1
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Hessel AL, Kuehn M, Palmer BM, Nissen D, Mishra D, Joumaa V, Freundt J, Ma W, Nishikawa KC, Irving T, Linke WA. The distinctive mechanical and structural signatures of residual force enhancement in myofibers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.19.529125. [PMID: 36865266 PMCID: PMC9980001 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.19.529125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
In muscle, titin proteins connect myofilaments together and are thought to be critical for contraction, especially during residual force enhancement (RFE) when force is elevated after an active stretch. We investigated titin's function during contraction using small-angle X-ray diffraction to track structural changes before and after 50% titin cleavage and in the RFE-deficient, mdm titin mutant. We report that the RFE state is structurally distinct from pure isometric contractions, with increased thick filament strain and decreased lattice spacing, most likely caused by elevated titin-based forces. Furthermore, no RFE structural state was detected in mdm muscle. We posit that decreased lattice spacing, increased thick filament stiffness, and increased non-crossbridge forces are the major contributors to RFE. We conclude that titin directly contributes to RFE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L. Hessel
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Michel Kuehn
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Bradley M. Palmer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont; Burlington, VT, 05405-1705, USA
| | - Devin Nissen
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dhruv Mishra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Arizona; Flagstaff AZ, USA
| | - Venus Joumaa
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada
| | - Johanna Freundt
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
| | - Weikang Ma
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kiisa C. Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Arizona; Flagstaff AZ, USA
| | - Thomas Irving
- BioCAT, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Wolfgang A. Linke
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster; Muenster, Germany
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2
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Kukić F, Mrdaković V, Stanković A, Ilić D. Effects of Knee Extension Joint Angle on Quadriceps Femoris Muscle Activation and Exerted Torque in Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11101490. [PMID: 36290394 PMCID: PMC9598811 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of knee joint angle on muscle activation, exerted torque, and whether the knee angle affects the muscle activation−torque ratio. Nine healthy adult male participants participated in the study. They performed maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) at six (80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, and 130°) different knee joint angles (i.e., angles between the thigh and shin bones). Their maximal torque was assessed utilizing an isokinetic chair, while their muscle activation (root mean square [RMS]) was assessed using an eight-channel single differential surface EMG sensor. For the purposes of the torque−knee angle relationship and muscle activation−knee angle relationship, the torque and RMS were normalized relative to the maximal value obtained by each participant. To evaluate the muscle activation−torque ratio in function of knee angle, RMS was normalized relative to the corresponding torque obtained at each knee angle. Repeated measure analysis of variance was used to investigate the effects of knee angle on muscle activation, torque, and muscle activation−torque ratio. There was a significant effect of knee joint angle on normalized torque (F = 27.521, p < 0.001), while the activation of vastus lateralis and vastus medialis remained unchanged. The changes in knee angle affected the muscle activation−torque ratio of vastus lateralis (Chi-square = 16.246, p = 0.006) but not the vastus medialis. These results suggest that knee joint angles from 80° to 130° provide a stable milieu for muscle electrification, while mechanical factor such as knee joint angle (i.e., lever arm length) affect the torque output when one needs to contract quadriceps maximally during the isometric contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kukić
- Police Sports Education Center, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi 253, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence:
| | - Vladimir Mrdaković
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandar Stanković
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Duško Ilić
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
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3
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Hurley KL, Bassett JR, Monroy JA. Active muscle stiffness is reduced during rapid unloading in muscles from TtnD112-158 mice with a large deletion to PEVK titin. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276067. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that the giant muscle protein, titin functions as a tunable spring in active muscle. However, the mechanisms for increasing titin stiffness with activation are not well understood. Previous studies have suggested that during muscle activation, titin binds to actin which engages the PEVK region of titin thereby increasing titin stiffness. In this study, we investigated the role of PEVK titin in active muscle stiffness during rapid unloading. We measured elastic recoil of active and passive soleus muscles from TtnD112-158 mice characterized by a 75% deletion of PEVK titin and increased passive stiffness. We hypothesized that activated TtnD112-158 muscles are more stiff than wild type muscles due to the increased stiffness of PEVK titin. Using a servomotor force lever, we compared the stress–strain relationships of elastic elements in active and passive muscles during rapid unloading and quantified the change in stiffness upon activation. Results show that the elastic modulus of TtnD112-158 muscles increased with activation. However, elastic elements developed force at 7% longer lengths and exhibited 50% lower active stiffness in TtnD112-158 soleus muscles than wild type muscles. Thus, despite having a shorter, stiffer PEVK segment, during rapid unloading, TtnD112-158 soleus muscles exhibited reduced active stiffness compared to wild type soleus muscles. These results are consistent with the idea that PEVK titin contributes to active muscle stiffness, however, the reduction in active stiffness of TtnD112-158 muscles suggests that other mechanisms compensate for the increased PEVK stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jenna A. Monroy
- 3 W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
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4
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Shelley S, James RS, Eustace SJ, Eyre E, Tallis J. Effect of stimulation frequency on force, power, and fatigue of isolated mouse extensor digitorum longus muscle. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275021. [PMID: 35413119 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effect of stimulation frequency (140, 200, 230 and 260 Hz) on isometric force, work loop (WL) power, and the fatigue resistance of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle (n=32), isolated from 8-10-week-old CD-1 female mice. Stimulation frequency had significant effects on isometric properties of isolated mouse EDL, whereby increasing stimulation frequency evoked increased isometric force, quicker activation, and prolonged relaxation (P <0.047), until 230 Hz and above, thereafter force and activation did not differ (P >0.137). Increasing stimulation frequency increased maximal WL power output (P <0.001; 140 Hz, 71.3±3.5; 200 Hz, 105.4±4.1; 230 Hz, 115.5±4.1; 260 Hz, 121.1±4.1 W.kg-1), but resulted in significantly quicker rates of fatigue during consecutive WL's (P <0.004). WL shapes indicate impaired muscle relaxation at the end of shortening and subsequent increased negative work appeared to contribute to fatigue at 230 and 260 Hz, but not at lower stimulation frequencies. Cumulative work was unaffected by stimulation frequency, except at the start of fatigue protocol where 230 and 260 Hz produced more work than 140 Hz (P <0.039). We demonstrate that stimulation frequency affects force, power, and fatigue, but effects are not uniform between different assessments of contractile performance. Therefore, future work examining contractile properties of isolated skeletal muscle should consider increasing stimulation frequency beyond that needed for maximal force when examining maximal power but utilise a sub-maximal stimulation frequency for fatigue assessments to avoid high degree of negative work atypical of in vivo function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharn Shelley
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Rob S James
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Steven J Eustace
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Emma Eyre
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Jason Tallis
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
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5
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Higueras-Ruiz DR, Nishikawa K, Feigenbaum H, Shafer M. What is an artificial muscle? A comparison of soft actuators to biological muscles. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 17:011001. [PMID: 34792040 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac3adf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Interest in emulating the properties of biological muscles that allow for fast adaptability and control in unstructured environments has motivated researchers to develop new soft actuators, often referred to as 'artificial muscles'. The field of soft robotics is evolving rapidly as new soft actuator designs are published every year. In parallel, recent studies have also provided new insights for understanding biological muscles as 'active' materials whose tunable properties allow them to adapt rapidly to external perturbations. This work presents a comparative study of biological muscles and soft actuators, focusing on those properties that make biological muscles highly adaptable systems. In doing so, we briefly review the latest soft actuation technologies, their actuation mechanisms, and advantages and disadvantages from an operational perspective. Next, we review the latest advances in understanding biological muscles. This presents insight into muscle architecture, the actuation mechanism, and modeling, but more importantly, it provides an understanding of the properties that contribute to adaptability and control. Finally, we conduct a comparative study of biological muscles and soft actuators. Here, we present the accomplishments of each soft actuation technology, the remaining challenges, and future directions. Additionally, this comparative study contributes to providing further insight on soft robotic terms, such as biomimetic actuators, artificial muscles, and conceptualizing a higher level of performance actuator named artificial supermuscle. In conclusion, while soft actuators often have performance metrics such as specific power, efficiency, response time, and others similar to those in muscles, significant challenges remain when finding suitable substitutes for biological muscles, in terms of other factors such as control strategies, onboard energy integration, and thermoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego R Higueras-Ruiz
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ-86011, United States of America
| | - Kiisa Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ-86011, United States of America
| | - Heidi Feigenbaum
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ-86011, United States of America
| | - Michael Shafer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ-86011, United States of America
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6
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McBride JM. Muscle Actuators, Not Springs, Drive Maximal Effort Human Locomotor Performance. J Sports Sci Med 2021; 20:766-777. [PMID: 35321123 PMCID: PMC8488820 DOI: 10.52082/jssm.2021.766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The current investigation examined muscle-tendon unit kinematics and kinetics in human participants asked to perform a hopping task for maximal performance with variational preceding milieu. Twenty-four participants were allocated post-data collection into those participants with an average hop height of higher (HH) or lower (LH) than 0.1 m. Participants were placed on a customized sled at a 20º angle while standing on a force plate. Participants used their dominant ankle for all testing and their knee was immobilized and thus all movement involved only the ankle joint and corresponding propulsive unit (triceps surae muscle complex). Participants were asked to perform a maximal effort during a single dynamic countermovement hop (CMH) and drop hops from 10 cm (DH10) and 50 cm (DH50). Three-dimensional motion analysis was performed by utilizing an infrared camera VICON motion analysis system and a corresponding force plate. An ultrasound probe was placed on the triceps surae muscle complex for muscle fascicle imaging. HH hopped significantly higher in all hopping tasks in comparison to LH. In addition, the HH group concentric ankle work was significantly higher in comparison to LH during all of the hopping tasks. Active muscle work was significantly higher in HH in comparison to LH as well. Tendon work was not significantly different between HH and LH. Active muscle work was significantly correlated with hopping height (r = 0.97) across both groups and hopping tasks and contributed more than 50% of the total work. The data indicates that humans primarily use a motor-driven system and thus it is concluded that muscle actuators and not springs maximize performance in hopping locomotor tasks in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M McBride
- Neuromuscular & Biomechanics Laboratory, Beaver College of Health Sciences, Department of Health & Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, North Carolina, USA
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7
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Nishikawa K, Huck TG. Muscle as a tunable material: implications for achieving muscle-like function in robotic prosthetic devices. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272387. [PMID: 34605903 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.225086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
An ideal prosthesis should perform as well as or better than the missing limb it was designed to replace. Although this ideal is currently unattainable, recent advances in design have significantly improved the function of prosthetic devices. For the lower extremity, both passive prostheses (which provide no added power) and active prostheses (which add propulsive power) aim to emulate the dynamic function of the ankle joint, whose adaptive, time-varying resistance to applied forces is essential for walking and running. Passive prostheses fail to normalize energetics because they lack variable ankle impedance that is actively controlled within each gait cycle. By contrast, robotic prostheses can normalize energetics for some users under some conditions. However, the problem of adaptive and versatile control remains a significant issue. Current prosthesis-control algorithms fail to adapt to changes in gait required for walking on level ground at different speeds or on ramps and stairs. A new paradigm of 'muscle as a tunable material' versus 'muscle as a motor' offers insights into the adaptability and versatility of biological muscles, which may provide inspiration for prosthesis design and control. In this new paradigm, neural activation tunes muscle stiffness and damping, adapting the response to applied forces rather than instructing the timing and amplitude of muscle force. A mechanistic understanding of muscle function is incomplete and would benefit from collaboration between biologists and engineers. An improved understanding of the adaptability of muscle may yield better models as well as inspiration for developing prostheses that equal or surpass the functional capabilities of biological limbs across a wide range of conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiisa Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
| | - Thomas G Huck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
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8
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Hessel AL, Monroy JA, Nishikawa KC. Non-cross Bridge Viscoelastic Elements Contribute to Muscle Force and Work During Stretch-Shortening Cycles: Evidence From Whole Muscles and Permeabilized Fibers. Front Physiol 2021; 12:648019. [PMID: 33854441 PMCID: PMC8039322 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.648019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The sliding filament-swinging cross bridge theory of skeletal muscle contraction provides a reasonable description of muscle properties during isometric contractions at or near maximum isometric force. However, it fails to predict muscle force during dynamic length changes, implying that the model is not complete. Mounting evidence suggests that, along with cross bridges, a Ca2+-sensitive viscoelastic element, likely the titin protein, contributes to muscle force and work. The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-level approach deploying stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) to test the hypothesis that, along with cross bridges, Ca2+-sensitive viscoelastic elements in sarcomeres contribute to force and work. Using whole soleus muscles from wild type and mdm mice, which carry a small deletion in the N2A region of titin, we measured the activation- and phase-dependence of enhanced force and work during SSCs with and without doublet stimuli. In wild type muscles, a doublet stimulus led to an increase in peak force and work per cycle, with the largest effects occurring for stimulation during the lengthening phase of SSCs. In contrast, mdm muscles showed neither doublet potentiation features, nor phase-dependence of activation. To further distinguish the contributions of cross bridge and non-cross bridge elements, we performed SSCs on permeabilized psoas fiber bundles activated to different levels using either [Ca2+] or [Ca2+] plus the myosin inhibitor 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM). Across activation levels ranging from 15 to 100% of maximum isometric force, peak force, and work per cycle were enhanced for fibers in [Ca2+] plus BDM compared to [Ca2+] alone at a corresponding activation level, suggesting a contribution from Ca2+-sensitive, non-cross bridge, viscoelastic elements. Taken together, our results suggest that a tunable viscoelastic element such as titin contributes to: (1) persistence of force at low [Ca2+] in doublet potentiation; (2) phase- and length-dependence of doublet potentiation observed in wild type muscles and the absence of these effects in mdm muscles; and (3) increased peak force and work per cycle in SSCs. We conclude that non-cross bridge viscoelastic elements, likely titin, contribute substantially to muscle force and work, as well as the phase-dependence of these quantities, during dynamic length changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L Hessel
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Jenna A Monroy
- W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, United States
| | - Kiisa C Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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9
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Gordon JC, Holt NC, Biewener A, Daley MA. Tuning of feedforward control enables stable muscle force-length dynamics after loss of autogenic proprioceptive feedback. eLife 2020; 9:53908. [PMID: 32573432 PMCID: PMC7334023 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals must integrate feedforward, feedback and intrinsic mechanical control mechanisms to maintain stable locomotion. Recent studies of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) revealed that the distal leg muscles rapidly modulate force and work output to minimize perturbations in uneven terrain. Here we probe the role of reflexes in the rapid perturbation responses of muscle by studying the effects of proprioceptive loss. We induced bilateral loss of autogenic proprioception in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle (LG) using self-reinnervation. We compared in vivo muscle dynamics and ankle kinematics in birds with reinnervated and intact LG. Reinnervated and intact LG exhibit similar steady state mechanical function and similar work modulation in response to obstacle encounters. Reinnervated LG exhibits 23ms earlier steady-state activation, consistent with feedforward tuning of activation phase to compensate for lost proprioception. Modulation of activity duration is impaired in rLG, confirming the role of reflex feedback in regulating force duration in intact muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne C Gordon
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie C Holt
- Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Andrew Biewener
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Cambridge, United States
| | - Monica A Daley
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
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10
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N2A Titin: Signaling Hub and Mechanical Switch in Skeletal Muscle. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113974. [PMID: 32492876 PMCID: PMC7312179 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its belated discovery, our understanding of the giant protein titin has grown exponentially from its humble beginning as a sarcomeric scaffold to recent recognition of its critical mechanical and signaling functions in active muscle. One uniquely useful model to unravel titin’s functions, muscular dystrophy with myositis (mdm), arose spontaneously in mice as a transposon-like LINE repeat insertion that results in a small deletion in the N2A region of titin. This small deletion profoundly affects hypertrophic signaling and muscle mechanics, thereby providing insights into the function of this specific region and the consequences of its dysfunction. The impact of this mutation is profound, affecting diverse aspects of the phenotype including muscle mechanics, developmental hypertrophy, and thermoregulation. In this review, we explore accumulating evidence that points to the N2A region of titin as a dynamic “switch” that is critical for both mechanical and signaling functions in skeletal muscle. Calcium-dependent binding of N2A titin to actin filaments triggers a cascade of changes in titin that affect mechanical properties such as elastic energy storage and return, as well as hypertrophic signaling. The mdm phenotype also points to the existence of as yet unidentified signaling pathways for muscle hypertrophy and thermoregulation, likely involving titin’s PEVK region as well as the N2A signalosome.
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11
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Abstract
Muscle has conventionally been viewed as a motor that converts chemical to kinetic energy in series with a passive spring, but new insights emerge when muscle is viewed as a composite material whose elastic elements are tuned by activation. New evidence demonstrates that calcium-dependent binding of N2A titin to actin increases titin stiffness in active skeletal muscles, which explains many long-standing enigmas of muscle physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiisa Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
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12
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Tahir U, Monroy JA, Rice NA, Nishikawa KC. Effects of a titin mutation on force enhancement and force depression in mouse soleus muscles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:jeb.197038. [PMID: 31862847 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.197038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The active isometric force produced by muscles varies with muscle length in accordance with the force-length relationship. Compared with isometric contractions at the same final length, force increases after active lengthening (force enhancement) and decreases after active shortening (force depression). In addition to cross-bridges, titin has been suggested to contribute to force enhancement and depression. Although titin is too compliant in passive muscles to contribute to active tension at short sarcomere lengths on the ascending limb and plateau of the force-length relationship, recent evidence suggests that activation increases titin stiffness. To test the hypothesis that titin plays a role in force enhancement and depression, we investigated isovelocity stretching and shortening in active and passive wild-type and mdm (muscular dystrophy with myositis) soleus muscles. Skeletal muscles from mdm mice have a small deletion in the N2A region of titin and show no increase in titin stiffness during active stretch. We found that: (1) force enhancement and depression were reduced in mdm soleus compared with wild-type muscles relative to passive force after stretch or shortening to the same final length; (2) force enhancement and force depression increased with amplitude of stretch across all activation levels in wild-type muscles; and (3) maximum shortening velocity of wild-type and mdm muscles estimated from isovelocity experiments was similar, although active stress was reduced in mdm compared with wild-type muscles. The results of this study suggest a role for titin in force enhancement and depression, which contribute importantly to muscle force during natural movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uzma Tahir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
| | - Jenna A Monroy
- W. M. Keck Science Department, The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711-5916, USA
| | - Nicole A Rice
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
| | - Kiisa C Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
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13
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Kempes CP, Koehl MAR, West GB. The Scales That Limit: The Physical Boundaries of Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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14
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Nishikawa K, Dutta S, DuVall M, Nelson B, Gage MJ, Monroy JA. Calcium-dependent titin-thin filament interactions in muscle: observations and theory. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2019; 41:125-139. [PMID: 31289970 DOI: 10.1007/s10974-019-09540-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Gaps in our understanding of muscle mechanics demonstrate that the current model is incomplete. Increasingly, it appears that a role for titin in active muscle contraction might help to fill these gaps. While such a role for titin is increasingly accepted, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The goals of this paper are to review recent studies demonstrating Ca2+-dependent interactions between N2A titin and actin in vitro, to explore theoretical predictions of muscle behavior based on this interaction, and to review experimental data related to the predictions. In a recent study, we demonstrated that Ca2+ increases the association constant between N2A titin and F-actin; that Ca2+ increases rupture forces between N2A titin and F-actin; and that Ca2+ and N2A titin reduce sliding velocity of F-actin and reconstituted thin filaments in motility assays. Preliminary data support a role for Ig83, but other Ig domains in the N2A region may also be involved. Two mechanical consequences are inescapable if N2A titin binds to thin filaments in active muscle sarcomeres: (1) the length of titin's freely extensible I-band should decrease upon muscle activation; and (2) binding between N2A titin and thin filaments should increase titin stiffness in active muscle. Experimental observations demonstrate that these properties characterize wild type muscles, but not muscles from mdm mice with a small deletion in N2A titin, including part of Ig83. Given the new in vitro evidence for Ca2+-dependent binding between N2A titin and actin, it is time for skepticism to give way to further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiisa Nishikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-4185, USA.
| | - Samrat Dutta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-4185, USA
| | - Michael DuVall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-4185, USA.,Edgewise Therapeutics Inc, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Brent Nelson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-15600, USA
| | - Matthew J Gage
- Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA
| | - Jenna A Monroy
- W. M. Keck Science Center, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, 91711-5916, USA
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15
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Dowling P, Zweyer M, Swandulla D, Ohlendieck K. Characterization of Contractile Proteins from Skeletal Muscle Using Gel-Based Top-Down Proteomics. Proteomes 2019; 7:proteomes7020025. [PMID: 31226838 PMCID: PMC6631179 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes7020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The mass spectrometric analysis of skeletal muscle proteins has used both peptide-centric and protein-focused approaches. The term 'top-down proteomics' is often used in relation to studying purified proteoforms and their post-translational modifications. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, in combination with peptide generation for the identification and characterization of intact proteoforms being present in two-dimensional spots, plays a critical role in specific applications of top-down proteomics. A decisive bioanalytical advantage of gel-based and top-down approaches is the initial bioanalytical focus on intact proteins, which usually enables the swift identification and detailed characterisation of specific proteoforms. In this review, we describe the usage of two-dimensional gel electrophoretic top-down proteomics and related approaches for the systematic analysis of key components of the contractile apparatus, with a special focus on myosin heavy and light chains and their associated regulatory proteins. The detailed biochemical analysis of proteins belonging to the thick and thin skeletal muscle filaments has decisively improved our biochemical understanding of structure-function relationships within the contractile apparatus. Gel-based and top-down proteomics has clearly established a variety of slow and fast isoforms of myosin, troponin and tropomyosin as excellent markers of fibre type specification and dynamic muscle transition processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dowling
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
- MU Human Health Research Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
| | - Margit Zweyer
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Dieter Swandulla
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Kay Ohlendieck
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
- MU Human Health Research Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
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16
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Holt NC. Beyond bouncy gaits: The role of multiscale compliance in skeletal muscle performance. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 333:50-59. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C. Holt
- Department of Biological Sciences; Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff Arizona
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17
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Müller D, Hagenah D, Biswanath S, Coffee M, Kampmann A, Zweigerdt R, Heisterkamp A, Kalies SMK. Femtosecond laser-based nanosurgery reveals the endogenous regeneration of single Z-discs including physiological consequences for cardiomyocytes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3625. [PMID: 30842507 PMCID: PMC6403391 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40308-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A highly organized cytoskeleton architecture is the basis for continuous and controlled contraction in cardiomyocytes (CMs). Abnormalities in cytoskeletal elements, like the Z-disc, are linked to several diseases. It is challenging to reveal the mechanisms of CM failure, endogenous repair, or mechanical homeostasis on the scale of single cytoskeletal elements. Here, we used a femtosecond (fs) laser to ablate single Z-discs in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) -derived CMs (hPSC-CM) and neonatal rat CMs. We show, that CM viability was unaffected by the loss of a single Z-disc. Furthermore, more than 40% of neonatal rat and 68% of hPSC-CMs recovered the Z-disc loss within 24 h. Significant differences to control cells, after the Z-disc loss, in terms of cell perimeter, x- and y-expansion and calcium homeostasis were not found. Only 14 days in vitro old hPSC-CMs reacted with a significant decrease in cell area, x- and y-expansion 24 h past nanosurgery. This demonstrates that CMs can compensate the loss of a single Z-disc and recover a regular sarcomeric pattern during spontaneous contraction. It also highlights the significant potential of fs laser-based nanosurgery to physically micro manipulate CMs to investigate cytoskeletal functions and organization of single elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Müller
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany. .,REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany.
| | - Dorian Hagenah
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
| | - Santoshi Biswanath
- REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery (HTTG), Hannover Medical, School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michelle Coffee
- REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery (HTTG), Hannover Medical, School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Kampmann
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany.,Clinic for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Robert Zweigerdt
- REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery (HTTG), Hannover Medical, School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexander Heisterkamp
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan M K Kalies
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH-Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
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18
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Murphy S, Dowling P, Zweyer M, Swandulla D, Ohlendieck K. Proteomic profiling of giant skeletal muscle proteins. Expert Rev Proteomics 2019; 16:241-256. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2019.1575205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Murphy
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Paul Dowling
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Margit Zweyer
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Kay Ohlendieck
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
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19
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Williams CD, Holt NC. Spatial Scale and Structural Heterogeneity in Skeletal Muscle Performance. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:163-173. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C D Williams
- Allen Institute for Cell Science, 615 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - N C Holt
- Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University, S. San Francisco Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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