filament density varied similarly to length change: increased by 69.4% ± 5.7 (SE) and 76.0% ± 9.8, respectively, for a 100% increase in cell length. Muscle power output, ATPase rate, and myosin filament density also have the same dependence on muscle cell length: increased by 35.4% ± 6.7, 34.6% ± 3.4, and 35.6% ± 10.6, respectively, for a 50% increase in cell length. The data can be explained by a model in which additional contractile units containing myosin filaments are formed and placed in series with existing contractile units when the muscle is adapted at a longer length.


1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 635-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. Stephens ◽  
A. Halayko ◽  
H. Jiang

Asthma research has recently highlighted the importance of correctly normalizing force development for purposes of comparing stiffness properties of smooth muscles between different airways, between airways at different stages of maturity, and between airways from different animal species. This problem does not exist in striated muscle where the entire tissue consists almost entirely of muscle and where cross bridges cycle at the same rate throughout a contraction when load correlation is made. In the bronchus, cross-sectional area of true muscle may constitute only 20–30% of the total tissue cross section, and load-independent cycling rate varies fourfold during the course of a contraction because of the occurrence of normally cycling and latch bridges. These features are responsible for the difficulty in force normalization in smooth muscle. Our studies indicate that normalization with respect to true muscle cell cross-sectional area (derived by quantitative morphometry of appropriate tissue transverse sections) is the most valid. This is only so, however, when it has been proved that the actomyosin content per unit weight of the different muscle tissues is the same.Key words: isometric force, force normalization, muscle cell stress, actomyosin stress.


2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 933-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
A V Smolensky ◽  
L E Ford

The long functional range of some types of smooth muscle has been the subject of recent study. It has been proposed that the muscle filament lattice adapts to longer lengths by placing more filaments in series and that lattice plasticity is facilitated by myosin filament evanescence, with filaments dissociating during relaxation and reforming upon activation. Support for these dynamic changes in the filament lattice has been provided partly by changes in contractile parameters at different times in the contraction–relaxation cycle at different lengths. If the changes in contractile parameters result from filament formation and dissociation, these structural changes must occur on the time scale of tension development and relaxation. To assess whether thick-filament formation could account for the contractile changes, we measured birefringence continuously during activation and relaxation and compared these optical changes with the time course of force development and relaxation. Birefringence is a well-known property of muscle; striations in skeletal and cardiac muscle result from the A-bands being anisotropic, i.e., birefringent, and it is now known that this optical property is due to the presence of myosin thick filaments in the A-bands. Thus, the strength of birefringence is expected to represent the density of thick filaments. Here, we describe the principle of the method, the techniques for recording the optical signals, some initial results, and discuss the interpretation of results and some limitations of the method.Key words: airway smooth muscle, myosin filament, plasticity.


2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freek J. Zijlstra ◽  
Marieke E. van Meeteren ◽  
Ingrid M. Garrelds ◽  
Maarten A.C. Meijssen

Background:Both intestinal permeability and contractility are altered in inflammatory bowel disease. Little is known about their mutual relation. Therefore, anin vitroorgan bath technique was developed to investigate the simultaneous effects of inflammation on permeability and smooth muscle contractility in different segments of the colon.Methods and materials:BALB/c mice were exposed to a 10% dextran sulphate sodium drinking water solution for 7 days to induce a mild colitis, while control mice received normal tap water. Intestinal segments were placed in an oxygenated organ bath containing Krebs buffer. Permeability was measured by the transport of the marker molecules3H-mannitol and14C-polyethyleneglycol 4000. Contractility was measured through a pressure sensor. Smooth muscle relaxation was obtained by salbutamol and l-phenylephrine, whereas contraction was achieved by carbachol and 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-biguanide.Results:The intensity of mucosal inflammation increased throughout the colon. Also, regional differences were observed in intestinal permeability. In both normal and inflamed distal colon segments, permeability was diminished compared with proximal colon segments and the non-inflamed ileum. Permeability in inflamed distal colon segments was significantly decreased compared with normal distal segments. Pharmacologically induced relaxation of smooth muscles did not affect this diminished permeability, although an increased motility positively affected permeability in inflamed and non-inflamed distal colon.Conclusions:Inflammation and permeability is inversely related. The use of pro-kinetics could counteract this disturbed permeability and, in turn, could regulate the disturbed production of inflammatory mediators.


1968 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. Kelly ◽  
Robert V. Rice

Thick myosin filaments, in addition to actin filaments, were found in sections of glycerinated chicken gizzard smooth muscle when fixed at a pH below 6.6. The thick filaments were often grouped into bundles and run in the longitudinal axis of the smooth muscle cell. Each thick filament was surrounded by a number of thin filaments, giving the filament arrangement a rosette appearance in cross-section. The exact ratio of thick filaments to thin filaments could not be determined since most arrays were not so regular as those commonly found in striated muscle. Some rosettes had seven or eight thin filaments surrounding a single thick filament. Homogenates of smooth muscle of chicken gizzard also showed both thick and thin filaments when the isolation was carried out at a pH below 6.6, but only thin filaments were found at pH 7.4. No Z or M lines were observed in chicken gizzard muscle containing both thick and thin filaments. The lack of these organizing structures may allow smooth muscle myosin to disaggregate readily at pH 7.4.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (4) ◽  
pp. L119-L133 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Coburn ◽  
C. B. Baron

This review documents available information about coupling mechanisms involved in airway smooth muscle force development and maintenance and relaxation of force. Basic concepts, obtained from experiments performed on many different mammalian cell types, are in place regarding coupling between surface membrane receptors and cell function; these concepts are considered as a framework for understanding coupling between receptors and contractile proteins in smooth muscles and in airway smooth muscles. We have divided various components of coupling mechanisms into those dependent on changes in the surface membrane potential (electromechanical coupling) and those independent of the surface membrane potential (pharmacomechanical coupling). We have, to some degree, emphasized modulation of coupling mechanisms by intrasurface membrane microprocessing or by second messengers. A challenge for the future is to obtain a better understanding of how coupling mechanisms are altered or modulated during different phases of contractions evoked by a single agonist and under conditions of multiple agonist exposure to airway smooth muscle cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (4) ◽  
pp. L466-L474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dacheng Sang ◽  
Suwen Bai ◽  
Sheng Yin ◽  
Sen Jiang ◽  
Li Ye ◽  
...  

The transient receptor potential polycystin-2 (TRPP2) is encoded by the Pkd2 gene, and mutation of this gene can cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Some patients with ADPKD experience extrarenal manifestations, including radiologic and clinical bronchiectasis. We hypothesized that TRPP2 may regulate airway smooth muscle (ASM) tension. Thus, we used smooth muscle- Pkd2 conditional knockout ( Pkd2SM-CKO) mice to investigate whether TRPP2 regulated ASM tension and whether TRPP2 deficiency contributed to bronchiectasis associated with ADPKD. Compared with wild-type mice, Pkd2SM-CKO mice breathed more shallowly and faster, and their cross-sectional area ratio of bronchi to accompanying pulmonary arteries was higher, suggesting that TRPP2 may regulate ASM tension and contribute to the occurrence of bronchiectasis in ADPKD. In a bioassay examining isolated tracheal ring tension, no significant difference was found for high-potassium-induced depolarization of the ASM between the two groups, indicating that TRPP2 does not regulate depolarization-induced ASM contraction. By contrast, carbachol-induced contraction of the ASM derived from Pkd2SM-CKO mice was significantly reduced compared with that in wild-type mice. In addition, relaxation of the carbachol-precontracted ASM by isoprenaline, a β-adrenergic receptor agonist that acts through the cAMP/adenylyl cyclase pathway, was also significantly attenuated in Pkd2SM-CKO mice compared with that in wild-type mice. Thus, TRPP2 deficiency suppressed both contraction and relaxation of the ASM. These results provide a potential target for regulating ASM tension and for developing therapeutic alternatives for some ADPKD complications of the respiratory system or for independent respiratory disease, especially bronchiectasis.


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