A comparative study of the calcium accumulation by mitochondria and microsomes isolated from the smooth muscle of the guinea-pig taenia coli

Calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum of vascular smooth muscle: I. MgATP-dependent and MgATP-independent calcium uptake

The components of 45calcium (Ca) uptake were studied in saponin skinned rat caudal artery. The steady-state Ca content increased when the free Ca concentration was varied from 10(-8) to 10(-4) M but was reduced by azide when the free Ca concentration exceeded 3.1 microM. The azide sensitivity and low affinity for Ca were consistent with functional mitochondria. The azide-insensitive component consisted of a small bound and a larger releasable Ca fraction. After skinning in Triton X-100, approximately 4 mumol Ca/kg wet tissue remained, which represented a tightly bound but slowly exchangeable Ca pool. The Ca content was independent of the free Ca concentration and MgATP, and it was not released with A-23187 or Ca. The Ca content of the larger fraction was a higher order function of the free Ca concentration and was released with A-23187, indicating it resided within a membrane-bounded structure. Ca uptake by the releasable fraction was increased by oxalate, MgATP, phosphocreatine, temperature, phosphate, and ruthenium red and represents Ca sequestered by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) with little contribution from other Ca binding or storage sites. It is described by the coefficients Umax = 96.94 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.75 microM, and Hill coefficient = 1.70. The SR in this preparation regulates cytosolic Ca concentrations under physiological conditions and can accumulate Ca by MgATP-dependent and MgATP-independent process. The larger, MgATP-dependent Ca uptake is described by the coefficients Umax = 72.87 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.8 microM, and Hill coefficient = 2.09 and is consistent with Ca sequestered by the Ca-transport ATPase of smooth muscle SR. The smaller, MgATP-independent uptake is described by the coefficients Umax = 24.14 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.56 microM, and Hill coefficient = 1.01 and represents Ca sequestered by an unidentified mechanism or by a subpopulation of SR.

Demarcation of Ca2+ transport processes in guinea pig stomach smooth muscle

Microsomal fractions were isolated from gastric antrum and fundus smooth muscle of guinea pigs. Ca2+ uptake into and Ca2+ release from the membrane vesicles were studied by a rapid filtration method, and Ca2+ transport properties of the different regions of the stomach were compared. ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake was similar in microsomes isolated from both regions. This uptake was increased by oxalate and was not affected by NaN3. Oxalate affected Ca2+ permeability of both antrum and fundus microsome vesicles similarly. Fundus microsome vesicles preincubated in 100 mM NaCl and then diluted to 1/20 concentration with Na+-free medium had significantly higher ATP-independent Ca2+ uptake than vesicles preincubated in 100 mM KCl and treated the same way. This was not true for antrum vesicles. Monensin abolished Na+-dependent Ca2+ uptake, and NaCl enhanced Ca2+ efflux from fundus microsome vesicles. The halflife values of Ca2+ loss from fundus vesicles in the presence of NaCl were significantly smaller than those in the presence of KCl. The release of Ca2+ from the vesicles within the first 3 min was accelerated by NaCl to three times that by KCl. However, NaCl had no effect on Ca2+ release from antrum microsome vesicles. Results suggest two distinct mechanisms of stomach membrane Ca2+ transport: (1) ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake and (2) Na+-Ca2+ exchange; the latter in the fundus only.

Intracellular site of "Ca reversal": inhibition of uterine smooth muscle contraction in Ca-free medium by a minute amount of Ca ion released from mitochondria by drugs

Sodium azide (NaN3) and dinitrophenol (DNP) at low concentrations caused "Ca reversal", i.e. inhibition of oxytocin-induced tonic contraction of estrogen-dominated rat uterine smooth muscle in Ca-free solution. This inhibition was not due to depletion of ATP by NaN3 or DNP. Higher concentrations of NaN3 and DNP caused additional contraction. NaN3 and DNP dose-dependently released Ca ion from mitochondria isolated from the estrogen-dominated rat uterine smooth muscle in vitro. Electron microscopic studies have shown that in estrogen-dominated rat uterine smooth muscle cells, cytoplasmic membranes proliferate, resulting in compartmentalization of the myofilament-sarcoplasmic system and its separation from the receptor-effector system in the surface folds of the plasma membranes, which also contain some mitochondria. It is proposed that low concentrations of NaN3 and DNP release a small amount of Ca ion from these outer mitochondria and this Ca ion acts on the intracellular "site of Ca reversal" to induce reversal, i.e. inhibition. Higher concentrations of NaN3 and DNP are proposed to release a large amount of Ca ion from the central mitochondria near myofilaments and so induce contraction. The "site of Ca reversal" was shown to be intracellular as our previous postulation.

Characterization of Ca2+ transport and enzyme activity in microsomes isolated from guinea-pig stomach smooth muscle

Ca2+ uptake by microsomes prepared from guinea-pig stomach required the presence of both ATP and Mg2+ and was unaffected by NaN3. ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake increased with increasing free Ca2+ concentration from 0.1 to 5 microM, and further increase in Ca2+ concentration above 5 microM did not enhance the uptake further. Half-saturation occurred at approximately 0.55 microM. The t1/2 values of Ca2+ loss from these vesicles loaded in the presence of oxalate were significantly slower than those in the absence of oxalate. Enzyme activity suggested linkage between Ca2+ uptake and ATPase activity, and most of the azide-sensitive component of ATP hydrolysis was attributable to potent inhibition of ADPase activity.

Effects of cyclic AMP and protein kinase on calcium uptake in a microsomal fraction from guinea pig taenia caecum

A microsomal fraction was isolated from guinea pig taenia caecum by differential centrifugation. Activities of ouabain-sensitive (Na+, K+)-ATPase, 5'-nucleotidase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase were enriched in the microsomal fraction. On the other hand, less cytochrome c oxidase and monoamine oxidase were contained in this fraction. These results suggest that the microsomal fraction used in this study was derived from both sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ca2+ uptake by this fraction was strictly dependent on the presence of ATP and was facilitated by oxalate. An ATP-regenerating system was required for the determination of Ca2+ uptake, when a lower concentration of ATP (e.g. 0.25 mM) was used. Phosphorylation of the microsomal fraction was doubled when these membranes were incubated in the presence of cyclic AMP plus cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase). When the microsomal fraction was pretreated with cyclic AMP plus protein kinase, Ca2+ uptake was stimulated. The increases in microsomal phosphorylation and Ca2+ uptake were significantly correlated (P less than 0.01). This stimulation of Ca2+ uptake by microsomal phosphorylation was observed only in the presence of protein kinase, oxalate, and low Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations. The results suggest that stimulation of Ca2+ uptake may be the mechanism by which cyclic AMP is involved in beta-adrenergic relaxation of smooth muscle.

Ca2+ dependence of calcium uptake by rat myometrium plasma membrane-enriched fraction

ATP-dependent Ca uptake by rat myometrium plasma membrane fraction occurs only in the presence of magnesium. Studies of the membrane protein-concentration dependence of the ATP-dependent Ca uptake showed that at 33 micrograms protein/ml the uptake increased linearly with time up to 2 min and deviated from linearity at longer times. Studies of the Ca2+ concentration dependence of initial Ca-uptake velocity (reaction time 2 min) of the uptake reaction showed that 1) ATP-dependent Ca uptake increased with increasing Ca2+ concentration from 0.1 to 1 microM, and a further increase in Ca2+ concentration above 1 microM did not enhance the uptake further and 2) the Ca-uptake dependence on Ca2+ concentration was nonhyperbolic with a Hill coefficient of 1.3-1.7 and half saturation occurring at 0.4-0.5 microM Ca2+. These data suggest that the ATP-dependent Ca movement by rat myometrium plasma membranes may play a very important role in smooth muscle relaxation. Physiological implications of the nonhyperbolic kinetics are also discussed.

Influence of ATP on sarcoplasmic reticulum function of vascular smooth muscle

A vesicular fraction isolated from bovine aorta and enriched in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (FSR) exhibited active calcium transport and ATPase activity. By use of a hypotonic NaHCO3 extraction solution, an active preparation was isolated that retained activity for up to 4 days. A small but significant (P less than 0.05) Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase associated with calcium transport was demonstrated with a specific activity of 0.33 mumol inorganic phosphate (Pi).mg-1.min-1. The basal Mg2+ ATPase demonstrated Michaelis-Menten kinetics [Km(Mg2+-ATP) = 0.44 +/- 0.01 X 10(-3) M; Vmax = 2.22 +/- 0.01 mumolPi.mg-1.min-1]. The Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-ATPase demonstrated apparent substrate inhibition (Ks approximately 10 mM) with no evidence for end-product (ADP) or excess added Ca2+ contributing to this inhibition. Oxalate-supported active calcium uptake velocities also exhibited quantitatively similar substrate inhibition. These results suggest that FSR from vascular smooth muscle contains either two enzymes or one enzyme with two isomeric forms, one of which is associated with the calcium uptake activity of this structure and the other of unknown function.

Some aspects of calcium uptake by human myometrial mitochondria and microsomes relevant to relaxation

Calcium uptake by mitochondria and microsomes isolated from the human myometrium was studied at physiological Ca++ concentrations. The initial rates as well as the maximum velocity of Ca uptake by mitochondria were 10-20 times higher than those by microsomes. The Ca++ concentration for half-maximal transport in the mitochondria and microsomes was about 1 microM and 0.5 microM, respectively. The Ca uptake capacity of mitochondria measured after 20 min of uptake (1 microM Ca++ in the medium) was 10-30 times higher than that of microsomes. The capacity but not the initial rates of Ca uptake by microsomes was increased in the presence of 5 mM oxalate. These were only minor differences in the Ca uptake kinetics of subcellular fraction isolated from the pregnant and non-pregnant myometria. The results of this study reinforce the argument for the domineering role of mitochondria in the relaxation of the human myometrium.

Partial purification of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-dependent ATPase from pig smooth muscle and reconstitution of an ATP-dependent Ca2+-transport system

(CaMg)ATPase [(Ca2+ + Mg2+)-dependent ATPase] was partially purified from a microsomal fraction of the smooth muscle of the pig stomach (antrum). Membranes were solubilized with deoxycholate, followed by removal of the detergent by dialysis. The purified (CaMg)ATPase has a specific activity (at 37 degrees C) of 157 +/- 12.1 (7)nmol.min-1.mg-1 of protein, and it is stimulated by calmodulin to 255 +/- 20.9 (7)nmol.min.mg-1. This purification of the (CaMg)ATPase resulted in an increase of the specific activity by approx. 18-fold and in a recovery of the total enzyme activity of 55% compared with the microsomal fraction. The partially purified (CaMg)ATPase still contains some Mg2+-and (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase activities, but their specific activities are increased relatively less than that of the (CaMg)ATPase. The ratios of the (CaMg)ATPase to Mg2+- and (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase activities increase from respectively 0.14 and 0.81 in the crude microsomal fraction to 1.39 and 9.07 in the purified preparation. During removal of the deoxycholate by dialysis, vesicles were reconstituted which were capable of ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport.

Correlation of prostaglandin-induced mitochondrial calcium release with contraction in bovine intrapulmonary vein

The effects of prostaglandins A2, A1, F2 alpha, E2, E2, F1 beta and an analog of PGH2 upon calcium release from mitochondria isolated from bovine intrapulmonary vein and contraction of helical strips of the same tissue were determined. The order of activity of the prostaglandins for calcium release was similar to that for contraction with the exception of the PGH2 analog. It is suggested that prostaglandin A2, F2 alpha, E2 and A1 induced release of mitochondrial calcium may influence the contractile state of bovine intrapulmonary vein. However, the PGH2 analog has a subcellular mechanism other than or in addition to mitochondrial calcium release and is different from the other prostaglandins.

Electron cytochemistry of oxalate-stimulated calcium uptake in microsomes from the smooth muscle of the pig stomach

A microsomal fraction was isolated from the smooth muscle of the antrum of the pig stomach by differential centrifugation. Electron microscopy of the negatively stained material showed that this fraction is heterogeneous in composition. The microsomes accumulated calcium in the presence of ATP, magnesium and oxalate. The amount of calcium taken up per mg protein was in the same range as observed for other smooth muscle microsomal preparations. Although this amount is much smaller than that in the microsomal fraction of skeletal muscle, calcium oxalate crystals were formed in some vesicles, as occurs in the skeletal muscle fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum. Through the presence of the calcium oxalate crystals, many of these vesicles acquired sufficient mass and density to allow them to be isolated by centrifugation. A purification of about 40 fold in terms of calcium content was reached.

Studies on calcium uptake by myometrial microsomes with particular reference to the dependence on inorganic phosphate and oxalate

Ca uptake by microsomes isolated from non-pregnant rabbit myometrium was potentiated by both inorganic phosphate (Pi) and oxalate anions. Both Pi and oxalate had little effect on the initial rate of uptake but a pronounced effect on the capacity of Ca uptake measured after 20 min which was greater in the presence of oxalate than that of Pi (5 mM each). The presence or absence of sucrose in the uptake medium had a significant effect on oxalate-induced potentiation of Ca uptake but not on that potentiated by Pi or that measured in the absence of either potentiating anion. A part of Ca accumulated additionally under the influence of sucrose could be removed by washing microsomes with KCl. Another significant difference between the pontentiating effect of oxalate and Pi was observed when the pH of the incubation medium was varied. In the presence of oxalate the pH optimum was between 6.4--6.8, whereas that in its absence or in the presence of Pi the optimal pH was around 7.2. Reduction in pH from 7.2 to 6.8 along with the substitution of KCl by sucrose resulted in 3-fold increase in Ca uptake when oxalate was used as the potentiating anion. The results suggest that Ca is taken up by a different mechanism in the presence of oxalate than that in its absence or when oxalate anion is substituted with inorganic phosphate.

Effect of papaverine on Ca2+ uptake by a mitochondrial fraction isolated from rat uterine smooth muscle

A mitochondrial fraction was isolated from rat uterine smooth muscle. The effect of papaverine (3 X 10(-6), 10(-5), 3 X 10(-5), 10(-4) M) on Ca2+ accumulation by the fraction was studied. The effect of papaverine was changed by using different substrates for Ca2+ accumulation. Papaverine inhibited the Ca2+ accumulation supported by glutamate plus ATP concentration-dependently. The Ca2+ accumulation supported by ATP alone was also inhibited. On the other hand, the Ca2+ accumulation supported by succinate and ATP was increased by papaverine. The effect was not concentration-dependent; papaverine (3 X 10(-5) M) was the most effective concentration for the effect with a shorter incubation (2 min).

The calcium accumulation in a microsomal fraction from porcine coronary artery smooth muscle. A study of the heterogeneity of the fraction

1. Microsomes prepared from the combined media and intima of pig coronary artery, take up Ca in an ATP-dependent way. This uptake is stimulated by oxalate. 2. Conditions have been determined to optimize the preparation of the microsomes in terms of their Ca accumulation activity. Careful homogenization of the tissue mince in 0.25 M sucrose by means of a Potter-Elvehjem homogenizer gives microsomal preparations with the highest specific activity for Ca accumulation. 3. Arguments are presented to support the hypothesis that, even in the absence of oxalate, Ca accumulation occurs into the lumen of the vesicles, and that these vesicles have a low Ca permeability. 4. Density gradient analysis shows that the microsomal fraction prepared from pig coronary artery media and intima is composed of vesicles that are heterogeneous in enzymatic composition. 5. Adenylate cyclase appears to be a predominantly plasma membrane-bound enzyme. Rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase and choline phosphotransferase, two putative markers for internal membranes, give distinct banding patterns on on isopycnic centrifugation, indicating different intracellular localization. 6. There is a difference between the density gradient distribution pattern of Ca uptake measured in the presence or absence of oxalate. The latter coincides more closely with plasma membrane markers. The former resembles more the distribution of rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase.