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Hoang-Trong TM, Ullah A, Lederer WJ, Jafri MS. A Stochastic Spatiotemporal Model of Rat Ventricular Myocyte Calcium Dynamics Demonstrated Necessary Features for Calcium Wave Propagation. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:989. [PMID: 34940490 PMCID: PMC8706945 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) plays a central role in the excitation and contraction of cardiac myocytes. Experiments have indicated that calcium release is stochastic and regulated locally suggesting the possibility of spatially heterogeneous calcium levels in the cells. This spatial heterogeneity might be important in mediating different signaling pathways. During more than 50 years of computational cell biology, the computational models have been advanced to incorporate more ionic currents, going from deterministic models to stochastic models. While periodic increases in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration drive cardiac contraction, aberrant Ca2+ release can underly cardiac arrhythmia. However, the study of the spatial role of calcium ions has been limited due to the computational expense of using a three-dimensional stochastic computational model. In this paper, we introduce a three-dimensional stochastic computational model for rat ventricular myocytes at the whole-cell level that incorporate detailed calcium dynamics, with (1) non-uniform release site placement, (2) non-uniform membrane ionic currents and membrane buffers, (3) stochastic calcium-leak dynamics and (4) non-junctional or rogue ryanodine receptors. The model simulates spark-induced spark activation and spark-induced Ca2+ wave initiation and propagation that occur under conditions of calcium overload at the closed-cell condition, but not when Ca2+ levels are normal. This is considered important since the presence of Ca2+ waves contribute to the activation of arrhythmogenic currents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Minh Hoang-Trong
- School of Systems Biology, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (T.M.H.-T.); (A.U.)
| | - Aman Ullah
- School of Systems Biology, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (T.M.H.-T.); (A.U.)
| | - William Jonathan Lederer
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Mohsin Saleet Jafri
- School of Systems Biology, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (T.M.H.-T.); (A.U.)
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
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2
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Sato D, Uchinoumi H, Bers DM. Increasing SERCA function promotes initiation of calcium sparks and breakup of calcium waves. J Physiol 2021; 599:3267-3278. [PMID: 33963531 PMCID: PMC8249358 DOI: 10.1113/jp281579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Increasing sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pump activity enhances sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium (Ca) load, which increases both ryanodine receptor opening and driving force of Ca release flux. Both of these effects promote Ca spark formation and wave propagation. However, increasing SERCA activity also accelerates local cytosolic Ca decay as the wave front travels to the next cluster, which limits wave propagation. As a result, increasing SERCA pump activity has a biphasic effect on the propensity of arrhythmogenic Ca waves, but a monotonic effect to increase Ca spark frequency and amplitude. ABSTRACT Waves of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium (Ca) release can cause arrhythmogenic afterdepolarizations in cardiac myocytes. Ca waves propagate when Ca sparks at one Ca release unit (CRU) recruit new Ca sparks in neighbouring CRUs. Under normal conditions, Ca sparks are too small to recruit neighbouring Ca sparks where Ca sensitivity is also low. However, under pathological conditions such as a Ca overload or ryanodine receptor (RyR) sensitization, Ca sparks can be larger and propagate more readily as macro-sparks or full Ca waves. Increasing SERCA pump activity promotes SR Ca load, which promotes RyR opening and increases driving force of the Ca release flux from SR to cytosol, promoting Ca waves. However, high sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) activity can also decrease local cytosolic [Ca] as it approaches the next CRU, thereby reducing wave appearance and propagation. In this study, we use a physiologically detailed model of subcellular Ca cycling and experiments in phospholamban-knockout mice, to show how Ca waves are initiated and propagate and how different conditions contribute to the generation and propagation of Ca waves. We show that reducing diffusive coupling between Ca sparks by increasing SERCA activity prevents Ca waves by reducing [Ca] at the next CRU, as do Ca buffers, low intra-SR Ca diffusion and distance between CRUs. Increasing SR Ca uptake rate has a biphasic effect on Ca wave propagation; initially it enhances Ca spark probability and amplitude and CRU coupling, thereby promoting arrhythmogenic Ca wave propagation, but at higher levels SR Ca uptake can abort those arrhythmogenic Ca waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sato
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, California, USA
| | - Hitoshi Uchinoumi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, California, USA.,Department of Cardiology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Donald M Bers
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, California, USA
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3
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Blatter LA, Kanaporis G, Martinez-Hernandez E, Oropeza-Almazan Y, Banach K. Excitation-contraction coupling and calcium release in atrial muscle. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:317-329. [PMID: 33398498 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-020-02506-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
In cardiac muscle, the process of excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) describes the chain of events that links action potential induced myocyte membrane depolarization, surface membrane ion channel activation, triggering of Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store to activation of the contractile machinery that is ultimately responsible for the pump function of the heart. Here we review similarities and differences of structural and functional attributes of ECC between atrial and ventricular tissue. We explore a novel "fire-diffuse-uptake-fire" paradigm of atrial ECC and Ca2+ release that assigns a novel role to the SR SERCA pump and involves a concerted "tandem" activation of the ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channel by cytosolic and luminal Ca2+. We discuss the contribution of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor Ca2+ release channel as an auxiliary pathway to Ca2+ signaling, and we review IP3 receptor-induced Ca2+ release involvement in beat-to-beat ECC, nuclear Ca2+ signaling, and arrhythmogenesis. Finally, we explore the topic of electromechanical and Ca2+ alternans and its ramifications for atrial arrhythmia.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Blatter
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - G Kanaporis
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - E Martinez-Hernandez
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Y Oropeza-Almazan
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - K Banach
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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4
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Hamilton S, Terentyeva R, Kim TY, Bronk P, Clements RT, O-Uchi J, Csordás G, Choi BR, Terentyev D. Pharmacological Modulation of Mitochondrial Ca 2+ Content Regulates Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca 2+ Release via Oxidation of the Ryanodine Receptor by Mitochondria-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1831. [PMID: 30622478 PMCID: PMC6308295 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In a physiological setting, mitochondria increase oxidative phosphorylation during periods of stress to meet increased metabolic demand. This in part is mediated via enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, an important regulator of cellular ATP homeostasis. In a pathophysiological setting pharmacological modulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake or retention has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve metabolic homeostasis or attenuate Ca2+-dependent arrhythmias in cardiac disease states. To explore the consequences of mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation, we tested the effects of kaempferol, an activator of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU), CGP-37157, an inhibitor of mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, and MCU inhibitor Ru360 in rat ventricular myocytes (VMs) from control rats and rats with hypertrophy induced by thoracic aortic banding (TAB). In periodically paced VMs under β-adrenergic stimulation, treatment with kaempferol (10 μmol/L) or CGP-37157 (1 μmol/L) enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation monitored by mitochondrial-targeted Ca2+ biosensor mtRCamp1h. Experiments with mitochondrial membrane potential-sensitive dye TMRM revealed this was accompanied by depolarization of the mitochondrial matrix. Using redox-sensitive OMM-HyPer and ERroGFP_iE biosensors, we found treatment with kaempferol or CGP-37157 increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), respectively. Confocal Ca2+ imaging showed that accelerated Ca2+ accumulation reduced Ca2+ transient amplitude and promoted generation of spontaneous Ca2+ waves in VMs paced under ISO, suggestive of abnormally high activity of the SR Ca2+ release channel ryanodine receptor (RyR). Western blot analyses showed increased RyR oxidation after treatment with kaempferol or CGP-37157 vs. controls. Furthermore, in freshly isolated TAB VMs, confocal Ca2+ imaging demonstrated that enhancement of mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation further perturbed global Ca2+ handling, increasing the number of cells exhibiting spontaneous Ca2+ waves, shortening RyR refractoriness and decreasing SR Ca2+ content. In ex vivo optically mapped TAB hearts, kaempferol exacerbated proarrhythmic phenotype. On the contrary, incubation of cells with MCU inhibitor Ru360 (2 μmol/L, 30 min) normalized RyR oxidation state, improved intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and reduced triggered activity in ex vivo TAB hearts. These findings suggest facilitation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in cardiac disease can exacerbate proarrhythmic disturbances in Ca2+ homeostasis via ROS and enhanced activity of oxidized RyRs, while strategies to reduce mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation can be protective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanna Hamilton
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Radmila Terentyeva
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Tae Yun Kim
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Peter Bronk
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Richard T. Clements
- Department of Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Jin O-Uchi
- Lillehei Heart Institute University of Minnesota, Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - György Csordás
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Bum-Rak Choi
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Dmitry Terentyev
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Cardiovascular Research Center, Providence, RI, United States
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Abeti R, Brown AF, Maiolino M, Patel S, Giunti P. Calcium Deregulation: Novel Insights to Understand Friedreich's Ataxia Pathophysiology. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:264. [PMID: 30333728 PMCID: PMC6176067 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by degeneration of dorsal root ganglia, cerebellum and cardiomyopathy. Heart failure is one of the most common causes of death for FRDA patients. Deficiency of frataxin, a small mitochondrial protein, is responsible for all clinical and morphological manifestations of FRDA. The focus of our study was to investigate the unexplored Ca2+ homeostasis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) and in cardiomyocytes of FRDA cellular models to understand the pathogenesis of degeneration. Ca2+ homeostasis in neurons and cardiomyocytes is not only crucial for the cellular wellbeing but more importantly to generate action potential in both neurons and cardiomyocytes. By challenging Ca2+ homeostasis in CGNs, and in adult and neonatal cardiomyocytes of FRDA models, we have assessed the impact of frataxin decrease on both neuronal and cardiac physiopathology. Interestingly, we have found that Ca2+ homeostasis is altered both cell types. CGNs showed a Ca2+ mishandling under depolarizing conditions and this was also reflected in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) content. In cardiomyocytes we found that the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content was pathologically reduced, and that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake was impaired. This phenomenon is due to the excess of oxidative stress under FRDA like conditions and the consequent aberrant modulation of key players at the SR/ER and mitochondrial level that usually restore the Ca2+ homeostasis. Our findings demonstrate that in both neurons and cardiomyocytes the decreased Ca2+ level within the stores has a comparable detrimental impact in their physiology. In cardiomyocytes, we found that ryanodine receptors (RyRs) may be leaking and expel more Ca2+ out from the SR. At the same time mitochondrial uptake was altered and we found that Vitamin E can restore this defect. Moreover, Vitamin E protects from cell death induced by hypoxia-reperfusion injury, revealing novel properties of Vitamin E as potential therapeutic tool for FRDA cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosella Abeti
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander F Brown
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Maiolino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, School of Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Sandip Patel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paola Giunti
- Ataxia Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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6
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Fernandez-Tenorio M, Niggli E. Stabilization of Ca 2+ signaling in cardiac muscle by stimulation of SERCA. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2018; 119:87-95. [PMID: 29715473 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIMS In cardiac muscle, phosphorylation of the RyRs is proposed to increase their Ca2+ sensitivity. This mechanism could be arrhythmogenic via facilitation of spontaneous Ca2+ waves. Surprisingly, the level of Ca2+ inside the SR needed to initiate such waves has been reported to increase upon β-adrenergic stimulation, an observation which cannot be easily reconciled with elevated Ca2+ sensitivity of the RyRs. We tested the hypothesis that this change of Ca2+ wave threshold could occur indirectly, subsequent to SERCA stimulation. METHODS AND RESULTS Cytosolic and intra-SR Ca2+ waves were simultaneously recorded with confocal line-scan imaging in intact and permeabilized mouse cardiomyocytes using Rhod-2 and Fluo-5-N, respectively. We analyzed changes of several Ca2+ signaling parameters during specific SERCA stimulation by ochratoxin A (OTA), jasmonate or the Fab fragment of a phospholamban antibody. SERCA stimulation resulted in a substantial increase of the threshold for Ca2+ wave initiation. Faster Ca2+ transient decay and SR refilling confirmed SERCA acceleration. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that isolated SERCA stimulation can elevate the intra-SR threshold for the generation of Ca2+ waves, independently of RyR phosphorylation. Simultaneously, fractional Ca2+ release and wave amplitudes are reduced. Thus, SERCA stimulation appears to exert a negative feed-back on the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanisms sustaining the waves. Thereby, it may be profoundly antiarrhythmic. This may be clinically relevant when therapies are applied to stimulate the SERCA activity (e.g. SERCA overexpression with gene therapy, future small molecule SERCA stimulators).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernst Niggli
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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7
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Blatter LA. The intricacies of atrial calcium cycling during excitation-contraction coupling. J Gen Physiol 2017; 149:857-865. [PMID: 28798277 PMCID: PMC5583713 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201711809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Blatter discusses the initiation and spread of Ca release, Ca store depletion, and release termination in atrial myocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lothar A Blatter
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
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8
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Sobie EA, Williams GSB, Lederer WJ. Ambiguous interactions between diastolic and SR Ca 2+ in the regulation of cardiac Ca 2+ release. J Gen Physiol 2017; 149:847-855. [PMID: 28798276 PMCID: PMC5583714 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201711814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sobie et al. highlight unresolved issues concerning the regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release in cardiac myocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Sobie
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - George S B Williams
- BioMET, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
| | - W J Lederer
- BioMET, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
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9
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Maxwell JT, Blatter LA. A novel mechanism of tandem activation of ryanodine receptors by cytosolic and SR luminal Ca 2+ during excitation-contraction coupling in atrial myocytes. J Physiol 2017; 595:3835-3845. [PMID: 28028837 DOI: 10.1113/jp273611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS In atrial myocytes excitation-contraction coupling is strikingly different from ventricle because atrial myocytes lack a transverse tubule membrane system: Ca2+ release starts in the cell periphery and propagates towards the cell centre by Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store. The cytosolic Ca2+ sensitivity of the ryanodine receptor (RyRs) Ca2+ release channel is low and it is unclear how Ca2+ release can be activated in the interior of atrial cells. Simultaneous confocal imaging of cytosolic and intra-SR calcium revealed a transient elevation of store Ca2+ that we termed 'Ca2+ sensitization signal'. We propose a novel paradigm of atrial ECC that is based on tandem activation of the RyRs by cytosolic and luminal Ca2+ through a 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' (or FDUF) mechanism: Ca2+ uptake by SR Ca2+ pumps at the propagation front elevates Ca2+ inside the SR locally, leading to luminal RyR sensitization and lowering of the cytosolic Ca2+ activation threshold. ABSTRACT In atrial myocytes Ca2+ release during excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is strikingly different from ventricular myocytes. In many species atrial myocytes lack a transverse tubule system, dividing the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store into the peripheral subsarcolemmnal junctional (j-SR) and the much more abundant central non-junctional (nj-SR) SR. Action potential (AP)-induced Ca2+ entry activates Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from j-SR ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channels. Peripheral elevation of [Ca2+ ]i initiates CICR from nj-SR and sustains propagation of CICR to the cell centre. Simultaneous confocal measurements of cytosolic ([Ca2+ ]i ; with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator rhod-2) and intra-SR ([Ca2+ ]SR ; fluo-5N) Ca2+ in rabbit atrial myocytes revealed that Ca2+ release from j-SR resulted in a cytosolic Ca2+ transient of higher amplitude compared to release from nj-SR; however, the degree of depletion of j-SR [Ca2+ ]SR was smaller than nj-SR [Ca2+ ]SR . Similarly, Ca2+ signals from individual release sites of the j-SR showed a larger cytosolic amplitude (Ca2+ sparks) but smaller depletion (Ca2+ blinks) than release from nj-SR. During AP-induced Ca2+ release the rise of [Ca2+ ]i detected at individual release sites of the nj-SR preceded the depletion of [Ca2+ ]SR , and during this latency period a transient elevation of [Ca2+ ]SR occurred. We propose that Ca2+ release from nj-SR is activated by cytosolic and luminal Ca2+ (tandem RyR activation) via a novel 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' (FDUF) mechanism. This novel paradigm of atrial ECC predicts that Ca2+ uptake by sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ -ATPase (SERCA) at the propagation front elevates local [Ca2+ ]SR , leading to luminal RyR sensitization and lowering of the activation threshold for cytosolic CICR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Maxwell
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Centre, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lothar A Blatter
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Centre, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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10
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Schaff JC, Gao F, Li Y, Novak IL, Slepchenko BM. Numerical Approach to Spatial Deterministic-Stochastic Models Arising in Cell Biology. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1005236. [PMID: 27959915 PMCID: PMC5154471 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybrid deterministic-stochastic methods provide an efficient alternative to a fully stochastic treatment of models which include components with disparate levels of stochasticity. However, general-purpose hybrid solvers for spatially resolved simulations of reaction-diffusion systems are not widely available. Here we describe fundamentals of a general-purpose spatial hybrid method. The method generates realizations of a spatially inhomogeneous hybrid system by appropriately integrating capabilities of a deterministic partial differential equation solver with a popular particle-based stochastic simulator, Smoldyn. Rigorous validation of the algorithm is detailed, using a simple model of calcium 'sparks' as a testbed. The solver is then applied to a deterministic-stochastic model of spontaneous emergence of cell polarity. The approach is general enough to be implemented within biologist-friendly software frameworks such as Virtual Cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C. Schaff
- Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Fei Gao
- Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Ye Li
- Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Igor L. Novak
- Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Boris M. Slepchenko
- Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
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Salazar-Cantú A, Pérez-Treviño P, Montalvo-Parra D, Balderas-Villalobos J, Gómez-Víquez NL, García N, Altamirano J. Role of SERCA and the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium content on calcium waves propagation in rat ventricular myocytes. Arch Biochem Biophys 2016; 604:11-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2016.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Hoang-Trong TM, Ullah A, Jafri MS. Calcium Sparks in the Heart: Dynamics and Regulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 6:203-214. [PMID: 27212876 DOI: 10.2147/rrb.s61495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) plays a central role in the contraction of the heart. It is the bi-directional link between electrical excitation of the heart and contraction. Electrical excitation initiates Ca2+influx across the sarcolemma and T-tubular membrane that triggered calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ca2+sparks are the elementary events of calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of Ca2+sparks is essential for understanding the function of the heart. To this end, numerous experimental and computational studies have focused on this topic, exploring the mechanisms of calcium spark initiation, termination, and regulation and what role these play in normal and patho-physiology. The proper understanding of Ca2+ spark regulation and dynamics serves as the foundation for our insights into a multitude of pathological conditions may develop that can be the result of structural and/or functional changes at the cellular or subcellular level. Computational modeling of Ca2+ spark dynamics has proven to be a useful tool to understand Ca2+ spark dynamics. This review addresses our current understanding of Ca2+ sparks and how synchronized SR Ca2+ release, in which Ca2+ sparks is a major pathway, is linked to the different cardiac diseases, especially arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan M Hoang-Trong
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Aman Ullah
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - M Saleet Jafri
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030; Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 20201
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13
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Hou Y, Jayasinghe I, Crossman DJ, Baddeley D, Soeller C. Nanoscale analysis of ryanodine receptor clusters in dyadic couplings of rat cardiac myocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2014; 80:45-55. [PMID: 25536181 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2014.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The contractile properties of cardiac myocytes depend on the calcium (Ca(2+)) released by clusters of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) throughout the myoplasm. Accurate quantification of the spatial distribution of RyRs has previously been challenging due to the comparatively low resolution in optical microscopy. We have combined single-molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM) in a super-resolution modality known as dSTORM with immunofluorescence staining of tissue sections of rat ventricles to resolve a wide, near-exponential size distribution of RyR clusters that lined on average ~57% of the perimeter of each myofibril. The average size of internal couplons is ~63 RyRs (nearly 4 times larger than that of peripheral couplons) and the largest clusters contain many hundreds of RyRs. Similar to previous observations in peripheral couplons, we observe many clusters with one or few receptors; however ≥80% of the total RyRs were detected in clusters containing ≥100 receptors. ~56% of all clusters were within an edge-to-edge distance sufficiently close to co-activate via Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (100nm) and were grouped into 'superclusters'. The co-location of superclusters with the same or adjacent t-tubular connections in dual-colour super-resolution images suggested that member sub-clusters may be exposed to similar local luminal Ca(2+) levels. Dual-colour dSTORM revealed high co-localisation between the cardiac junctional protein junctophilin-2 (JPH2) and RyR clusters that confirmed that the majority of the RyR clusters observed are dyadic. The increased sensitivity of super-resolution images revealed approximately twice as many RyR clusters (2.2clusters/μm(3)) compared to previous confocal measurements. We show that, in general, the differences of previous confocal estimates are largely attributable to the limited spatial resolution of diffraction-limited imaging. The new data can be used to inform the construction of detailed mechanistic models of cardiac Ca(2+) signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Hou
- Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - David J Crossman
- Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David Baddeley
- Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, USA
| | - Christian Soeller
- Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Biomedical Physics, University of Exeter, UK.
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14
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Domeier TL, Roberts CJ, Gibson AK, Hanft LM, McDonald KS, Segal SS. Dantrolene suppresses spontaneous Ca2+ release without altering excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyocytes of aged mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2014; 307:H818-29. [PMID: 25038147 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00287.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac dysfunction in the aged heart reflects abnormalities in cardiomyocyte Ca(2+) homeostasis including altered Ca(2+) cycling through the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The ryanodine receptor antagonist dantrolene exerts antiarrhythmic effects by preventing spontaneous diastolic Ca(2+) release from the SR. We tested the hypothesis that dantrolene prevents spontaneous Ca(2+) release without altering excitation-contraction coupling in aged myocardium. Left ventricular cardiomyocytes isolated from young (3 to 4 mo) and aged (24-26 mo) C57BL/6 mice were loaded with the Ca(2+) indicator fluo-4. Amplitudes of action potential-induced Ca(2+) transients at 1-Hz pacing were similar between young and aged mice, yet cell shortening was impaired in aged mice. Isoproterenol (1 μM) increased Ca(2+) transient amplitude and cell shortening to identical levels in young and aged; dantrolene (1 μM) had no effect on Ca(2+) transients or cell shortening during pacing. Under Ca(2+) overload conditions induced with 10 mM extracellular Ca(2+) concentration, spontaneous Ca(2+) waves were of diminished amplitude and associated with lower SR Ca(2+) content in aged versus young mice. Despite no effect in young mice, dantrolene increased SR Ca(2+) content and Ca(2+) wave amplitude in aged mice. In the presence of isoproterenol following rest from 1-Hz pacing, Ca(2+) spark frequency was elevated in aged mice, yet the time to spontaneous Ca(2+) wave was similar between young and aged mice; dantrolene decreased Ca(2+) spark frequency and prolonged the time to Ca(2+) wave onset in aged mice with no effect in young mice. Thus dantrolene attenuates diastolic Ca(2+) release in the aged murine heart that may prove useful in preventing cardiac dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Domeier
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and
| | - Cale J Roberts
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and
| | - Anne K Gibson
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and
| | - Laurin M Hanft
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and
| | - Kerry S McDonald
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and
| | - Steven S Segal
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri
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15
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Liu N, Denegri M, Dun W, Boncompagni S, Lodola F, Protasi F, Napolitano C, Boyden PA, Priori SG. Abnormal propagation of calcium waves and ultrastructural remodeling in recessive catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Circ Res 2013; 113:142-52. [PMID: 23674379 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.113.301783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The recessive form of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is caused by mutations in the cardiac calsequestrin-2 gene; this variant of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is less well characterized than the autosomal-dominant form caused by mutations in the ryanodine receptor-2 gene. OBJECTIVE We characterized the intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis, electrophysiological properties, and ultrastructural features of the Ca²⁺ release units in the homozygous calsequestrin 2-R33Q knock-in mouse model (R33Q) R33Q knock-in mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied isolated R33Q and wild-type ventricular myocytes and observed properties not previously identified in a catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia model. As compared with wild-type cells, R33Q myocytes (1) show spontaneous Ca²⁺ waves unable to propagate as cell-wide waves; (2) show smaller Ca²⁺sparks with shortened coupling intervals, suggesting a reduced refractoriness of Ca²⁺ release events; (3) have a reduction of the area of membrane contact, of the junctions between junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum and T tubules (couplons), and of junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum volume; (4) have a propensity to develop phase 2 to 4 afterdepolarizations that can elicit triggered beats; and (5) involve viral gene transfer with wild-type cardiac calsequestrin-2 that is able to normalize structural abnormalities and to restore cell-wide calcium wave propagation. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that homozygous cardiac calsequestrin-2-R33Q myocytes develop spontaneous Ca²⁺ release events with a broad range of intervals coupled to preceding beats, leading to the formation of early and delayed afterdepolarizations. They also display a major disruption of the Ca²⁺ release unit architecture that leads to fragmentation of spontaneous Ca²⁺ waves. We propose that these 2 substrates in R33Q myocytes synergize to provide a new arrhythmogenic mechanism for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Liu
- Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Genetics Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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16
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Abstract
Ca(2+) waves were probably first observed in the early 1940s. Since then Ca(2+) waves have captured the attention of an eclectic mixture of mathematicians, neuroscientists, muscle physiologists, developmental biologists, and clinical cardiologists. This review discusses the current state of mathematical models of Ca(2+) waves, the normal physiological functions Ca(2+) waves might serve in cardiac cells, as well as how the spatial arrangement of Ca(2+) release channels shape Ca(2+) waves, and we introduce the idea of Ca(2+) phase waves that might provide a useful framework for understanding triggered arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leighton T Izu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, USA.
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17
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Bers DM, Shannon TR. Calcium movements inside the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac myocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2013; 58:59-66. [PMID: 23321551 PMCID: PMC3628081 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2013.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Revised: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca content ([Ca]SRT) is critical to both normal cardiac function and electrophysiology, and changes associated with pathology contribute to systolic and diastolic dysfunction and arrhythmias. The intra-SR free [Ca] ([Ca]SR) dictates the [Ca]SRT, the driving force for Ca release and regulates release channel gating. We discuss measurement of [Ca]SR and [Ca]SRT, how [Ca]SR regulates activation and termination of release, and how Ca diffuses within the SR and influences SR Ca release during excitation-contraction coupling, Ca sparks and Cac waves. The entire SR network is connected and its lumen is also continuous with the nuclear envelope. Rapid Ca diffusion within the SR could stabilize and balance local [Ca]SR within the myocyte, but restrictions to diffusion can create spatial inhomogeneities. Experimental measurements and mathematical models of [Ca]SR to date have greatly enriched our understanding of these [Ca]SR dynamics, but controversies exist and may stimulate new measurements and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald M Bers
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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18
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Poláková E, Sobie EA. Alterations in T-tubule and dyad structure in heart disease: challenges and opportunities for computational analyses. Cardiovasc Res 2013; 98:233-9. [PMID: 23396602 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvt026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Compelling recent experimental results make clear that sub-cellular structures are altered in ventricular myocytes during the development of heart failure, in both human samples and diverse experimental models. These alterations can include, but are not limited to, changes in the clusters of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-release channels, ryanodine receptors, and changes in the average distance between the cell membrane and ryanodine receptor clusters. In this review, we discuss the potential consequences of these structural alterations on the triggering of SR Ca(2+) release during excitation-contraction coupling. In particular, we describe how mathematical models of local SR Ca(2+) release can be used to predict functional changes resulting from diverse modifications that occur in disease states. We review recent studies that have used simulations to understand the consequences of sub-cellular structural changes, and we discuss modifications that will allow for future modelling studies to address unresolved questions. We conclude with a discussion of improvements in both experimental and mathematical modelling techniques that will be required to provide a stronger quantitative understanding of the functional consequences of changes in sub-cellular structure in heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Poláková
- Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1215, New York, NY 10029, USA
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19
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Maxwell JT, Blatter LA. Facilitation of cytosolic calcium wave propagation by local calcium uptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac myocytes. J Physiol 2012; 590:6037-45. [PMID: 22988145 PMCID: PMC3530115 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.239434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The widely accepted paradigm for cytosolic Ca(2+) wave propagation postulates a 'fire-diffuse-fire' mechanism where local Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca(2+) release channels diffuses towards and activates neighbouring release sites, resulting in a propagating Ca(2+) wave. A recent challenge to this paradigm proposed the requirement for an intra-SR 'sensitization' Ca(2+) wave that precedes the cytosolic Ca(2+) wave and primes RyRs from the luminal side to CICR. Here, we tested this hypothesis experimentally with direct simultaneous measurements of cytosolic ([Ca(2+)](i); rhod-2) and intra-SR ([Ca(2+)](SR); fluo-5N) calcium signals during wave propagation in rabbit ventricular myocytes, using high resolution fluorescence confocal imaging. The increase in [Ca(2+)](i) at the wave front preceded depletion of the SR at each point along the calcium wave front, while during this latency period a transient increase of [Ca(2+)](SR) was observed. This transient elevation of [Ca(2+)](SR) could be identified at individual release junctions and depended on the activity of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA). Increased SERCA activity (β-adrenergic stimulation with 1 μM isoproterenol (isoprenaline)) decreased the latency period and increased the amplitude of the transient elevation of [Ca(2+)](SR), whereas inhibition of SERCA (3 μM cyclopiazonic acid) had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the data provide experimental evidence that local Ca(2+) uptake by SERCA into the SR facilitates the propagation of cytosolic Ca(2+) waves via luminal sensitization of the RyR, and supports a novel paradigm of a 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' mechanism for Ca(2+) wave propagation in cardiac myocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Maxwell
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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20
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Lee YS, Liu OZ, Sobie EA. Decoding myocardial Ca²⁺ signals across multiple spatial scales: a role for sensitivity analysis. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2012; 58:92-9. [PMID: 23026728 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have employed mathematical modeling to quantitatively understand release of Ca(2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the heart. Models have been used to investigate physiologically important phenomena such as triggering of SR Ca(2+) release by Ca(2+) entry across the cell membrane and spontaneous leak of Ca(2+) from the SR in quiescent heart cells. In this review we summarize studies that have modeled myocardial Ca(2+) at different spatial scales: the sub-cellular level, the cellular level, and the multicellular level. We discuss each category of models from the standpoint of parameter sensitivity analysis, a common simulation procedure that can generate quantitative, comprehensive predictions about how changes in conditions influence model output. We propose that this is a useful perspective for conceptualizing models, in part because a sensitivity analysis requires the investigator to define the relevant parameters and model outputs. This procedure therefore helps to illustrate the capabilities and limitations of each model. We further suggest that in future studies, sensitivity analyses will aid in simplifying complex models and in suggesting experiments to differentiate between competing models built with different assumptions. We conclude with a discussion of unresolved questions that are likely to be addressed over the next several years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Seon Lee
- Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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21
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Domeier TL, Maxwell JT, Blatter LA. β-Adrenergic stimulation increases the intra-sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ threshold for Ca2+ wave generation. J Physiol 2012; 590:6093-108. [PMID: 22988136 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.236117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
β-Adrenergic signalling induces positive inotropic effects on the heart that associate with pro-arrhythmic spontaneous Ca(2+) waves. A threshold level of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](SR)) is necessary to trigger Ca(2+) waves, and whether the increased incidence of Ca(2+) waves during β-adrenergic stimulation is due to an alteration in this threshold remains controversial. Using the low-affinity Ca(2+) indicator fluo-5N entrapped within the SR of rabbit ventricular myocytes, we addressed this controversy by directly monitoring [Ca(2+)](SR) and Ca(2+) waves during β-adrenergic stimulation. Electrical pacing in elevated extracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](o) = 7 mM) was used to increase [Ca(2+)](SR) to the threshold where Ca(2+) waves were consistently observed. The β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO; 1 μM) increased [Ca(2+)](SR) well above the control threshold and consistently triggered Ca(2+) waves. However, when [Ca(2+)](SR) was subsequently lowered in the presence of ISO (by lowering [Ca(2+)](o) to 1 mM and partially inhibiting sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase with cyclopiazonic acid or thapsigargin), Ca(2+) waves ceased to occur at a [Ca(2+)](SR) that was higher than the control threshold. Furthermore, for a set [Ca(2+)](SR) level the refractoriness of wave occurrence (Ca(2+) wave latency) was prolonged during β-adrenergic stimulation, and was highly dependent on the extent that [Ca](SR) exceeded the wave threshold. These data show that acute β-adrenergic stimulation increases the [Ca(2+)](SR) threshold for Ca(2+) waves, and therefore the primary cause of Ca(2+) waves is the robust increase in [Ca(2+)](SR) above this higher threshold level. Elevation of the [Ca(2+)](SR) wave threshold and prolongation of wave latency represent potentially protective mechanisms against pro-arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) release during β-adrenergic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Domeier
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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22
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Roberts BN, Yang PC, Behrens SB, Moreno JD, Clancy CE. Computational approaches to understand cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2012; 303:H766-83. [PMID: 22886409 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.01081.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac rhythms arise from electrical activity generated by precisely timed opening and closing of ion channels in individual cardiac myocytes. These impulses spread throughout the cardiac muscle to manifest as electrical waves in the whole heart. Regularity of electrical waves is critically important since they signal the heart muscle to contract, driving the primary function of the heart to act as a pump and deliver blood to the brain and vital organs. When electrical activity goes awry during a cardiac arrhythmia, the pump does not function, the brain does not receive oxygenated blood, and death ensues. For more than 50 years, mathematically based models of cardiac electrical activity have been used to improve understanding of basic mechanisms of normal and abnormal cardiac electrical function. Computer-based modeling approaches to understand cardiac activity are uniquely helpful because they allow for distillation of complex emergent behaviors into the key contributing components underlying them. Here we review the latest advances and novel concepts in the field as they relate to understanding the complex interplay between electrical, mechanical, structural, and genetic mechanisms during arrhythmia development at the level of ion channels, cells, and tissues. We also discuss the latest computational approaches to guiding arrhythmia therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron N Roberts
- Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medical College/The Rockefeller University/Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
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23
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Ganesan A, Zhang J. How cells process information: quantification of spatiotemporal signaling dynamics. Protein Sci 2012; 21:918-28. [PMID: 22573643 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Arguably, one of the foremost distinctions between life and non-living matter is the ability to sense environmental changes and respond appropriately--an ability that is invested in every living cell. Within a single cell, this function is largely carried out by networks of signaling molecules. However, the details of how signaling networks help cells make complicated decisions are still not clear. For instance, how do cells read graded, analog stress signals but convert them into digital live-or-die responses? The answer to such questions may originate from the fact that signaling molecules are not static but dynamic entities, changing in numbers and activity over time and space. In the past two decades, researchers have been able to experimentally monitor signaling dynamics and use mathematical techniques to quantify and abstract general principles of how cells process information. In this review, the authors first introduce and discuss various experimental and computational methodologies that have been used to study signaling dynamics. The authors then discuss the different types of temporal dynamics such as oscillations and bistability that can be exhibited by signaling systems and highlight studies that have investigated such dynamics in physiological settings. Finally, the authors illustrate the role of spatial compartmentalization in regulating cellular responses with examples of second-messenger signaling in cardiac myocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambhighainath Ganesan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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24
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Nivala M, de Lange E, Rovetti R, Qu Z. Computational modeling and numerical methods for spatiotemporal calcium cycling in ventricular myocytes. Front Physiol 2012; 3:114. [PMID: 22586402 PMCID: PMC3346978 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular calcium (Ca) cycling dynamics in cardiac myocytes is regulated by a complex network of spatially distributed organelles, such as sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), mitochondria, and myofibrils. In this study, we present a mathematical model of intracellular Ca cycling and numerical and computational methods for computer simulations. The model consists of a coupled Ca release unit (CRU) network, which includes a SR domain and a myoplasm domain. Each CRU contains 10 L-type Ca channels and 100 ryanodine receptor channels, with individual channels simulated stochastically using a variant of Gillespie’s method, modified here to handle time-dependent transition rates. Both the SR domain and the myoplasm domain in each CRU are modeled by 5 × 5 × 5 voxels to maintain proper Ca diffusion. Advanced numerical algorithms implemented on graphical processing units were used for fast computational simulations. For a myocyte containing 100 × 20 × 10 CRUs, a 1-s heart time simulation takes about 10 min of machine time on a single NVIDIA Tesla C2050. Examples of simulated Ca cycling dynamics, such as Ca sparks, Ca waves, and Ca alternans, are shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Nivala
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), David Geffen School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
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25
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Hake J, Edwards AG, Yu Z, Kekenes-Huskey PM, Michailova AP, McCammon JA, Holst MJ, Hoshijima M, McCulloch AD. Modelling cardiac calcium sparks in a three-dimensional reconstruction of a calcium release unit. J Physiol 2012; 590:4403-22. [PMID: 22495592 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.227926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Triggered release of Ca2+ from an individual sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release unit (CRU) is the fundamental event of cardiac excitation–contraction coupling, and spontaneous release events (sparks) are the major contributor to diastolic Ca(2+) leak in cardiomyocytes. Previous model studies have predicted that the duration and magnitude of the spark is determined by the local CRU geometry, as well as the localization and density of Ca(2+) handling proteins. We have created a detailed computational model of a CRU, and developed novel tools to generate the computational geometry from electron tomographic images. Ca(2+) diffusion was modelled within the SR and the cytosol to examine the effects of localization and density of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase 2 (SERCA), and calsequestrin on spark dynamics. We reconcile previous model predictions of approximately 90% local Ca(2+) depletion in junctional SR, with experimental reports of about 40%. This analysis supports the hypothesis that dye kinetics and optical averaging effects can have a significant impact on measures of spark dynamics. Our model also predicts that distributing calsequestrin within non-junctional Z-disc SR compartments, in addition to the junctional compartment, prolongs spark release time as reported by Fluo5. By pumping Ca(2+) back into the SR during a release, SERCA is able to prolong a Ca(2+) spark, and this may contribute to SERCA-dependent changes in Ca(2+) wave speed. Finally, we show that including the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger inside the dyadic cleft does not alter local [Ca(2+)] during a spark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Hake
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, CA, USA.
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26
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Tveito A, Lines GT, Hake J, Edwards AG. Instabilities of the resting state in a mathematical model of calcium handling in cardiac myocytes. Math Biosci 2012; 236:97-107. [PMID: 22391458 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2012.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Revised: 02/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We analyze a recently published model of calcium handling in cardiac myocytes in order to find conditions for the presence of instabilities in the resting state of the model. Such instabilities can create calcium waves which in turn may be able to initiate cardiac arrhythmias. The model was developed by Swietach, Spitzer and Vaughan-Jones in order to study the effect, on calcium waves, of varying ryanodine receptor (RyR)-permeability, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) and calcium diffusion. We study the model using the extracellular calcium concentration c(e) and the maximal velocity of the SERCA-pump v(SERCA) as control parameters. In the (c(e),v(SERCA))-domain we derive an explicit function v∗=v∗(c(e)), and we claim that any resting state based on parameters that lie above the curve (i.e. any pair (c(e),v(SERCA)) such that with v(SERCA) > v∗(c(e))) is unstable in the sense that small perturbations will grow and can eventually turn into a calcium wave. And conversely; any pair (c(e),v(SERCA)) below the curve is stable in the sense that small perturbations to the resting state will decay to rest. This claim is supported by analyzing the stability of the system in terms of computing the eigenmodes of the linearized model. Furthermore, the claim is supported by direct simulations based on the non-linear model. Since the curve separating stable from unstable states is given as an explicit function, we can show how stability depends on other parameters of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslak Tveito
- Center for Biomedical Computing, Simula Research Laboratory, and Center for Cardiological Innovation, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
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27
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Sobie EA, Lederer WJ. Dynamic local changes in sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium: physiological and pathophysiological roles. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2012; 52:304-11. [PMID: 21767546 PMCID: PMC3217160 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2011.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2011] [Revised: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Evidence obtained in recent years indicates that, in cardiac myocytes, release of Ca(2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is regulated by changes in the concentration of Ca(2+) within the SR. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of this regulatory role, with a particular emphasis on dynamic and local changes in SR [Ca(2+)]. We focus on five important questions that are to some extent unresolved and controversial. These questions concern: (1) the importance of SR [Ca(2+)] depletion in the termination of Ca(2+) release; (2) the quantitative extent of depletion during local release events such as Ca(2+) sparks; (3) the influence of SR [Ca(2+)] refilling on release refractoriness and the propensity for pathological Ca(2+) release; (4) dynamic changes in SR [Ca(2+)] during propagating Ca(2+) waves; and (5) the speed of Ca(2+) diffusion within the SR. With each issue, we discuss data supporting alternative viewpoints, and we identify fundamental questions that are being actively investigated. We conclude with a discussion of experimental and computational advances that will help to resolve controversies. This article is part of a special issue entitled "Local Signaling in Myocytes."
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Sobie
- Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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28
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Ramay HR, Liu OZ, Sobie EA. Recovery of cardiac calcium release is controlled by sarcoplasmic reticulum refilling and ryanodine receptor sensitivity. Cardiovasc Res 2011; 91:598-605. [PMID: 21613275 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvr143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS In heart cells, the mechanisms underlying refractoriness of the elementary units of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release, Ca(2+) sparks, remain unclear. We investigated local recovery of SR Ca(2+) release using experimental measurements and mathematical modelling. METHODS AND RESULTS Repeated Ca(2+) sparks were induced from individual clusters of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in quiescent rat ventricular myocytes, and we examined how changes in RyR gating influenced the time-dependent recovery of Ca(2+) spark amplitude and triggering probability. Repeated Ca(2+) sparks from individual sites were analysed in the presence of 50 nM ryanodine with: (i) no additional agents (control); (ii) 50 µM caffeine to sensitize RyRs; (iii) 50 µM tetracaine to inhibit RyRs; or (iv) 100 nM isoproterenol to activate β-adrenergic receptors. Sensitization and inhibition of RyR clusters shortened and lengthened, respectively, the median interval between consecutive Ca(2+) sparks (caffeine 239 ms; control 280 ms; tetracaine 453 ms). Recovery of Ca(2+) spark amplitude, however, was exponential with a time constant of ∼100 ms in all cases. Isoproterenol both accelerated the recovery of Ca(2+) spark amplitude (τ = 58 ms) and shortened the median interval between Ca(2+) sparks (192 ms). The results were recapitulated by a mathematical model in which SR [Ca(2+)] depletion terminates Ca(2+) sparks, but not by an alternative model based on limited depletion and Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation of RyRs. CONCLUSION Together, the results strongly suggest that: (i) local SR refilling controls Ca(2+) spark amplitude recovery; (ii) Ca(2+) spark triggering depends on both refilling and RyR sensitivity; and (iii) β-adrenergic stimulation influences both processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hena R Ramay
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1215, New York, NY 10029, USA
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29
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Picht E, Zima AV, Shannon TR, Duncan AM, Blatter LA, Bers DM. Dynamic calcium movement inside cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum during release. Circ Res 2011; 108:847-56. [PMID: 21311044 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.111.240234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Intra-sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) free [Ca] ([Ca](SR)) provides the driving force for SR Ca release and is a key regulator of SR Ca release channel gating during normal SR Ca release or arrhythmogenic spontaneous Ca release events. However, little is known about [Ca](SR) spatiotemporal dynamics. OBJECTIVE To directly measure local [Ca](SR) with subsarcomeric spatiotemporal resolution during both normal global SR Ca release and spontaneous Ca sparks and to evaluate the quantitative implications of spatial [Ca](SR) gradients. METHODS AND RESULTS Intact and permeabilized rabbit ventricular myocytes were subjected to direct simultaneous measurement of cytosolic [Ca] and [Ca](SR) and FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleach). We found no detectable [Ca](SR) gradients between SR release sites (junctional SR) and Ca uptake sites (free SR) during normal global Ca release, clear spatiotemporal [Ca](SR) gradients during isolated Ca blinks, faster intra-SR diffusion in the longitudinal versus transverse direction, 3- to 4-fold slower diffusion of fluorophores in the SR than in cytosol, and that intra-SR Ca diffusion varies locally, dependent on local SR connectivity. A computational model clarified why spatiotemporal gradients are more detectable in isolated local releases versus global releases and provides a quantitative framework for understanding intra-SR Ca diffusion. CONCLUSIONS Intra-SR Ca diffusion is rapid, limiting spatial [Ca](SR) gradients during excitation-contraction coupling. Spatiotemporal [Ca](SR) gradients are apparent during Ca sparks, and these observations constrain models of dynamic Ca movement inside the SR. This has important implications for myocyte SR Ca handling, synchrony, and potentially arrhythmogenic spontaneous contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eckard Picht
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California-Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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30
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Cheng Y, Yu Z, Hoshijima M, Holst MJ, McCulloch AD, McCammon JA, Michailova AP. Numerical analysis of Ca2+ signaling in rat ventricular myocytes with realistic transverse-axial tubular geometry and inhibited sarcoplasmic reticulum. PLoS Comput Biol 2010; 6:e1000972. [PMID: 21060856 PMCID: PMC2965743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The t-tubules of mammalian ventricular myocytes are invaginations of the cell membrane that occur at each Z-line. These invaginations branch within the cell to form a complex network that allows rapid propagation of the electrical signal, and hence synchronous rise of intracellular calcium (Ca2+). To investigate how the t-tubule microanatomy and the distribution of membrane Ca2+ flux affect cardiac excitation-contraction coupling we developed a 3-D continuum model of Ca2+ signaling, buffering and diffusion in rat ventricular myocytes. The transverse-axial t-tubule geometry was derived from light microscopy structural data. To solve the nonlinear reaction-diffusion system we extended SMOL software tool (http://mccammon.ucsd.edu/smol/). The analysis suggests that the quantitative understanding of the Ca2+ signaling requires more accurate knowledge of the t-tubule ultra-structure and Ca2+ flux distribution along the sarcolemma. The results reveal the important role for mobile and stationary Ca2+ buffers, including the Ca2+ indicator dye. In agreement with experiment, in the presence of fluorescence dye and inhibited sarcoplasmic reticulum, the lack of detectible differences in the depolarization-evoked Ca2+ transients was found when the Ca2+ flux was heterogeneously distributed along the sarcolemma. In the absence of fluorescence dye, strongly non-uniform Ca2+ signals are predicted. Even at modest elevation of Ca2+, reached during Ca2+ influx, large and steep Ca2+ gradients are found in the narrow sub-sarcolemmal space. The model predicts that the branched t-tubule structure and changes in the normal Ca2+ flux density along the cell membrane support initiation and propagation of Ca2+ waves in rat myocytes. In cardiac muscle cells, calcium (Ca2+) is best known for its role in contraction activation. A remarkable amount of quantitative data on cardiac cell structure, ion-transporting protein distributions and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics has been accumulated. Various alterations in the protein distributions or cell ultra-structure are now recognized to be the primary mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction in a diverse range of common pathologies including cardiac arrhythmias and hypertrophy. Using a 3-D computational model, incorporating more realistic transverse-axial t-tubule geometry and considering geometric irregularities and inhomogeneities in the distribution of ion-transporting proteins, we analyze several important spatial and temporal features of Ca2+ signaling in rat ventricular myocytes. This study demonstrates that the computational models could serve as powerful tools for prediction and analyses of how the Ca2+ dynamics and cardiac excitation-contraction coupling are regulated under normal conditions or certain pathologies. The use of computational and mathematical approaches will help also to better understand aspects of cell functions that are not currently amenable to experimental investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhui Cheng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Zeyun Yu
- Department of Computer Science, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Masahiko Hoshijima
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Holst
- Department of Mathematics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew D. McCulloch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - J. Andrew McCammon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Anushka P. Michailova
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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