Ouabain potentiation of rapid cooling contracture of caffeinized cardiac muscles in calcium deprived medium

An immunohistochemical study of the significance of a new 31.5-kD ouabain receptor protein isolated from cat cardiac muscle

A new 31.5-kD ouabain receptor protein (NORP), which is independent of Na(+)-K+ ATPase, was recently isolated selectively from transverse tubule membrane-junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (TTM-JSR) complexes of cat cardiac muscle. We investigated the role of this NORP in cardiac function with special reference to the positive inotropic effect (PIE) of ouabain, preparing and using a monoclonal antibody (MoAB, immunoglobulin) raised against the receptor protein. Electrically stimulated papillary muscles were immersed in a Tyrode solution containing the anti-NORP MoAB (40 microM), of which the binding potency was high enough for immunological use, for 60 min and then washed out. Thirty minutes after removal of the MoAB, both twitch and K-contracture were still inhibited, but both resting and action potentials and caffeine-induced contracture were unchanged, indicating that NORP plays a key role in excitation (E)-contraction (C) coupling. The intracellular localization of the protein was investigated by immunohistochemical electron microscopy, and the protein was shown to be located on the TTM, the location being probably its external surface and opposite to feet which occupy the TTM-JSR gap. These results indicate that E-C coupling of cardiac muscle cells is mediated through NORP and that ouabain-PIE occurs through the influence of ouabain on NORP in the E-C coupling process.

Solubilization and characterization of a ouabain-sensitive protein from transverse tubule membrane-junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum complexes (TTM-JSR) in cat cardiac muscle

A new glycoprotein of 31,500 dalton, which has a high affinity for ouabain, and is independent of (Na+-K+)-ATPase, was solubilized from transverse tubule membrane and junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum complexes (TTM-JSR) of cat cardiac muscle. This protein could be extracted only in small amounts from sarcolemma-plasma membrane (SLM-PL) fragments, suggesting that it indeed originates from the TTM-JSR.