Distinct Roles of CaM and Ca2+/CaM-Dependent Protein Kinase II in Ca2+-Dependent Facilitation and Inactivation of Cardiac L-Type Ca2+ Channels

Bacterial toxins and heart function: heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin B promotes changes in cardiac function with possible relevance for sudden cardiac death

Bacterial toxins can cause cardiomyopathy, though it is not its most common cause. Some bacterial toxins can form pores in the membrane of cardiomyocytes, while others can bind to membrane receptors. Enterotoxigenic E. coli can secrete enterotoxins, including heat-resistant (ST) or labile (LT) enterotoxins. LT is an AB5-type toxin that can bind to specific cell receptors and disrupt essential host functions, causing several common conditions, such as certain diarrhea. The pentameric B subunit of LT, without A subunit (LTB), binds specifically to certain plasma membrane ganglioside receptors, found in lipid rafts of cardiomyocytes. Isolated guinea pig hearts and cardiomyocytes were exposed to different concentrations of purified LTB. In isolated hearts, mechanical and electrical alternans and an increment of heart rate variability, with an IC50 of ~0.2 μg/ml LTB, were observed. In isolated cardiomyocytes, LTB promoted significant decreases in the amplitude and the duration of action potentials. Na+ currents were inhibited whereas L-type Ca2+ currents were augmented at their peak and their fast inactivation was promoted. Delayed rectifier K+ currents decreased. Measurements of basal Ca2+ or Ca2+ release events in cells exposed to LTB suggest that LTB impairs Ca2+ homeostasis. Impaired calcium homeostasis is linked to sudden cardiac death. The results are consistent with the recent view that the B subunit is not merely a carrier of the A subunit, having a role explaining sudden cardiac death in children (SIDS) infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli, explaining several epidemiological findings that establish a strong relationship between SIDS and ETEC E. coli.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12551-023-01100-6.

Regulation of Cardiac Cav1.2 Channels by Calmodulin

Cav1.2 Ca2+ channels, a type of voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channel, are ubiquitously expressed, and the predominant Ca2+ channel type, in working cardiac myocytes. Cav1.2 channels are regulated by the direct interactions with calmodulin (CaM), a Ca2+-binding protein that causes Ca2+-dependent facilitation (CDF) and inactivation (CDI). Ca2+-free CaM (apoCaM) also contributes to the regulation of Cav1.2 channels. Furthermore, CaM indirectly affects channel activity by activating CaM-dependent enzymes, such as CaM-dependent protein kinase II and calcineurin (a CaM-dependent protein phosphatase). In this article, we review the recent progress in identifying the role of apoCaM in the channel ‘rundown’ phenomena and related repriming of channels, and CDF, as well as the role of Ca2+/CaM in CDI. In addition, the role of CaM in channel clustering is reviewed.

Calmodulin mutant in central linker reduces the binding affinity with PreIQ and IQ while interacting with CaV1.2 channels

Calmodulin (CaM) was reported to interact with PreIQ and IQ of Ca_V1.2 channels, but to date, no explicit binding sites of CaM were illustrated. Therefore, in the present study, we firstly used MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) for protein-protein docking and we found that the most likely residues of CaM that play an important role in the interface are concentrated in central linker region. Next we examined the binding properties of CaM and its mutants to PreIQ and IQ by GST pull-down assays. Here we confirmed that CaM binds to PreIQ and IQ in a concentration-dependent and [Ca²⁺]-dependent manner. However, silencing the effect of N-lobe and C-lobe by mutating two Ca²⁺ binding sites of each lobe abolished [Ca²⁺]-dependence of CaM binding, but could not influence the combination. And the mutant in central linker reduced the binding of CaM/PreIQ and CaM/IQ especially at low [Ca²⁺]. We confirmed that N-lobe and C-lobe play vital role in sensing the change of Ca²⁺, and found that the central linker of CaM is involved in the binding of CaM to Ca_V1.2 channels in particular at low [Ca²⁺], not only participates in the combination with PreIQ, but also with IQ.

Distinct roles of calmodulin and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in isopreterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Intracellular calcium is related to cardiac hypertrophy. The Ca_V1.2 channel and Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and CaM regulate the intracellular calcium content. However, the differences in CaMKII and CaM in cardiac hypertrophy are still conflicting and are worthy of studying as drug targets. Therefore, in this study, we aim to investigate the roles and mechanism of CaM and CaMKII on Ca_V1.2 in pathological myocardial hypertrophy. The results showed that ISO stimulation caused SD rat heart and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In vivo, the HW/BW, LVW/BW, cross-sectional area, fibrosis ratio and ANP expression were all increased. There were no differences in Ca_V1.2 channel expression in the in vivo model or the in vitro model, but the ISO stimulation induced channel activity, and the [Ca²⁺]_i increased. The protein expression levels of CaMKII and p-CaMKII were all increased in the ISO group, but the CaM expression level decreased. AIP inhibited ANP, CaMKII and p-CaMKII expression, and ISO-induced [Ca²⁺]_i increased. AIP also reduced HDAC4, p-HDAC and MEF2C expression. However, CMZ did not play a cardiac hypertrophy reversal role in vitro. In conclusion, we considered that compared with CaM, CaMKII may be a much more important drug target in cardiac hypertrophy reversal.

Dynamic alterations in the CaV1.2/CaM/CaMKII signaling pathway in the left ventricular myocardium of ischemic rat hearts

Cardiac L-type calcium channel (CaV1.2), calmodulin (CaM), and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) form the CaV1.2/CaM/CaMKII signaling pathway, which plays an important role in maintaining intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. The roles of CaM and CaMKII in the regulation of CaV1.2 in Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation and facilitation have been reported; however, alterations in this signaling pathway in the heart after myocardial ischemia (MI) had not been well characterized. In this study, we investigated the dynamic changes in CaV1.2, CaM, and CaMKII mRNA and protein expression levels in the left ventricles of the heart following MI in rats. The MI model was induced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery; the rats were divided into the following five groups: the 6 h post-MI group (MI-6h), 24 h post-MI group (MI-24h), 1 week post-MI group (MI-1w), 2 weeks post-MI group (MI-2w), and the sham group. The mRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and the protein expression was determined by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. There were no observable differences in the CaV1.2 mRNA and protein levels at the early stages of MI, but these levels decreased at MI-2w. Both the mRNA and protein levels of CaM increased at MI-6h, peaked at MI-24h, and then reduced to normal levels at MI-2w. CaMKII mRNA and protein levels decreased at MI-6h and reached their lowest level at MI-24h. Taken together, these data demonstrate that there are dynamic changes in the CaV1.2/CaM/CaMKII signaling pathway following MI injuries, which suggests that different therapeutic regimens should be used at different time points after MI injuries.

Ion channel remodeling in vascular smooth muscle during hypertension: Implications for novel therapeutic approaches

Ion channels are multimeric, transmembrane proteins that selectively mediate ion flux across the plasma membrane in a variety of cells including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The dynamic interplay of Ca(2+) and K(+) channels on the plasma membrane of VSMCs plays a pivotal role in modulating the vascular tone of small arteries and arterioles. The abnormally-elevated arterial tone observed in hypertension thus points to an aberrant expression and function of Ca(2+) and K(+) channels in the VSMCs. In this short review, we focus on the three well-studied ion channels in VSMCs, namely the L-type Ca(2+) (CaV1.2) channels, the voltage-gated K(+) (KV) channels, and the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channels. First, we provide a brief overview on the physiological role of vascular CaV1.2, KV and BK channels in regulating arterial tone. Second, we discuss the current understanding of the expression changes and regulation of CaV1.2, KV and BK channels in the vasculature during hypertension. Third, based on available proof-of-concept studies, we describe the potential therapeutic approaches targeting these vascular ion channels in order to restore blood pressure to normotensive levels.

Calmodulin- and Ca2+-dependent facilitation and inactivation of the Cav1.2 Ca2+ channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

The L-type Ca(2+) channel (Ca(V)1.2) shows clear Ca(2+)-dependent facilitation and inactivation. Here we have examined the effects of calmodulin (CaM) and Ca(2+) on Ca(2+) channel in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes in the inside-out patch mode, where rundown of the channels was controlled. At a free [Ca(2+)] of 0.1 microM, CaM (0.15, 0.7, 1.4, 2.1, 3.5, and 7.0 microM) + ATP (2.4 mM) induced channel activities of 27%, 98%, 142%, 222%, 65%, and 20% relative to the control activity, respectively, showing a bell-shaped relationship. Similar results were observed at a free [Ca(2+)] <0.01 microM or with a Ca(2+)-insensitive mutant, CaM(1234), suggesting that apoCaM may induce facilitation and inactivation of the channel activity. The bell-shaped curve of CaM was shifted to the lower concentration side with increasing [Ca(2+)]. A simple model for CaM- and Ca(2+)-dependent modulations of the channel activity, which involves two CaM-binding sites, was proposed. We suggest that both apoCaM and Ca(2+)/CaM can induce facilitation and inactivation of Ca(V)1.2 Ca(2+) channels and that the basic role of Ca(2+) is to accelerate CaM-dependent facilitation and inactivation.

The distinct roles of calmodulin and calmodulin kinase II in the reversal of run-down of L-type Ca(2+) channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

In this study, we investigated the roles of calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) and calmodulin (CaM) in the reversal of run-down of L-type Ca(2+) channels. Single Ca(2+)-channel activities in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes were recorded using the patch-clamp technique, and run-down of the channel activities was induced by inside-out patch formation in the basic internal solution. At 1 min after patch excision, 1 - 30 muM CaMKII mutant T286D (CaMKIIT286D), a constitutively active type of CaMKII, induced the Ca(2+)-channel activities to only 2% - 10% of that recorded in the cell-attached mode. However, in the presence of CaMKIIT286D, the time-dependent attenuation of CaM's effects in the reversal of run-down was abolished. A GST-fusion protein containing amino acids 1509 - 1789 of the C-terminal region of guinea-pig Cav1.2 (CT1) was prepared. In pull-down assays, CT1 treated with CaMKIIT286D showed a higher affinity for CaM compared with CT1 treated with phosphatase. We propose a model in which CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of the channels regulates the binding of CaM to the channels in the reversal of run-down of L-type Ca(2+) channels.

CaMKII phosphorylates a threonine residue in the C-terminal tail of Cav1.2 Ca(2+) channel and modulates the interaction of the channel with calmodulin

We have previously found that both CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation and calmodulin (CaM) binding to the channels are required for maintaining basal activity of the Cav1.2 Ca(2+) channels. In this study, we investigated the hypothetical CaMKII phosphorylation site on Cav1.2 that contributes to the channel regulation. We found that CaMKII phosphorylates the Thr1603 residue (Thr1604 in rabbit) within the preIQ region in the C-terminal tail of the guinea-pig Cav1.2 channel. Mutation of Thr1603 to Asp (T1603D) slowed the run-down of the channel in inside-out patch mode and abolished the time-dependency of the CaM's effects to reverse run-down. We also found that CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of the proximal C-terminal fragment (CT1) increased, while dephosphorylation of CT1 decreased its binding with CaM. These findings suggest that CaMKII regulates the CaM binding to the channel, and thereby maintains basal activity of the Cav1.2 Ca(2+) channel.

Calmodulin kinase II activation is required for the maintenance of basal activity of L-type Ca2+ channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

The roles of calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in the maintenance of basal activity and the reversion of run-down of L-type Ca2+ channels were studied in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes by the patch-clamp technique. In the cell-attached configuration, the Ca2+-channel activity was inhibited to 82% - 26% by 1-10 microM KN-93 and to 92% - 66% by 0.1-1 microM autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide (AIP) myristoylated. In the inside-out configuration, the bovine cardiac cytoplasm recovered Ca2+-channel activity to 87% of that recorded in the cell-attached configuration, while the CaMKII inhibitor 281-301 at 10 microM reduced the recovery effect to 19%. CaM + ATP recovered the channel activity to 93% and 28% of that recorded in the cell-attached configuration when applied at 1 and 5 min after run-down, respectively, showing a time-dependent attenuation. However, in the presence of 0.33 microM CaMKII, this attenuation was abolished, showing 85% and 75% recovery when applied at 1 and 5 min after run-down, respectively. This recovery effect was suppressed by 10 microM AIP, applied at 5 min, but not at 1 min after run-down. We concluded that CaMKII activation is required in the maintenance of basal activity of L-type Ca2+ channels.