Effects of Mg2+ on Ca2+ waves and Ca2+ transients of rat ventricular myocytes

1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (3) ◽  
pp. H907-H914 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Terada ◽  
H. Hayashi ◽  
N. Noda ◽  
H. Satoh ◽  
H. Katoh ◽  
...  

It has been shown that the occurrence of the transient inward current, which is responsible for triggered activity, was often associated with propagating regions of increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), i.e., the “Ca2+ wave.” To investigate the mechanism of antiarrhythmic action of Mg2+, we have studied effects of high concentrations of Mg2+ on Ca2+ waves in isolated rat ventricular myocytes. [Ca2+]i was estimated using the Ca(2+)-indicating probe indo 1. Ca2+ waves in myocytes, stimulated at 0.2 Hz, were induced by perfusion of isoproterenol (10(-7) M). High Mg2+ concentration suppressed Ca2+ waves in a concentration-dependent manner (36% at 4 mM, 70% at 8 mM, and 82% at 12 mM). The Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil also suppressed Ca2+ waves in a similar way. In contrast with marked depression of Ca2+ transients by verapamil, Ca2+ transients were not affected by high Mg2+ concentration (8 mM). High Mg2+ concentration also reduced frequencies of Ca2+ waves in the absence of electrical stimulation, whereas verapamil failed to reduce frequencies of Ca2+ waves. Reduction in frequency of Ca2+ waves by high Mg2+ concentration was associated with slowing of propagation velocity of Ca2+ waves. To examine whether suppressive effects of high Mg2+ concentration on Ca2+ waves were related to an increase in intracellular Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i), the effect of high-Mg2+ solution on [Mg2+]i was examined in myocytes loaded with mag-fura 2. An increase in extracellular Mg2+ concentration from 1 to 12 mM increased [Mg2+]i from 1.06 +/- 0.16 to 1.87 +/- 0.22 mM (P < 0.01) in 30 min. To examine the effect of high Mg2+ concentration on amount of releasable Ca2+ in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the effect of high Mg2+ concentration on the Ca2+ transient induced by a rapid application of caffeine was examined. High-Mg2+ solution increased the peak of the caffeine-induced Ca2+ transient. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of Mg2+ on Ca2+ waves was not due to inhibition of the sarcolemmal Ca2+ channel but could be due to a decreased propensity for the sarcoplasmic reticulum to divest itself of excess Ca2+.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinya Li ◽  
Qiongtao Song ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
Zhonglin Wu ◽  
Xi Chu ◽  
...  

Cinobufagin (CBG), a major bioactive ingredient of the bufanolide steroid compounds of Chan Su, has been widely used to treat coronary heart disease. At present, the effect of CBG on the L-type Ca2+current (ICa-L) of ventricular myocytes remains undefined. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effect of CBG on intracellular Ca2+([Ca2+]i) handling and cell contractility in rat ventricular myocytes. CBG was investigated by determining its influence onICa-L, Ca2+transient, and contractility in rat ventricular myocytes using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique and video-based edge-detection and dual-excitation fluorescence photomultiplier systems. The dose of CBG (10−8 M) decreased the maximal inhibition of CBG by 47.93%. CBG reducedICa-Lin a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50of 4 × 10−10 M, upshifted the current-voltage curve ofICa-L, and shifted the activation and inactivation curves ofICa-Lleftward. Moreover, CBG diminished the amplitude of the cell shortening and Ca2+transients with a decrease in the time to peak (Tp) and the time to 50% of the baseline (Tr). CBG inhibited L-type Ca2+channels, and reduced[Ca2+]iand contractility in adult rat ventricular myocytes. These findings contribute to the understanding of the cardioprotective efficacy of CBG.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (4) ◽  
pp. C966-C976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunwoo Lee ◽  
Joon-Chul Kim ◽  
Yuhua Li ◽  
Min-Jeong Son ◽  
Sun-Hee Woo

This study examines whether fluid pressure (FP) modulates the L-type Ca2+ channel in cardiomyocytes and investigates the underlying cellular mechanism(s) involved. A flow of pressurized (∼16 dyn/cm2) fluid, identical to that bathing the myocytes, was applied onto single rat ventricular myocytes using a microperfusion method. The Ca2+ current ( ICa) and cytosolic Ca2+ signals were measured using a whole cell patch-clamp and confocal imaging, respectively. It was found that the FP reversibly suppressed ICa (by 25%) without altering the current-voltage relationships, and it accelerated the inactivation of ICa. The level of ICa suppression by FP depended on the level and duration of pressure. The Ba2+ current through the Ca2+ channel was only slightly decreased by the FP (5%), suggesting an indirect inhibition of the Ca2+ channel during FP stimulation. The cytosolic Ca2+ transients and the basal Ca2+ in field-stimulated ventricular myocytes were significantly increased by the FP. The effects of the FP on the ICa and on the Ca2+ transient were resistant to the stretch-activated channel inhibitors, GsMTx-4 and streptomycin. Dialysis of myocytes with high concentrations of BAPTA, the Ca2+ buffer, eliminated the FP-induced acceleration of ICa inactivation and reduced the inhibitory effect of the FP on ICa by ≈80%. Ryanodine and thapsigargin, abolishing sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release, eliminated the accelerating effect of FP on the ICa inactivation, and they reduced the inhibitory effect of FP on the ICa. These results suggest that the fluid pressure indirectly suppresses the Ca2+ channel by enhancing the Ca2+-induced intracellular Ca2+ release in rat ventricular myocytes.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (3) ◽  
pp. C702-C708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Qu ◽  
H. M. Himmel ◽  
D. L. Campbell ◽  
H. C. Strauss

The effects of extracellular ATP on the voltage-activated "L-type" Ca current (ICa), action potential, resting and transient intracellular Ca2+ levels, and cell contraction were examined in enzymatically isolated myocytes from the right ventricles of ferrets. With the use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique, extracellular ATP (10(-7) to 10(-3) M) inhibited ICa in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. ATP decreased the peak amplitude of ICa without altering the residual current at the end of 500-ms clamp steps. The concentration-response relationship for ATP inhibition of ICa was well described by a conventional Michaelis-Menten relationship with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 1 microM and a maximal effect of 50%. Consistent with its inhibitory effect on ICa, ATP hyperpolarized the plateau phase and shortened the action potential duration. In fura-2-loaded myocytes, extracellular ATP did not change the resting myoplasmic Ca2+ levels; however, when current was elicited under voltage-clamp conditions, ATP both decreased the myoplasmic intracellular Ca2+ transient and inhibited the degree of cell shortening. Our results suggest that ATP could be a genuine and potent extracellular modulator of cardiac function in ferret ventricular myocardium.


2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (5) ◽  
pp. H738-H746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry Terentyev ◽  
Jennifer A. Rochira ◽  
Radmila Terentyeva ◽  
Karim Roder ◽  
Gideon Koren ◽  
...  

SK channels are upregulated in human patients and animal models of heart failure (HF). However, their activation mechanism and function in ventricular myocytes remain poorly understood. We aim to test the hypotheses that activation of SK channels in ventricular myocytes requires Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and that SK currents contribute to reducing triggered activity. SK2 channels were overexpressed in adult rat ventricular myocytes using adenovirus gene transfer. Simultaneous patch clamp and confocal Ca2+ imaging experiments in SK2-overexpressing cells demonstrated that depolarizations resulted in Ca2+-dependent outward currents sensitive to SK inhibitor apamin. SR Ca2+ release induced by rapid application of 10 mM caffeine evoked repolarizing SK currents, whereas complete depletion of SR Ca2+ content eliminated SK currents in response to depolarizations, despite intact Ca2+ influx through L-type Ca2+ channels. Furthermore, voltage-clamp experiments showed that SK channels can be activated by global spontaneous SR Ca2+ release events Ca2+ waves (SCWs). Current-clamp experiments revealed that SK overexpression reduces the amplitude of delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) resulting from SCWs and shortens action potential duration. Immunolocalization studies showed that overexpressed SK channels are distributed both at external sarcolemmal membranes and along the Z-lines, resembling the distribution of endogenous SK channels. In summary, SR Ca2+ release is both necessary and sufficient for the activation of SK channels in rat ventricular myocytes. SK currents contribute to repolarization during action potentials and attenuate DADs driven by SCWs. Thus SK upregulation in HF may have an anti-arrhythmic effect by reducing triggered activity.


2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (6) ◽  
pp. C924-C930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Li ◽  
Hui-Jie Ma ◽  
Sheng-Li Song ◽  
Min Shi ◽  
Hui-Juan Ma ◽  
...  

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid that has antiarrhythmic effects through inhibition of L-type Ca2+ channels in cardiomyocytes. In this study, we investigated the electrophysiological effects of anandamide on K+ channels in rat ventricular myocytes. Whole cell patch-clamp technique was used to record K+ currents, including transient outward potassium current ( Ito), steady-state outward potassium current ( Iss), inward rectifier potassium current ( IK1), and ATP-sensitive potassium current ( IKATP) in isolated rat cardiac ventricular myocytes. Anandamide decreased Ito while increasing IKATP in a concentration-dependent manner but had no effect on Iss and IK1 in isolated ventricular myocytes. Furthermore, anandamide shifted steady-state inactivation curve of Ito to the left and shifted the recovery curve of Ito to the right. However, neither cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor antagonist AM251 nor CB2 receptor antagonist AM630 eliminated the inhibitory effect of anandamide on Ito. In addition, blockade of CB2 receptors, but not CB1 receptors, eliminated the augmentation effect of anandamide on IKATP. These data suggest that anandamide suppresses Ito through a non-CB1 and non-CB2 receptor-mediated pathway while augmenting IKATP through CB2 receptors in ventricular myocytes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delin Wu ◽  
Linqing Jiang ◽  
Hongjin Wu ◽  
Shengqi Wang ◽  
Sidao Zheng ◽  
...  

Background. Licorice has long been used to treat many ailments including cardiovascular disorders in China. Recent studies have shown that the cardiac actions of licorice can be attributed to its active component, glycyrrhetinic acid (GA). However, the mechanism of action remains poorly understood.Aim. The effects of GA on the delayed rectifier potassium current (IK), the rapidly activating (IKr) and slowly activating (IKs) components ofIK, and the HERG K+channel expressed in HEK-293 cells were investigated.Materials and Methods. Single ventricular myocytes were isolated from guinea pig myocardium using enzymolysis. The wild type HERG gene was stably expressed in HEK293 cells. Whole-cell patch clamping was used to recordIK(IKr,IKs) and the HERG K+current.Results. GA (1, 5, and 10 μM) inhibitedIK(IKr,IKs) and the HERG K+current in a concentration-dependent manner.Conclusion. GA significantly inhibited the potassium currents in a dose- and voltage-dependent manner, suggesting that it exerts its antiarrhythmic action through the prolongation of APD and ERP owing to the inhibition ofIK(IKr,IKs) and HERG K+channel.


1996 ◽  
Vol 108 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Adachi-Akahane ◽  
L Cleemann ◽  
M Morad

Calcium-mediated cross-signaling between the dihydropyridine (DHP) receptor, ryanodine receptor, and Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger was examined in single rat ventricular myocytes where the diffusion distance of Ca2+ was limited to &lt; 50 nm by dialysis with high concentrations of Ca2+ buffers. Dialysis of the cell with 2 mM Ca(2+)- indicator dye, Fura-2, or 2 mM Fura-2 plus 14 mM EGTA decreased the magnitude of ICa-triggered intracellular Ca2+ transients (Cai-transients) from 500 to 20-100 nM and completely abolished contraction, even though the amount of Ca2+ released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum remained constant (approximately 140 microM). Inactivation kinetics of ICa in highly Ca(2+)-buffered cells was retarded when Ca2+ stores of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were depleted by caffeine applied 500 ms before activation of ICa, while inactivation was accelerated if caffeine-induced release coincided with the activation of ICa. Quantitative analysis of these data indicate that the rate of inactivation of ICa was linearly related to SR Ca(2+)-release and reduced by &gt; 67% when release was absent. Thapsigargin, abolishing SR release, suppressed the effect of caffeine on the inactivation kinetics of ICa. Caffeine-triggered Ca(2+)-release, in the absence of Ca2+ entry through the Ca2+ channel (using Ba2+ as a charge carrier), caused rapid inactivation of the slowly decaying Ba2+ current. Since Ba2+ does not release Ca2+ but binds to Fura-2, it was possible to calibrate the fluorescence signals in terms of equivalent cation charge. Using this procedure, the amplification factor of ICa-induced Ca2+ release was found to be 17.6 +/- 1.1 (n = 4). The Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange current, activated by caffeine-induced Ca2+ release, was measured consistently in myocytes dialyzed with 0.2 but not with 2 mM Fura-2. Our results quantify Ca2+ signaling in cardiomyocytes and suggest the existence of a Ca2+ microdomain which includes the DHP/ ryanodine receptors complex, but excludes the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger. This microdomain appears to be fairly inaccessible to high concentrations of Ca2+ buffers.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1472-1477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Kawano ◽  
Shuzo Oshita ◽  
Yasuo Tsutsumi ◽  
Yoshinobu Tomiyama ◽  
Hiroshi Kitahata ◽  
...  

Background Activation of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels produces cardioprotective effects during ischemia. Because propofol is often used in patients who have coronary artery disease undergoing a wide variety of surgical procedures, it is important to evaluate the direct effects of propofol on K(ATP) channel activities in ventricular myocardium during ischemia. Methods The effects of propofol (0.4-60.1 microg/ml) on both sarcolemmal and mitochondrial K(ATP) channel activities were investigated in single, quiescent rat ventricular myocytes. Membrane currents were recorded using cell-attached and inside-out patch clamp configurations. Flavoprotein fluorescence was measured to evaluate mitochondrial oxidation mediated by mitochondrial K(ATP) channels. Results In the cell-attached configuration, open probability of K(ATP) channels was reduced by propofol in a concentration-dependent manner (EC(50) = 14.2 microg/ml). In the inside-out configurations, propofol inhibited K(ATP) channel activities without changing the single-channel conductance (EC(50) = 11.4 microg/ml). Propofol reduced mitochondrial oxidation in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC(50) of 14.6 microg/ml. Conclusions Propofol had no effect on the sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel activities in patch clamp configurations and the mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence induced by diazoxide at clinically relevant concentrations (&lt; 2 microm), whereas it significantly inhibited both K(ATP) channel activities at very high, nonclinical concentrations (&gt; 5.6 microg/ml; 31 microm).


Botany ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 680-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Victoria Alarcón ◽  
Pedro G. Lloret ◽  
Julio Salguero

The auxin—ethylene interaction in regulating root elongation and radial expansion was analysed through the application of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylic acid (ACC) and the synthetic auxin 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). NAA and ACC, in the concentration range of 0.01–0.1 μmol/L and 1–5 μmol/L, respectively, inhibited root elongation and increased root diameter in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of auxin on root elongation was increased by ethylene applied at low as well as high concentrations. Auxin-induced radial expansion was also enhanced by ethylene, although this effect depended on the level of auxin applied. In the presence of very low exogenous auxin (0.01 μmol/L NAA), ethylene stimulated radial growth at both low and high levels (1–5 μmol/L ACC), whereas the effect of higher auxin concentrations (>0.025 μmol/L NAA) was only enhanced by high ethylene production (5 μmol/L ACC). Interaction was analysed by two-way ANOVA; the results showed that both the effect of each hormone and the interactions responsible for controlling elongation and radial expansion were concentration-dependent. The relative effects of auxin and ethylene on the two growth parameters were also analysed; they showed different types of behaviour. In summary, the results obtained suggest that auxin is the main hormone involved in regulating root growth but that ethylene may modulate its effects. Our research also suggests that root elongation and radial expansion may be independently regulated despite being closely related.


1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (1) ◽  
pp. C28-C35 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Bourreau ◽  
C. Y. Kwan ◽  
E. E. Daniel

The ability of extracellular Ca2+ to refill internal Ca2+ stores of canine tracheal smooth muscle after a prior depletion by acetylcholine (ACh) was assessed using a novel sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump inhibitor, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). The transient contraction induced by ACh in a medium free of Ca2+ was used as an index for the content of agonist-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores. CPA inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the refilling of the stores occurring during high KCl stimulation, and this inhibitory effect was independent of the external Ca2+ concentration. On the other hand, CPA was less effective in inhibiting the refilling occurring during prolonged ACh stimulation, especially when external Ca2+ concentration was raised. At 5.0 mM external Ca2+ or when 0.1 microM BAY 8644 was present in the medium, CPA was ineffective in inhibiting the refilling occurring during prolonged ACh stimulation. The maximum ACh-induced contraction in Ca(2+)-containing medium was independent of the extent of internal store Ca2+ load in the absence of L-type Ca2+ channel blocker but was highly dependent on the extent of internal Ca2+ load in the presence of the Ca2+ channel blocker. Hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane with the K+ channel opener cromakalim reduced the amplitude of ACh tonic contraction. Subsequent addition of nifedipine further reduced ACh tonic contraction. It is concluded that two different pathways for external Ca2+ are used to refill ACh-sensitive internal stores. One involves active Ca2+ uptake via a CPA-sensitive Ca2+ pump, and the other involves a CPA-insensitive pathway whose nature remains to be determined.


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