Targeted overexpression of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase increases cardiac contractility in transgenic mouse hearts

Cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure are known to be associated with a reduction in Ca2+-ATPase pump levels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). To determine whether, and to what extent, alterations in Ca2+ pump numbers can affect contraction and relaxation parameters of the heart, we have overexpressed the cardiac SR Ca2+-ATPase specifically in the mouse heart using the alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. Analysis of 2 independent transgenic lines demonstrated that sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase isoform (SERCA2a) mRNA levels were increased 3.88+/-0. 4-fold and 7.90+/-0.2-fold over those of the control mice. SERCA2a protein levels were increased by 1.31+/-0.05-fold and 1.54+/-0. 05-fold in these lines despite high levels of mRNA, suggesting that complex regulatory mechanisms may determine the SERCA2a pump levels. The maximum velocity of Ca2+ uptake (Vmax) was increased by 37%, demonstrating that increased pump levels result in increased SR Ca2+ uptake function. However, the apparent affinity of the SR Ca2+-ATPase for Ca2+ remains unchanged in transgenic hearts. To evaluate the effects of overexpression of the SR Ca2+ pump on cardiac contractility, we used the isolated perfused work-performing heart model. The transgenic hearts showed significantly higher myocardial contractile function, as indicated by increased maximal rates of pressure development for contraction (+dP/dt) and relaxation (-dP/dt), together with shortening of the normalized time to peak pressure and time to half relaxation. Measurements of intracellular free calcium concentration and contractile force in trabeculae revealed a doubling of Ca2+ transient amplitude, with a concomitant boost in contractility. The present study demonstrates that increases in SERCA2a pump levels can directly enhance contractile function of the heart by increasing SR Ca2+ transport.     

Calcium ATPase and respiratory muscle function

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of striated muscle is a highly specialized intracellular membrane system that plays a key role in the contraction-relaxation cycle of muscle. Its primary function is the regulation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. A key element in this regulation is the Sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA), which by sequestering Ca2+ into the SR, induces and maintains relaxation. It has been extensively studied with respect to structure and mechanism of action, and more recently to gene expression. Three separate genes encode five SERCA isoforms, two of which, SERCA 1 and SERCA 2, are expressed in skeletal muscle. In the first part of this review we focus on the general properties of the Ca2+ pump (structure and function and regulation of activity). In the second part we describe variations in SERCA expression in various physiological and pathological situations. These have essentially been studied in the heart and skeletal muscles, with data in respiratory muscles being very limited.     

Inhibition of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase by nitric oxide

The effects of nitric oxide on the activities of thapsigargin-sensitive sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and Ca2+ uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes prepared from white skeletal muscle of rabbit femoral muscle were studied. Pretreatment of the SR preparations with nitric oxide at concentrations of up to 250 microM for 1 min decreased the SERCA activity concentration dependently, and also decreased their Ca2+ uptake. Both these effects of nitric oxide were reversible. Inhibitors of guanylyl cyclase and protein kinase G (PKG) had no significant effect on the nitric oxide-induced inhibitions of SERCA and Ca2+ uptake. Moreover, dithiothreitol did not reverse the inhibitory effects of nitric oxide on SERCA and Ca2+ uptake. These findings suggest that nitric oxide inhibits SERCA, mainly SERCA 1, of rabbit femoral skeletal muscle by an action independent of the cyclic GMP-PKG system or oxidation of thiols, and probably by a direct action on SERCA protein.     

Two residues that may ligate Ca2+ in transmembrane domain six of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase

In order to identify Ca2+ ligands in the putative transmembrane domain 6 of the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump, amino acids Asn879, Met882, Asp883, and Ser887 were singly altered. Asn879, Met882, and Asp883 were chosen because the corresponding amino acids have been proposed as Ca2+ ligands in the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump (Clarke, D. M., Loo, T. W., and MacLennan, D. H. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6262-6267). For the alterations, a fully active truncated version of the pump was used, because the interaction of Ca2+ with the pump could be studied without interference from calmodulin binding. The mutants at Asn and Asp did not carry out ATP-supported Ca2+ uptake and formed no acylphosphate from [gamma-32P]ATP, suggesting that, like the corresponding amino acids in the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump, these two are Ca2+ ligands. However, all the mutants at the position of Met882 showed some activity. Indeed, the Met882--> Ile mutant was fully active at a saturating Ca2+ concentration and only the K1/2 for Ca2+ activation was shifted slightly upward. Converting the Met to Thr (which is the corresponding residue in the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump) reduced the activity to 20% of the wild type, further emphasizing the differences between the two Ca2+ pumps. The mutant Ser887--> Ala was expressed in greater amounts than, and had a specific activity about 50% higher than, the wild type, indicating that this serine also could not be a Ca2+ ligand and could not replace the missing Thr at position Met882.     

Pentameric assembly of phospholamban facilitates inhibition of cardiac function in vivo

Phospholamban has been proposed to coexist as pentamers and monomers in native sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. To determine its functional unit in vivo, we reintroduced wild-type (pentameric) or monomeric mutant (C41F) phospholamban in the hearts of phospholamban knockout mice. Transgenic lines, expressing similar levels of mutant or wild-type phospholamban, were identified, and their cardiac phenotypes were characterized in parallel. Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ transport assays indicated similar decreases in SERCA2 Ca2+ affinity by mutant or wild-type phospholamban. However, the time constants of relaxation and Ca2+ transient decline in isolated cardiomyocytes were diminished to a greater extent by wild-type than mutant phospholamban, even without significant differences in the amplitudes of myocyte contraction and Ca2+ transients between the two groups. Langendorff perfusion also indicated that mutant phospholamban was not capable of depressing the enhanced relaxation parameters of the phospholamban knockout hearts to the same extent as wild-type phospholamban. Moreover, in vivo assessment of mouse hemodynamics revealed a greater depression of cardiac function in wild-type than mutant phospholamban hearts. Thus, the mutant or monomeric form of phospholamban was not as effective in slowing Ca2+ decline or relaxation in cardiomyocytes, hearts, or intact animals as wild-type or pentameric phospholamban. These findings suggest that pentameric assembly of phospholamban is necessary for optimal regulation of myocardial contractility in vivo.     

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Phospholamban ablation has been shown to result in significant increases in cardiac contractile parameters and loss of beta-adrenergic stimulation. To determine whether partial reduction in phospholamban levels is also associated with enhancement of cardiac performance and to further examine the sensitivity of the contractile system to alterations in phospholamban levels, hearts from wild-type, phospholamban-heterozygous, and phospholamban-deficient mice were studied in parallel at the subcellular, cellular, and organ levels. The phospholamban-heterozygous mice expressed reduced cardiac phospholamban mRNA and protein levels (40 +/- 5%) compared with wild type mice. The reduced phospholamban levels were associated with significant decreases in the EC50 of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump for CA2+ and increases in the contractile parameters of isolated myocytes and beating hearts. The relative phospholamban levels among wild-type, phospholamban-heterozygous, and phospholamban-deficient mouse hearts correlated well with the (1) EC50 of the Ca(2+)-ATPase for Ca2+ in sarcoplasmic reticulum, (2) rates of relaxation and contraction in isolated cardiac myocytes, and (3) rates of relaxation and intact beating hearts. These findings suggest that physiological and pathological changes in the levels of phospholamban will result in parallel changes in sarcoplasmic reticulum function and cardiac contraction.     

Unchanged protein expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, phospholamban, and calsequestrin in terminally failing human myocardium

The enhanced diastolic Ca2+ levels observed in cardiac myocytes from patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) may be either a consequence of functional impairment of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (SERCA 2) and its regulator protein phospholamban or due to a reduction in the number of SERCA 2 proteins. As different myocardial membrane preparations may lead to different accumulation of proteins, the present study evaluated two different membrane preparations, in human failing and nonfailing myocardium for comparison of SERCA 2 activity and the protein expression of SERCA 2 and phospholamban. Crude membranes and tissue homo-genates without any centrifugation steps were prepared from human nonfailing hearts (donor hearts, NF, n=18) and terminally failing hearts (heart transplant, DCM, n=18). Calsequestrin protein expression was used as an internal control for overall protein expression. In both crude membranes and homogenates maximal SERCA 2 activity (Vmax) was significantly reduced in failing heart preparations (NF crude membranes, 130+/-8; DCM crude membranes, 102+/-5 nmol ATP/mg protein per minute). In contrast, the protein expression of SERCA 2 (NF crude membranes, 488+/-35; DCM crude membranes, 494+/-42; P=0.92), phospholamban (NF crude membranes, 497+/-51; DCM crude membranes, 496+/-45; P=0.98) and calsequestrin (NF crude membranes, 109+/-06; DCM crude membranes, 107+/-08; P=0.84) was unchanged in NF and DCM hearts in both preparation methods. This was also the case when the protein expression was normalized to calsequestrin protein levels. Preparation of sarcoplasmic reticulum in crude membranes led to enhanced purification and consequently higher SERCA 2, phospholamban, and calsequestrin protein levels in crude membranes than in the homogenates, which was paralleled by an increase in SERCA 2 enzyme activity. In conclusion, the altered Ca2+ handling in DCM may be a consequence of reduced SERCA 2 enzyme activity and not the result of differences in protein expression of the Ca2+ regulating proteins SERCA 2, phospholamban, and calsequestrin in human myocardium. The present study emphasizes the importance of different myocardial membrane preparations with respect to quantitative investigations of protein expression and function.     

Measurement of resting cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations and Ca2+ store size in HEK-293 cells transfected with malignant hyperthermia or central core disease mutant Ca2+ release channels

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) and central core disease (CCD) mutations were introduced into full-length rabbit Ca2+ release channel (RYR1) cDNA, which was then expressed transiently in HEK-293 cells. Resting Ca2+ concentrations were higher in HEK-293 cells expressing homotetrameric CCD mutant RyR1 than in cells expressing homotetrameric MH mutant RyR1. Cells expressing homotetrameric CCD or MH mutant RyR1 exhibited lower maximal peak amplitudes of caffeine-induced Ca2+ release than cells expressing wild type RyR1, suggesting that MH and CCD mutants might be "leaky." In cells expressing homotetrameric wild type or mutant RyR1, the amplitude of 10 mM caffeine-induced Ca2+ release was correlated significantly with the amplitude of carbachol- or thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ release, indicating that maximal drug-induced Ca2+ release depends on the size of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store. The content of endogenous sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase isoform 2b (SERCA2b), measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 45Ca2+ uptake, and confocal microscopy, was increased in HEK-293 cells expressing wild type or mutant RyR1, supporting the view that endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ storage capacity is increased as a compensatory response to an enhanced Ca2+ leak. When heterotetrameric (1:1) combinations of MH/CCD mutant and wild type RyR1 were expressed together with SERCA1 to enhance Ca2+ reuptake, the amplitude of Ca2+ release in response to low concentrations of caffeine and halothane was higher than that observed in cells expressing wild type RyR1 and SERCA1. In Ca2+-free medium, MH/CCD mutants were more sensitive to caffeine than wild type RyR1, indicating that caffeine hypersensitivity observed with a variety of MH/CCD mutant RyR1 proteins is not dependent on extracellular Ca2+ concentration.     

Purified, reconstituted cardiac Ca2+-ATPase is regulated by phospholamban but not by direct phosphorylation with Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase

Regulation of calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum provides increased cardiac contractility in response to beta-adrenergic stimulation. This is due to phosphorylation of phospholamban by cAMP-dependent protein kinase or by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, which activates the calcium pump (Ca2+-ATPase). Recently, direct phosphorylation of Ca2+-ATPase by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase has been proposed to provide additional regulation. To investigate these effects in detail, we have purified Ca2+-ATPase from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum using affinity chromatography and reconstituted it with purified, recombinant phospholamban. The resulting proteoliposomes had high rates of calcium transport, which was tightly coupled to ATP hydrolysis (approximately 1.7 calcium ions transported per ATP molecule hydrolyzed). Co-reconstitution with phospholamban suppressed both calcium uptake and ATPase activities by approximately 50%, and this suppression was fully relieved by a phospholamban monoclonal antibody or by phosphorylation either with cAMP-dependent protein kinase or with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. These effects were consistent with a change in the apparent calcium affinity of Ca2+-ATPase and not with a change in Vmax. Neither the purified, reconstituted cardiac Ca2+-ATPase nor the Ca2+-ATPase in longitudinal cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was a substrate for calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, and accordingly, we found no effect of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation on Vmax for calcium transport.     

Sarcoplasmic reticulum genes are selectively down-regulated in cardiomyopathy produced by doxorubicin in rabbits

The clinical utility of doxorubicin, an antineoplastic agent, is limited by its cardiotoxicity. Our objective was to determine whether expression of genes encoding proteins that affect Ca2+ homeostasis were altered in the hearts of rabbits chronically treated with doxorubicin. Twelve male New Zealand white rabbits received an injection of doxorubicin (2.5 mg/kg i.v.) once a week for 8 weeks. Eight rabbits were similarly injected with saline as controls. The cardiac function of both groups was evaluated 8 weeks after the final injection, as were the levels of expression of mRNA for Ca2+ transport proteins in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. The amount of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase and the Ca2+ uptake capacity of the protein were also quantitated. Cardiac output was significantly decreased in the doxorubicin-treated group (71+/-21 ml/min, P<0.05) compared with the control group (118+/-15 ml/min). The mRNA levels for the sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins were significantly diminished in the doxorubicin-treated hearts: ryanodine receptor-2 (relative expression level compared with controls, 0.35+/-0.13, P<0.01), sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (0.56+/-0.13, P<0.01), phospholamban (0.62+/-0.20, P<0.01) and cardiac calsequestrin (0. 57+/-0.26, P<0.01). In addition, both relative amount of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase protein (doxorubicin-treated group, 69+/-17% of control, P<0.01) and the Ca2+ uptake capacity (46. 9+/-9.8 nmol Ca2+/mg protein-5 min in doxorubicin group v 63.2+/-10. 4 in the control group, P<0.01) were concomitantly decreased with its mRNA expression level. Conversely, the mRNA levels for the plasma membrane proteins did not differ from those of control rabbits: the dihydropyridine receptor (relative expression level, 1. 03+/-0.30, N.S.), plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (0.93+/-0.33, N.S.) and the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (0.87+/-0.34, N.S.). These findings suggest that a selective decrease in mRNA expression for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ transport proteins is responsible for the impaired Ca2+ handling, and thus, for the reduced cardiac function seen in the cardiomyopathy induced in rabbits by the long-term treatment with doxorubicin.     

Phospholamban domain I/cytochrome b5 transmembrane sequence chimeras do not inhibit SERCA2a

A series of chimeras between the transmembrane domains of phospholamban (PLN) and cytochrome b5 were coexpressed with the Ca2+-ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA2a). The chimeric molecules were not inhibitory, in line with our view that inhibitory PLN/SERCA2a interactions occur in transmembrane sequences, while cytoplasmic interactions regulate the inhibitory interactions in a four-base circuit.     

9-Methyl-7-bromoeudistomin D induces Ca2+ release from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum

9-Methyl-7-bromoeudistomin D (MBED), the most powerful caffeine-like releaser of Ca2+ from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum, induced Ca2+ release from the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. MBED (5 microM) and caffeine (1 mM) caused rapid Ca2+ release from the fragmented cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum in a Ca2+ electrode experiment. [3H]MBED bound to a single class of high-affinity binding sites in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes (Kd = 150 nM). These results suggest that MBED binds to a specific binding site on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes to induce Ca2+ release from the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. Thus, MBED is a useful probe for characterizing Ca2+ release the channels not only in skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum but also in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Modulation of endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump by Bcl-2

Members of the bcl-2 gene family encode proteins that function either to promote or to inhibit apoptosis. Despite numerous efforts, the mechanism of action of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, is still not clear. In particular, the relation between Bcl-2 and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium store is not well-understood. In the present work, we examined the effect of Bcl-2 on the ER store. We demonstrate that overexpression of Bcl-2 in breast epithelial cells modulates ER store by upregulating calcium pump (SERCA) expression without affecting the release channel (IP3R). The steady state levels of SERCA2 mRNA and protein were both increased in Bcl-2 expression clones. The increase in SERCA2 protein leads to accelerated calcium uptake and enhanced Ca2+ loading. In addition, we also show the detection of intracellular interaction between Bcl-2 and SERCA molecules by co-immunoprecipitation. Since high lumenal Ca2+ concentration of ER is essential for normal cell functions, the results suggest that Bcl-2 preserves the ER Ca2+ store by upregulating SERCA gene expression as well as by a possible interaction with the pump.     

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the role of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) in ventricular remodeling in non-infarcted areas after myocardial infarction (MI). MI was produced in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats (10-12-weeks old) by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Four weeks after MI, hemodynamic measurements were performed. SR Ca2+-ATPase activity and mRNA (SERCA2a) and AT1 mRNA (AT1a, AT1b) were analyzed. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was higher and left ventricular dp/dt was significantly lower in the MI group. In non-infarcted areas in the MI group, myocardial transverse diameter was significantly greater and both Ca2+-ATPase activity in the SR and SERCA2a level decreased. The AT1a level was higher in non-infarcted areas than in controls, whereas the AT1b mRNA expression level was unchanged. These results suggest that, in the ventricular remodeling after MI, alterations in SR protein and its mRNA in non-infarcted myocardium help initiate heart failure and that Ca overload caused by the up-regulation of AT1a mRNA is an important cause of alteration in SR function.     

Conserved residues amino-terminal of cytoplasmic tyrosines contribute to the SHP-1-mediated inhibitory function of killer cell Ig-like receptors

The heart has been recognized as a major target of thyroid hormone action. Our study investigates both the regulation of cardiac-specific genes and contractile behavior of the heart in the presence of a mutant thyroid hormone receptor beta1 (T3Rbeta1-delta337T) derived from the S kindred. The mutant receptor was originally identified in a patient with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. Cardiac expression of the mutant receptor was achieved by a transgenic approach in mice. As the genes for myosin heavy chains (MHC alpha and MHC beta) and the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA2) are known to be regulated by T3, their cardiac expression was analyzed. The messenger RNA levels for MHC alpha and SERCA2 were markedly down-regulated, MHC beta messenger RNA was up-regulated. Although T3 levels were normal in these animals, this pattern of cardiac gene expression mimics a hypothyroid phenotype. Cardiac muscle contraction was significantly prolonged in papillary muscles from transgenic mice. The electrocardiogram of transgenic mice showed a substantial prolongation of the QRS interval. Changes in cardiac gene expression, cardiac muscle contractility, and electrocardiogram are compatible with a hypothyroid cardiac phenotype despite normal T3 levels, indicating a dominant negative effect of the T3Rbeta mutant.     

Dantrolene inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release by direct and specific action at skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors

The skeletal muscle relaxant dantrolene inhibits the release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum during excitation-contraction coupling and suppresses the uncontrolled Ca2+ release that underlies the skeletal muscle pharmacogenetic disorder malignant hyperthermia; however, the molecular mechanism by which dantrolene selectively affects skeletal muscle Ca2+ regulation remains to be defined. Here we provide evidence of a high-affinity, monophasic inhibition by dantrolene of ryanodine receptor Ca2+ channel function in isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles prepared from malignant hyperthermia-susceptible and normal pig skeletal muscle. In media simulating resting myoplasm, dantrolene increased the half-time for 45Ca2+ release from both malignant hyperthermia and normal vesicles approximately 3.5-fold and inhibited sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicle [3H]ryanodine binding (Ki approximately 150 nM for both malignant hyperthermia and normal). Inhibition of vesicle [3H]ryanodine binding by dantrolene was associated with a decrease in the extent of activation by both calmodulin and Ca2+. Dantrolene also inhibited [3H]ryanodine binding to purified skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor protein reconstituted into liposomes. In contrast, cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicle 45Ca2+ release and [3H]ryanodine binding were unaffected by dantrolene. Together, these results demonstrate selective effects of dantrolene on skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors that are consistent with the actions of dantrolene in vivo and suggest a mechanism of action in which dantrolene may act directly at the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor complex to limit its activation by calmodulin and Ca2+. The potential implications of these results for understanding how dantrolene and malignant hyperthermia mutations may affect the voltage-dependent activation of Ca2+ release in intact skeletal muscle are discussed.     

Unilateral reversible inactivations of the nucleus tractus solitarius and amygdala attenuate the effects of bombesin on memory storage

Thapsigargin is a highly potent and selective inhibitor of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) family of Ca2+-ATPases and a useful tool in research concerning the function of intracellular Ca2+ stores. We describe here a novel fluorescent derivative (8-O-(4-aminocinnamoyl)-8-O-debutanoylthapsigargin, termed ACTA) of this compound, acting as a Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor with a potency approaching that of thapsigargin. Binding of ACTA to the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles results in a strong fluorescence enhancement, approximately 66% of which depends on ACTA association with Ca2+-ATPase. This specific component of ACTA fluorescence is sensitive to the E1-E2 conformational equilibrium of the pump. The combined properties of high potency and binding-dependent fluorescence suggest ACTA to be a useful probe for a range of studies involving the SERCA class of ATPases.