Developmental changes in the actions of phosphatase inhibitors on calcium current of rabbit heart cells

Kinases and phosphatases in ischaemic preconditioning: a re-evaluation

Activation of several protein kinases occurs during myocardial ischaemia and during subsequent reperfusion. In contrast to the intensive investigation into the significance of kinase activation in cardioprotection, relatively little is known about the role of the phosphatases in this regard. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the putative roles of PP1 and PP2A in ischaemia/reperfusion and in triggering ischaemic preconditioning. Isolated perfused working rat hearts were subjected to sustained global (15 or 20 min) or regional ischaemia (35 min), followed by reperfusion. Hearts were preconditioned using global ischaemia (1 x 5 or 3 x 5 min, alternated with 5 min reperfusion). To inhibit both PP1 and PP2A cantharidin (5 muM) was used. To inhibit PP2A only, okadaic acid (7.5 nM) was used. The drugs were administered during the preconditioning protocol, before onset of sustained ischaemia (pretreatment) or during reperfusion. Endpoints were mechanical recovery during reperfusion, infarct size and activation of PKB/Akt, p38 MAPK and ERK p42/p44, as determined by Western blot. Pretreatment of hearts with okadaic acid or cantharidin caused a significant reduction in mechanical recovery after 15 or 20 min global ischaemia. Administration of the drugs during an ischaemic preconditioning protocol abolished functional recovery during reperfusion and significantly increased infarct size. Administration of the drugs during reperfusion had no deleterious effects and increased functional recovery in 3 x PC hearts. To find an explanation for the differential effects of the inhibitors depending on the time of administration, hearts were freeze-clamped at different time points during the perfusion protocol. Administration of cantharidin before 5 min ischaemia activated all kinases. Subsequent reperfusion for 5 min without the drug maintained activation of the kinases until the onset of sustained ischaemia. Cantharidin given during preconditioning was associated with activation of p38MAPK and PKB/Akt during reperfusion after sustained ischaemia. However, administration of the drug during reperfusion only after sustained ischaemia caused activation of both PKB/Akt and ERK p42/p44. Phosphatase inhibition immediately prior to the onset of sustained ischaemia or during preconditioning abolishes protection during reperfusion, while inhibition of these enzymes during reperfusion either had no effect or enhanced the cardioprotective effects of preconditioning. It is proposed that inhibition of phosphatases during reperfusion may prolong the period of RISK activation and hence protect the heart.

Developmental changes in time course of recovery from inactivation in L-type calcium currents of rabbit ventricular myocytes

The mechanisms of recovery from inactivation of the L-type calcium current ( ICa) are not well established, and recovery is affected by many experimental conditions. Little is known about developmental changes of recovery from inactivation of ICa. We studied developmental changes of recovery from inactivation in ICa using isolated adult and newborn (1–4 days) rabbit ventricular myocytes. We used broken-patch and perforated-patch techniques with physiological extracellular ionic concentrations of calcium and sodium and interpulse conditioning potentials of −80 or −50 mV. We also maximized ICa with forskolin. We found that recovery from inactivation did not differ between adult and newborn cells when either EGTA or BAPTA was used to buffer intracellular calcium. Maximizing ICa with forskolin slowed recovery from inactivation in newborn but not in adult cells. In contrast, when the intracellular buffering of the cell was left nearly intact (perforated patch), recovery from inactivation (half-time of recovery) in the newborn cells was significantly slower than for the adult cells when either a conditioning potential of −80 mV (140 ± 9 vs. 58 ± 4 ms, newborn vs. adult; P < 0.05) or −50 mV (641 ± 106 vs. 168 ± 15 ms, newborn vs. adult; P < 0.05) was used. Forskolin significantly increased half-time of recovery for both adult and newborn cells. Dialysis with no calcium buffer showed a slower recovery from inactivation in newborn cells. Intracellular dialysis with a calcium buffer masked differences in recovery from inactivation of ICa between newborn and adult rabbit ventricular cells.

Developmental differences in L-type calcium current of human atrial myocytes

We investigated differences in L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) between infant (INF, 1-12 mo old), young adult (YAD, 14-18 yr old), and older adult (AD) myocytes from biopsies of right atrial appendages. Basal ICa was smaller in INF myocytes (1.2 +/- 0.1 pA/pF, n = 29, 6 +/- 1 mo old, 11 patients) than in YAD (2.5 +/- 0.2 pA/pF, n = 20, 16 +/- 1 yr old, 5 patients) or AD (2.6 +/- 0.3 pA/pF, n = 19, 66 +/- 3 yr old, 9 patients) myocytes (P < 0.05). Maximal ICa produced by isoproterenol (Iso) was similar in INF, YAD, and AD cells: 8.4 +/- 1.1, 9.6 +/- 1.0, and 9.2 +/- 1.3 pA/pF, respectively. Efficacy (Emax) was larger in INF (607 +/- 50%) than for YAD (371 +/- 29%) or AD (455 +/- 12%) myocytes. Potency (EC50) was 8- to 10-fold higher in AD (0.82 +/- 0.09 nM) or YAD (0.41 +/- 0.14 nM) than in INF (7.6 +/- 3.5 nM) myocytes. Protein levels were similar for Gialpha2 but much greater for Gialpha3 in INF than in AD or YAD atrial tissue. When Gialpha3 activity was inhibited by inclusion of a Gialpha3 COOH-terminal decapeptide in the pipette, basal ICa and the response to 10 nM Iso were increased in INF, but not in YAD, cells. We propose that basal ICa and the response to low-dose beta-adrenergic stimulation are inhibited in INF (but not YAD or AD) cells as a result of constitutive inhibitory effects of Gialpha3.

Expression of protein phosphatases during postnatal development of rabbit heart

Protein phosphatases play a major role in the regulation of L-type calcium current (I(Ca)) in heart cells. We previously showed developmental differences in the effects of inhibitors of protein phosphatases (PP's) on the modulation of I(Ca), with greater stimulatory effects on I(Ca) observed in newborn than in adult ventricular cells. We hypothesized that this developmental difference might be due to greater expression and levels of PP 1 and PP 2A in newborn than in adult ventricular cells. We thus determined the mRNA expression of alpha and beta subunits of PP 1 and the a subunit of PP 2A in adult and newborn rabbit ventricles and levels of PP 1 and PP 2A in total homogenates, particulate membranes, and in soluble fraction prepared from isolated ventricular myocytes from adult and newborn rabbits. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of mRNA of these subunits of PP's in both newborn and adult ventricles. Northern blot analysis using 32P labeled cDNA probes specific for PP 1alpha, PP 1beta and PP 2Aalpha showed that the expression of steady state mRNA levels for PP 1alpha, PP 1beta and PP 2Aalpha were much higher in newborn compared to adult rabbit ventricles. mRNA for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) in rabbit ventricles were measured as controls. GAPDH did not show significant developmental changes while mRNA for SERCA was higher in adult compared to newborns. Western blot analysis showed that PP 1 and PP 2A protein levels were also much higher in newborn compared to adult rabbit ventricular cells. Immunoblot analysis in particulate membranes and soluble fraction showed that PP1 was mainly membrane bound while PP 2 was present only in soluble fraction. These findings suggest that the two major protein phosphatases (PP 1 and PP 2A) in heart are expressed at much higher levels in newborn and decline to lower levels in adult ventricular myocytes. The presence of high levels of PP's and particularly PP 1 in newborn cells may be responsible for the greater dependence of newborn cells on the inhibition of PP as a mechanism of action of beta-agonist isoproterenol on I(Ca).

L-type but not T-type calcium current changes during postnatal development in rabbit sinoatrial node

Although the neonatal sinus node beats at a faster rate than the adult, when a sodium current (I(Na)) present in the newborn is blocked, the spontaneous rate is slower in neonatal myocytes than in adult myocytes. This suggests a possible functional substitution of I(Na) by another current during development. We used ruptured [T-type calcium current (I(Ca,T))] and perforated [L-type calcium current (I(Ca,L))] patch clamps to study developmental changes in calcium currents in sinus node cells from adult and newborn rabbits. I(Ca,T) density did not differ with age, and no significant differences were found in the voltage dependence of activation or inactivation. I(Ca,L) density was lower in the adult than newborn (12.1 +/- 1.4 vs. 17.6 +/- 2.5 pA/pF, P = 0.049). However, activation and inactivation midpoints were shifted in opposite directions, reducing the potential contribution during late diastolic depolarization in the newborn (activation midpoints -17.3 +/- 0.8 and -22.3 +/- 1.4 mV in the newborn and adult, respectively, P = 0.001; inactivation midpoints -33.4 +/- 1.4 and -28.3 +/- 1.7 mV for the newborn and adult, respectively, P = 0.038). Recovery of I(Ca,L) from inactivation was also slower in the newborn. The results suggest that a smaller but more negatively activating and rapidly recovering I(Ca,L) in the adult sinus node may contribute to the enhanced impulse initiation at this age in the absence of I(Na).

Effects of serine/threonine protein phosphatases on ion channels in excitable membranes

This review deals with the influence of serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatases on the function of ion channels in the plasma membrane of excitable tissues. Particular focus is given to developments of the past decade. Most of the electrophysiological experiments have been performed with protein phosphatase inhibitors. Therefore, a synopsis is required incorporating issues from biochemistry, pharmacology, and electrophysiology. First, we summarize the structural and biochemical properties of protein phosphatase (types 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 3-7) catalytic subunits and their regulatory subunits. Then the available pharmacological tools (protein inhibitors, nonprotein inhibitors, and activators) are introduced. The use of these inhibitors is discussed based on their biochemical selectivity and a number of methodological caveats. The next section reviews the effects of these tools on various classes of ion channels (i.e., voltage-gated Ca(2+) and Na(+) channels, various K(+) channels, ligand-gated channels, and anion channels). We delineate in which cases a direct interaction between a protein phosphatase and a given channel has been proven and where a more complex regulation is likely involved. Finally, we present ideas for future research and possible pathophysiological implications.

Postnatal changes in contractile time parameters, calcium regulatory proteins, and phosphatases

Compared with isolated electrically driven neonatal ventricular preparations, the total time of contraction, the time to peak tension, and the time of relaxation were decreased to approximately 50% in adult ventricular preparations. The expression of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) was increased to 133% at the protein level and to 154% at the mRNA level in adult vs. neonatal ventricular preparations, whereas phospholamban was unchanged at both the protein and mRNA levels. Moreover, Ca2+ uptake was increased to 180% in adult vs. neonatal ventricular preparations. Phospholamban phosphorylation was enhanced in adult vs. neonatal ventricular preparations. In adult ventricular preparations, phosphatase activity was reduced to 53% of neonatal preparations, the protein levels of the immunologically detectable catalytic subunits of protein phosphatase types 1 and 2A were reduced to 28 and 61% of neonatal preparations, respectively, and the mRNA levels of type 1alpha, 1beta, 1gamma, 2Aalpha, and 2Abeta phosphatase isoforms were decreased to 69, 68, 54, 67, and 63%, respectively. We conclude that in the adult rat heart, the shortened time parameters of contraction can be explained by an elevated expression of SERCA. In addition, an increased phosphorylation state of phospholamban due to reduced phosphatase activity may be involved.