Excitation-contraction coupling in heart. XIX. Effect of hypoxia on calcium transport by subcellular particles in the isolated perfused rat heart

Lack of both oxygen and glucose contributes to I/R-induced changes in cardiac SR function

Although ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) has been shown to depress cardiac performance and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function, the mechanisms underlying these alterations are poorly understood. Because lack of oxygen and substrate deprivation are known to occur during the ischemic phase, we examined the effects of reperfusion on cardiac performance and SR function in hearts subjected to hypoxia and substrate lack. For this purpose, isolated rat hearts were perfused with hypoxic and/or glucose-free medium for 30 min and then reperfused with normal medium for 1 h; the SR vesicles were isolated for studying the Ca(2+)-transport activities. Reperfusion with normal medium of hearts deprived of oxygen or glucose showed no changes in cardiac performance and SR function. However, reperfusion of hearts perfused with hypoxic glucose-free medium showed ~45% decrease in cardiac contractile activities as well as 23 and 64% reduction in SR Ca(2+)-uptake and Ca(2+)-release activities, respectively, without any change in the level of SR Ca(2+)-cycling proteins. Depressed SR function in these hearts was associated with a reduction in Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) phosphorylation of the SR Ca(2+)-cycling proteins and 34% decrease in SR CaMK activity. These changes in cardiac performance, SR function, and SR CaMK activity in the hypoxic, glucose-deprived, reperfused hearts were similar to those observed in hearts subjected to 30 min of global ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. The results therefore suggest that the lack of both oxygen and substrate during the ischemic phase may contribute to the I/R-induced alterations in cardiac performance and SR function. Furthermore, these abnormalities were associated with reduced SR CaMK activity.

Defective sarcoplasmic reticular calcium transport in diabetic cardiomyopathy

The effects of insulin and thyroid hormone treatments on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticular function were investigated in chronic streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport and Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activities were depressed significantly in microsomal samples from diabetic rats in comparison with control (P less than 0.05). This defect was seen at various times of incubation (1-20 min) and different concentrations of free Ca2+ (10(-7) to 10(-5) M Ca2+) and was accompanied by changes in the protein composition and phospholipid contents of the microsomal fraction. The defect in calcium transport in microsomal vesicles was not evident until 28 days after streptozotocin (65 mg/kg iv) injection, whereas increases in plasma glucose levels due to insulin-deficiency occurred within 3 days. All changes in function and composition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum were reversed by insulin administration to the diabetic rats. Although the plasma level of thyroid hormone was decreased in the diabetic rat, thyroid hormone treatment did not restore microsomal calcium transport in the diabetic animals. The results of this study provide some evidence that the depression in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticular calcium accumulation during diabetes is a consequence of insulin deficiency and associated chronic metabolic changes but the hypothyroid condition that accompanies experimental diabetes does not appear to play any role in this defect.

Coronary reactions to cardiac hyperactivity and to hypoxia in isolated perfused heart of rat

1. Continuous recording of cardiac force of contraction, heart rate and coronary flow from isolated perfused hearts of rats was used to study coronary reactions: (a) to cardiostimulation with noradrenaline, CaCl2, or electrically induced tachycardia; (b) to short duration stoppage of coronary inflow (hypoxia). 2. The heart rate was controlled by electrical pacing. Coronary vasodilatation resulted from cardiostimulation or hypoxia. This coronary response was greater at higher heart rates. 3. In parallel experiments administration of noradrenaline to hearts paced at different frequencies resulted in a rate-dependent elevation of adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP). 4. Duration of hypoxia leading to different degrees of reactive hyperaemia did not change the cardiac cyclic AMP levels. 5. Coronary vasodilatation due to increased cardiac metabolism produced by noradrenaline, Ca2+ or tachycardia was enhanced by the phosphodiesterase inhibitors diazoxide and papaverine while it was inhibited during the administration of prostaglandin E2.6. Reactive hyperaemia was unaffected by diazoxide, papaverine or prostaglandin E2. 7. Catecholamine depletion by reserpine did not influence metabolic coronary dilatation nor the reactive hyperaemic responses. 8. We postulate that there are at least two types of coronary reactions: one in response to hypoxia, 'reactive hyperaemia', and another resulting from cardiac hyperactivity, 'metabolic coronary dilatation'. The latter, blocked by prostaglandin E2 and enhanced by diazoxide or papaverine, would be triggered by cyclic AMP while reactive hyperaemia would result from other mechanisms.