Ca2+ nanosparks: shining light on the dyadic cleft but missing the intensity of its signal

Sorcin ablation plus β-adrenergic stimulation generate an arrhythmogenic substrate in mouse ventricular myocytes

Sorcin, a penta-EF hand Ca²⁺-binding protein expressed in cardiomyocytes, is known to interact with ryanodine receptors and other Ca²⁺ regulatory proteins. To investigate sorcin's influence on cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and its role in the development of cardiac malfunctions, we generated a sorcin knockout (KO) mouse model. Sorcin KO mice presented ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death when challenged by acute stress induced by isoproterenol plus caffeine. Chronic stress, which was induced by transverse aortic constriction, significantly decreased the survival rate of sorcin KO mice. Under isoproterenol stimulation, spontaneous Ca²⁺ release events were frequently observed in sorcin KO cardiomyocytes. Sorcin KO hearts of adult, but not young mice developed overexpression of L-type Ca²⁺ channel and Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchanger, which enhanced I_Ca and I_NCX. Consequently, spontaneous Ca²⁺ release events in sorcin KO cardiomyocytes were more likely to induce arrhythmogenic delayed afterdepolarizations. Our study demonstrates sorcin deficiency may trigger cardiac ventricular arrhythmias due to Ca²⁺ disturbances, and evidences the critical role of sorcin in maintaining Ca²⁺ homeostasis, especially during the adrenergic response of the heart.

Sensitized signalling between L-type Ca2+ channels and ryanodine receptors in the absence or inhibition of FKBP12.6 in cardiomyocytes

Aims

The heart contraction is controlled by the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) between L-type Ca2+ channels and ryanodine receptors (RyRs). The FK506-binding protein FKBP12.6 binds to RyR subunits, but its role in stabilizing RyR function has been debated for long. Recent reports of high-resolution RyR structure show that the HD2 domain that binds to the SPRY2 domain of neighbouring subunit in FKBP-bound RyR1 is detached and invisible in FKBP-null RyR2. The present study was to test the consequence of FKBP12.6 absence on the in situ activation of RyR2.

Methods and results

Using whole-cell patch-clamp combined with confocal imaging, we applied a near threshold depolarization to activate a very small fraction of LCCs, which in turn activated RyR Ca2+ sparks stochastically. FKBP12.6-knockout and FK506/rapamycin treatments increased spark frequency and LCC-RyR coupling fidelity without altering LCC open probability. Neither FK506 nor rapamycin further altered LCC-RyR coupling fidelity in FKBP12.6-knockout cells. In loose-seal patch-clamp experiments, the LCC-RyR signalling kinetics, indexed by the delay for a LCC sparklet to trigger a RyR spark, was accelerated after FKBP12.6 knockout and FK506/rapamycin treatments. These results demonstrated that RyRs became more sensitive to Ca2+ triggers without FKBP12.6. Isoproterenol (1 μM) further accelerated the LCC-RyR signalling in FKBP12.6-knockout cells. The synergistic sensitization of RyRs by catecholaminergic signalling and FKBP12.6 dysfunction destabilized the CICR system, leading to chaotic Ca2+ waves and ventricular arrhythmias.

Conclusion

FKBP12.6 keeps the RyRs from over-sensitization, stabilizes the potentially regenerative CICR system, and thus may suppress the life-threatening arrhythmogenesis.

Multimodal SHG-2PF Imaging of Microdomain Ca2+-Contraction Coupling in Live Cardiac Myocytes

RATIONALE

Cardiac myocyte contraction is caused by Ca(2+) binding to troponin C, which triggers the cross-bridge power stroke and myofilament sliding in sarcomeres. Synchronized Ca(2+) release causes whole cell contraction and is readily observable with current microscopy techniques. However, it is unknown whether localized Ca(2+) release, such as Ca(2+) sparks and waves, can cause local sarcomere contraction. Contemporary imaging methods fall short of measuring microdomain Ca(2+)-contraction coupling in live cardiac myocytes.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a method for imaging sarcomere level Ca(2+)-contraction coupling in healthy and disease model cardiac myocytes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Freshly isolated cardiac myocytes were loaded with the Ca(2+)-indicator fluo-4. A confocal microscope equipped with a femtosecond-pulsed near-infrared laser was used to simultaneously excite second harmonic generation from A-bands of myofibrils and 2-photon fluorescence from fluo-4. Ca(2+) signals and sarcomere strain correlated in space and time with short delays. Furthermore, Ca(2+) sparks and waves caused contractions in subcellular microdomains, revealing a previously underappreciated role for these events in generating subcellular strain during diastole. Ca(2+) activity and sarcomere strain were also imaged in paced cardiac myocytes under mechanical load, revealing spontaneous Ca(2+) waves and correlated local contraction in pressure-overload-induced cardiomyopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Multimodal second harmonic generation 2-photon fluorescence microscopy enables the simultaneous observation of Ca(2+) release and mechanical strain at the subsarcomere level in living cardiac myocytes. The method benefits from the label-free nature of second harmonic generation, which allows A-bands to be imaged independently of T-tubule morphology and simultaneously with Ca(2+) indicators. Second harmonic generation 2-photon fluorescence imaging is widely applicable to the study of Ca(2+)-contraction coupling and mechanochemotransduction in both health and disease.