Mitochondria play an important role in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) regulation in the heart. We studied sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release in cat atrial myocytes during depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) induced by the protonophore FCCP. FCCP caused an initial decrease of action potential-induced Ca2+ transient amplitude and frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ waves followed by partial recovery despite partially depleted SR Ca2+ stores. In the presence of oligomycin, FCCP only exerted a stimulatory effect on Ca2+ transients and Ca2+ wave frequency, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of FCCP was mediated by ATP consumption through reverse-mode operation of mitochondrial F1F0-ATPase. ΔΨm depolarization was accompanied by cytosolic acidification, increases of diastolic [Ca2+]i, intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i), and intracellular Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i), and a decrease of intracellular ATP concentration ([ATP]i); however, glycolytic ATP production partially compensated for the exhaustion of mitochondrial ATP supplies. In conclusion, the initial inhibition of Ca2+ transients and waves resulted from suppression of ryanodine receptor SR Ca2+ release channel activity by a decrease in [ATP], an increase of [Mg2+]i, and cytoplasmic acidification. The later stimulation resulted from reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering and cytosolic Na+ and Ca2+ accumulation, leading to enhanced Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release and spontaneous Ca2+ release in the form of Ca2+ waves. ΔΨm depolarization and the ensuing consequences of mitochondrial uncoupling observed here (intracellular acidification, decrease of [ATP]i, increase of [Na+]i and [Mg2+]i, and Ca2+ overload) are hallmarks of ischemia. These findings may therefore provide insight into the consequences of mitochondrial uncoupling for ion homeostasis, SR Ca2+ release, and excitation-contraction coupling in ischemia at the cellular and subcellular level.
Stac3 is a component of the excitation–contraction coupling machinery and mutated in Native American myopathy
