Calcium transport activity of rat cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated in the presence of dithiothreitol

Thermal instability of rat muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase function

To examine the thermal instability and the role of sulfhydryl (SH) oxidation on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase function, crude homogenates were prepared from the white portion of the gastrocnemius (WG) adult rat muscles (n = 9) and incubated in vitro for < or =60 min either at a normal resting body temperature (37 degrees C) or at a temperature indicative of exercise-induced hyperthermia (41 degrees C) with DTT and without DTT (CON). In general, treatment with DTT resulted in higher Ca(2+)-ATPase and Ca(2+) uptake values (nmol. mg protein(-1). min(-1), P < 0.05), an effect that was not specific to time of incubation. Incubations at 41 degrees C resulted in lower (P < 0.05) Ca(2+) uptake rates (156 +/- 18 and 35.9 +/- 3.3) compared with 37 degrees C (570 +/- 54 and 364 +/- 26) at 30 and 60 min, respectively. At 37 degrees C, ryanodine (300 microM), which was used to block Ca(2+) release from the calcium release channel, prevented the time-dependent decrease in Ca(2+) uptake. A general inactivation (P < 0.05) of maximal Ca(2+)-ATPase activity (V(max)) in CON was observed with incubation time (0 > 30 > 60 min), with the effect being more pronounced (P < 0.05) at 41 degrees C compared with 37 degrees C. The Hill slope, a measure of co-operativity, and the pCa(50), the cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration required for half-maximal activation of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, decreased (P < 0.05) at 41 degrees C only. Treatment with DTT attenuated the alterations in enzyme kinetics. The increase in V(max) with the Ca(2+) ionophore A-23187 was less pronounced at 41 degrees C compared with 37 degrees C. It is concluded that exposure of homogenates to a temperature typically experienced in exercise results in a reduction in the coupling ratio, which is mediated primarily by lower Ca(2+) uptake and occurs as a result of increases in membrane permeability to Ca(2+). Moreover, the decreases in Ca(2+)-ATPase kinetics in WG with sustained heat stress result from SH oxidation.

Influence of omega-3 fatty acid treatment on cardiac phospholipid composition and coronary flow of streptozocin-diabetic rats

Cardiac effects of omega-3 fatty acid treatment were studied in streptozocin (STZ)-induced (55 mg/kg intravenously [IV]) diabetic male Wistar rats. Nondiabetic control and STZ-diabetic animals were treated with Promega (0.5 mL/kg/d; Warner-Lambert, Morris Plains, NJ) for a period of 4 weeks beginning 2 weeks after either vehicle or STZ injection. Plasma glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol concentrations were significantly (P < .05) elevated in diabetic animals; omega-3 fatty acid treatment did not significantly affect these parameters. An isolated working heart preparation was used to determine aortic and coronary flow rates in control, diabetic, treated control, and treated diabetic animals. Aortic and coronary flow rates of untreated STZ-diabetic rats were significantly (P < .05) lower than those of controls over a range of left atrial filling pressures (7.5 to 20 cm water). Both aortic and coronary flow rates of omega-3 fatty acid-treated diabetic animals were significantly (P < .05) increased above those of untreated diabetic rats. Aortic and coronary flow rates of treated diabetic rats paralleled those of control animals; omega-3 fatty acid treatment did not affect aortic or coronary flow rates of control animals. Cardiac phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) total phospholipid were isolated and the acyl composition was determined. Stearic acid and C22:4, n-6 were significantly reduced in cardiac PE of diabetic animals. Relative to PE acyl species of untreated nondiabetic controls, treated diabetic PE had increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and reduced C22:4, n-6 levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)