The use of subcellular membrane fractions in analysis of control of smooth muscle function

Pump and exchanger mechanisms in a model of smooth muscle

A novel approach to modelling pump and exchanger mechanisms is presented. In this approach, new thermodynamic expressions for the calcium pump, sodium-calcium exchanger and sodium-potassium pump are developed using statistical rate theory (SRT). This theory is well-defined and is not derived empirically. This is in contrast to previous thermodynamic pump expressions which used a simple linear relationship or relied on empirical data for their functional form. The functional form of these new expressions does not require assumptions of steady state or particular forms of voltage dependencies in specific steps. Also, the explicit reaction scheme is not required. Instead, assumptions of a rate-limiting step in the scheme and a near-equilibrium ratio of intermediate substrates are required. These expressions are incorporated into an overall model of gastric smooth muscle. This model presents a novel approach whereby thermodynamic representations for calcium pumps, sodium-calcium exchangers and sodium-potassium pumps have been included together in a model of ionic transport mechanisms for smooth muscle. Variations in basal metabolic concentrations are used to explain the observed amplitude variation in the transmembrane voltage of gastric smooth muscle. The interaction of the various mechanisms are used to illustrate the large depolarization obtained in smooth muscle with ouabain as well as the forward and reverse modes of the sodium-calcium exchanger.

Role of sarcolemmal membrane sodium-calcium exchange in vascular smooth muscle tension

A body of information obtained by experiments with intact tissues, isolated cells, and sarcolemmal vesicles indicates, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a specific Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange system exists in vascular smooth muscle. However, its role in the regulation of cytosolic free-Ca2+ concentration and cell tension under physiological conditions remains unclear. Under pharmacological conditions in which the Na(+)-K+ pump is inhibited either by digitalis glycosides or K(+)-free medium, Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange may be modulated by increases in cytosolic free Na+ to increase the cytosolic free-Ca2+ concentration and cell tension. Under pathological conditions in which the cytosolic Na+ concentration is increased as a result of inhibition of the Na(+)-K+ pump by endogenous ouabain or a digitalis-like factor, or activation of the Na(+)-H+ exchange or passive permeability of Na+, the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity of vascular smooth muscle and the nerve terminal may play an important role in the development and/or maintenance of hypertension. These and other premises remain to be confirmed or discounted.

Desensitization of swine arterial smooth muscle to transplasmalemmal Ca2+ influx

1. The effect of transplasmalemmal Ca2+ influx on the [Ca2+]i dependence of smooth muscle contraction was evaluated by measuring intracellular [Ca2+] (as estimated by aequorin), myosin phosphorylation, and isometric stress in swine carotid media. 2. Extracellular Ca2+ was removed by incubation in physiological saline with 1 mM-EGTA and no added CaCl2 for 20 min (termed EGTA treatment). In some preparations, intracellular Ca2+ was released by a brief (5 min) histamine stimulation while in this Ca2(+)-free EGTA solution (termed histamine treatment). 3. Restoration of extracellular CaCl2 to EGTA and histamine-treated preparations in the continued presence of histamine was associated with an initial large aequorin light transient. However, this light transient was not initially associated with an increase in myosin phosphorylation or rapid stress development, suggesting that the contractile apparatus was desensitized to aequorin-estimated myoplasmic [Ca2+]. The desensitization was temporary, and resolved by 10 min after restoration of extracellular CaCl2. 4. The light transient observed upon restoration of extracellular CaCl2 was smaller in preparations only EGTA treated when compared to preparations treated with both EGTA and histamine, suggesting that histamine treatment further desensitized the contractile apparatus. 5. The stress development rate was not slowed when histamine and extracellular CaCl2 were simultaneously added to EGTA-treated preparations, suggesting that the desensitization was only to transplasmalemmal Ca2+ influx (from extracellular CaCl2 readdition), and not intracellular Ca2+ release (from the histamine stimulation). 6. In EGTA and histamine-treated preparations, restoration of extracellular CaCl2 in the presence of 109 mM-KCl was associated with a larger aequorin light signal than was observed upon readdition of CaCl2 in the presence of histamine, suggesting that depolarization also further desensitized the contractile apparatus. 7. Depolarization of EGTA-treated preparations did not increase [Ca2+] or stress, suggesting that depolarization did not release intracellular Ca2+ stores. 8. No significant light transient was observed upon addition of extracellular LaCl3, suggesting that tissue damage or leakage of aequorin into the extracellular space was not the cause of the Ca2(+)-reintroduction light signal. 9. These data suggest that removal of extracellular CaCl2 desensitizes the contractile apparatus of smooth muscle to transplasmalemmal Ca2+ influx. This desensitization is only to readdition of extracellular Ca2+; the contractile apparatus still responds to intracellular Ca2+ release. The desensitization is increased by prior depolarization or brief histamine treatment (potentially by depleting intracellular Ca2+). The source of activator Ca2+ appears to affect the relationship between aequorin light and phosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Characterization of the Mg2+-activated ATPase activity in smooth-muscle membranes. NADH oxidase and adenylate kinase interfere with the NADH-coupled enzyme assay

The apparent Mg2+-activated ATPase activity measured by the continuous NADH-coupled enzyme assay was studied in a number of microsomal preparations obtained from smooth muscle of the myometrium from pregnant or 17 beta-oestradiol-pretreated rats, the bovine aorta, the guinea-pig taenia coli, the rabbit ear artery and pig antrum. It was shown that this ATPase assay is prone to the effects of a number of artefacts that are tissue-dependent. The apparent Mg2+-ATPase activity in microsomes (microsomal fractions) from myometrium, aorta and taenia coli declines non-linearly during the assay. Its initial high rate gradually diminishes over 15-60 min, depending on the type of smooth muscle, to a constant value. This decline depends on the presence of ATP and can be partially prevented by concanavalin A. The non-linearity is limited in microsomes from rabbit ear artery. In microsomes from antrum the apparent Mg2+-ATPase activity actually increases with time, albeit gradually. Storage on ice of the microsomes of the aorta, and especially of myometrium of pregnant rats and of taenia coli, is accompanied over a few hours after their preparation by a gradual suppression of the component of the Mg2+-ATPase activity that is inhibited by ATP. The Mg2+-ATPase activity in microsomes from antrum remains constant. NADH oxidase activity accounts for 10% of the Mg2+-ATPase activity in microsomes from stomach smooth muscle. The apparent initial non-linearity of the Mg2+-ATPase activity in that tissue is due to a time-dependent decrease of a rotenone-sensitive NADH oxidase activity. The adenylate kinase activity, as deduced from the effect of the adenylate kinase inhibitor P1,P5-di(adenosine-5') pentaphosphate, could account for 45.0, 35.0 and 31.0% respectively of the Mg2+-ATPase activity in microsomes from stomach, myometrium and aorta. No adenylate kinase activity could be detected in microsomes from ear artery and taenia coli. When microsomes from stomach smooth muscle were separated on a sucrose gradient, the contribution of adenylate kinase and NADH oxidase to the Mg2+-ATPase activity was most pronounced in the higher-density fractions. Part of the NADH oxidase activity and of the Mg2+-ATPase activity, and most of the adenylate kinase activity, are not sedimented at 224000 gmax. for 30 min and may therefore be present as soluble enzymes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Regulation of cell calcium and contractility in mammalian arterial smooth muscle: the role of sodium-calcium exchange

1. The contraction and relaxation of rings of rat thoracic aorta and bovine tail artery were examined as a function of changes in the Na+ electrochemical gradient in order to determine the role of Na-Ca exchange in the control of contractility. 2. Inhibition of the Na+ pump in rat aorta by K+-free media or a low concentration (5 x 10(-5) M) of strophanthidin reversibly increased the contractile responses to caffeine and noradrenaline. These effects were dependent upon external Ca2+ and were observed even in the presence of a Ca2+ channel blocker (10 microM-verapamil or 10 microM-diltiazem) and an alpha-receptor blocker (10 microM-phentolamine). 3. Reduction of external Na+ concentration, [Na+]o (replaced by N-methylglucamine, tetramethylammonium or Tris), also caused an external Ca2+-dependent increase in tonic tension and, in rat aorta, an increase in the response to caffeine. These effects were also observed in the presence of verapamil and phentolamine. 4. Caffeine relaxed the bovine tail artery, but increased the sensitivity of the rat aorta to reduced [Na+]o. The latter effect was presumably due to block of Ca2+ sequestration in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, so that entering Ca2+ was more effective in raising the intracellular free Ca2+ level, [Ca2+]i. 5. Relaxation from K+-free or low-Na+ contractions, in Ca2+-free media, depended upon [Na+]o. Reduction of [Na+]o to 1.2 or 7.5 mM slowed the relaxation of rat aorta (5 mM-caffeine present) 3- to 5-fold, and the relaxation of bovine tail artery (without caffeine) 5- to 10-fold. These effects were seen in the presence of verapamil and phentolamine. 6. These observations are all consistent with an Na-Ca exchange transport system that can move Ca2+ either into or out of the arterial smooth muscle cells. Ca2+ entry is enhanced by raising [Na+]i (by Na+ pump inhibition) and/or lowering [Na+]o. Ca2+ extrusion from the contracted muscles is largely dependent upon external Na+. The latter observation implies that, when [Ca2+] exceeds the contraction threshold, Ca2+ efflux is mediated primarily by the Na-Ca exchanger, rather than by the sarcolemmal ATP-driven Ca2+ pump. 7. When bovine tail artery was treated with verapamil and phentolamine, and [Na+]o was reduced from 139.2 to 43.9 mM, substitution of K+ for Na+ induced a larger external Ca2+-dependent contraction than did substitution of Tris for Na+. The amplitudes of these contractions were greatly increased when the Na+ pump was inhibited by 5 x 10(-5) M-strophanthidin, presumably because of the rise in [Na+]i.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

An investigation of sodium-calcium exchange in the smooth muscle of guinea-pig ureter

1. After application of ouabain (10(-4) M), the intracellular Na+ activity (alpha iNa) of smooth muscle cells in the guinea-pig ureter stabilizes at a relatively low level which can be rapidly lowered by reduction of external Na+ (Na+o) or elevation of Ca2+o. Both these procedures also elicit a transient contracture. These observations have previously been interpreted as evidence for Na+-Ca2+ exchange. The presence of such an exchange mechanism has now been further investigated by measurements of alpha iNa, tension, ion analysis and 22Na efflux. 2. Ion analysis demonstrated that tissues were able to maintain a high cellular K+ content in the presence of ouabain, but slowly lost K+ and gained Na+ if K+o was also removed, as expected for an infinite outward gradient for K+ and a fully inhibited Na+ pump. 3. Tissues were only able to maintain a low cellular Na+ and high cellular K+ in the presence of ouabain if Ca2+ was present in the bathing solution. Reduction of Ca2+o to very low levels also caused a continual slow rise in alpha iNa in the presence of ouabain, provided that the prolonged depolarization caused by these low levels was prevented by elevation of Mg2+o. Alteration of the membrane potential by changing K+o at constant Na+o showed that alpha iNa decreased by about 1.2 mM for a 10 mV depolarization, within the range from -70 to -30 mV. 4. A small Ca2+o-activated 22Na efflux was observed in ouabain-treated tissues in the absence of Na+o. 40 mM-Ca2+ was not more effective at activating this efflux than was 2.5 mM-Ca2+, while 40 mM-Mg2+ was ineffective. Restoration of the normal Na+o caused a large increase in the rate of 22Na loss. 5. Application of Mn2+ in the presence of ouabain caused a slow rise in alpha iNa and a small decline in resting tension. The fall in alpha iNa on reduction of Na+o was slowed by the presence of Mn2+ (mean half-time increased from 1.7 to 5.0 min) and the concomitant contracture was almost abolished. These results are consistent with a Mn2+-induced inhibition of Na+-Ca2+ exchange. However, the fall in alpha iNa induced by elevation of Ca2+o was unaffected by the presence of Mn2+ and the attendant contracture was, if anything, enhanced. 6. Observation of changes in alpha iNa and tension at various Mn2+ and Ca2+ concentrations demonstrated a competitive interaction between the two divalent cations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Use of tension measurements to delineate the mode of action of vasodilators

Direct experimental procedures to delineate the modes of inhibition of drugs on vascular smooth muscle contractility are described. In isolated rabbit aortic strips, high concentrations of KCl and norepinephrine induce sustained contractions that depend upon Ca2+ influx mediated by selective activation of voltage-dependent and receptor-linked Ca2+ channels, respectively. In the absence of external Ca2+, norepinephrine also induces a transient contraction that is dependent upon release of cellular bound Ca2+. The contractile responses are differentially susceptible to vasodilators acting on different mechanisms. The Ca2+ channel blockers selectively inhibit KCl-induced contraction. The selective inhibitors of norepinephrine-induced contraction include nitro compounds, atrial natriuretic peptide, acetylcholine and other stimulants of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, beta-adrenergic agonists, forskolin, adenosine, and metabolic inhibitors. The nonselective inhibitors of these contractions include the inhibitors of contractile filaments, such as calmodulin inhibitors, and the inhibitors with multiple sites of action, such as papaverine. Although the inhibitors of Ca2+ release from storage site, such as ryanodine, may not inhibit these contractions, these inhibitors inhibit the norepinephrine-induced transient contraction in Ca2+-free solution. Thus, primary evaluation (screening) of drugs affecting vascular smooth muscle contraction can be performed by analyzing their effects on contractile responses of isolated rabbit aorta. Furthermore, methods to define more detailed sites of action of drugs are also described.

The relationship between noradrenaline-induced contraction and 45Ca efflux stimulation in rabbit mesenteric artery

Cellular Ca2+ recycling in a branch of the rabbit mesenteric artery was investigated by measuring the time- and concentration-dependent effects of noradrenaline (NA) on contraction and 45Ca efflux in Ca2+-free solution. When NA was present continuously (15 min), both force development and 45Ca efflux stimulation consisted of a fast and a slow (often oscillatory) component. These components were sensitive to caffeine and are probably both related to Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca2+ store, presumably sarcoplasmic reticulum (s.r.). When NA was applied for shorter time periods, both tension and stimulated 45Ca efflux decreased similarly. Repetitive short (30 s) NA applications resulted in repeated contractions and stimulations of 45Ca efflux. The NA-stimulated 45Ca efflux was not inhibited when external Ca2+ was present or in Na+-free medium. Loading the cell with Ca2+ (with physiological salt solution for 3 h or with a high K+ depolarizing solution) increases the number of subsequent NA-induced repeated contractions in Ca2+-free solution. The Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (s.r.) in the smooth muscle cells of this small artery was estimated to be at least 50 mumol kg-1 wet weight, corresponding to an s.r. Ca2+ concentration of about 3.1 mM. These results indicate that the NA-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ (as measured by force development) is accompanied by an increase in Ca2+ extrusion (as measured by stimulation of 45Ca efflux). This suggests that at least part of the activator Ca2+ cycles through the extracellular space during hormone-induced activation of vascular smooth muscle.