Inactivation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-atpase in low-frequency stimulated rat muscle

Continuous low-frequency stimulation (CLFS) by implanted electrodes for 12-24 h led to a significant (approximately 30%) decrease in the activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase in fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of intact rats. The decline in catalytic activity after 24 h of CLFS was accompanied by an approximately twofold increase in dinitrophenylhydrazine-reactive carbonyl groups of the enzyme. It also correlated with an immunochemically determined 30% decrease in Ca2(+)-ATPase protein. Recovery studies after 12 h of CLFS revealed a relatively slow (48-72 h) re-establishment of normal catalytic activity. These findings suggest that the 30% decline of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in low-frequency stimulated rat muscle led to an irreversible modification by protein oxidation. The decrease in Ca(2+)-ATPase protein most likely resulted from the degradation of inactive Ca(2+)-ATPase molecules. The relatively slow recovery of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity suggests that de novo synthesis of the enzyme may be necessary to re-attain normal activity.

Calsequestrin expression and calcium binding is increased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat skeletal muscle though not in cardiac muscle

Altered mechanisms of Ca2+ transport may underlie the contractile dysfunctions that have been frequently reported to occur in diabetic cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues. Calsequestrin, a high-capacity Ca2+-binding protein, is involved in the regulation of the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle of both skeletal and cardiac muscle fibres. We have investigated the expression of calsequestrin and Ca2+ binding in cardiac and skeletal muscle from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Immunoblotting of microsomal membranes from normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic muscle revealed no significant changes in heart, but an increase in the relative abundance of calsequestrin and calsequestrin-like proteins in skeletal muscle. In analogy, the overall Ca2+-binding capacity of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from diabetic skeletal muscle was drastically increased. The expression of fast muscle marker proteins was not affected, indicating that no relevant fibre transformation occurred in streptozotocin-treated rat muscles. The up-regulation of the high-capacity Ca2+-binding element calsequestrin might represent a compensatory mechanism of diabetic skeletal muscle. An increased Ca2+-buffering capacity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum lumen might counteract elevated cytosolic Ca2+ levels in diabetes thereby preventing Ca2+-dependent myo-necrosis.

Calsequestrin binds to monomeric and complexed forms of key calcium-handling proteins in native sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes from rabbit skeletal muscle

Ca(2+)-handling proteins are important regulators of the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle in skeletal muscle fibres. Although domain binding studies suggest protein coupling between various Ca(2+)-regulatory elements of triad junctions, no direct biochemical evidence exists demonstrating high-molecular-mass complex formation in native microsomal membranes. Calsequestrin represents the protein backbone of the luminal Ca(2+) reservoir and thereby occupies a central position in Ca(2+) homeostasis; we therefore used calsequestrin blot overlay assays in order to determine complex formation between sarcoplasmic reticulum components. Peroxidase-conjugated calsequestrin clearly labelled four major protein bands in one-dimensional (1D) and 2D electrophoretically separated membrane preparations from adult skeletal muscle. Immunoblotting identified the calsequestrin-binding proteins of approximately 26, 63, 94 and 560 kDa as junctin, calsequestrin itself, triadin and the ryanodine receptor, respectively. Protein-protein coupling could be modified by ionic detergents, non-ionic detergents, changes in Ca(2+) concentration, as well as antibody and purified calsequestrin binding. Importantly, complex formation as determined by blot overlay assays was confirmed by differential co-immunoprecipitation experiments and chemical crosslinking analysis. Hence, the key Ca(2+)-regulatory membrane components of skeletal muscle form a supramolecular membrane assembly. The formation of this tightly associated junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum complex seems to underlie the physiological regulation of skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation, which supports the biochemical concept that Ca(2+) homeostasis is regulated by direct protein-protein interactions.

Impaired Ca2+-sequestration in dilated cardiomyopathy (review)

Excitation-contraction coupling is the process by which depolarisation of the myocardial surface membrane leads to the release of Ca2+-ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, inducing cardiac muscle contraction. This process is made possible by an elaborate system of ion-release, uptake and sequestration that controls the contraction and relaxation cycle of heart muscle fibres. The free intracellular Ca2+-concentration determines the contractile state of the myocardium, and the sequestration of Ca2+-ions into the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the Ca2+-ATPase pump units represents a critical step towards the maintenance of normal Ca2+-cycling. The Ca2+-ATPase pump activity is regulated by phospholamban, a small 52-amino acid protein whose phosphorylation state dictates its inhibitory action on the pump. A large body of evidence points to the central role of abnormal Ca2+-ATPase-phospholamban interactions in pathophysiological heart conditions, thereby compromising the contractile state of the cardiac muscle cell. It has been shown that alterations in the oligomeric status of the Ca2+-ATPase and modified interactions between the Ca2+-pump and its regulatory subunit phospholamban underlie the contractile dysfunction that characterises certain forms of dilated cardiomyopathy. Hence, elucidation of interactions within physiological Ca2+-ATPase pump units in normal and diseased myocardium is a vital link in the development of improved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for dealing with this elusive condition.

Native skeletal muscle dihydropyridine receptor exists as a supramolecular triad complex

One of the central elements of excitation-contraction coupling, the voltage-sensing dihydropyridine receptor, is believed to exist as a high-molecular-mass complex in the triad junction. Although freeze-fracture electron microscopical analysis suggests a tetrad complex, no direct biochemical evidence exists demonstrating the actual size of the native membrane complex. Using a combination of various two-dimensional gel electrophoresis techniques, we show here that the principal alpha1-subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor and its auxiliary alpha2-subunit form a triad complex of approximately 2800 kDa under native conditions. Established Ca2+-ATPase tetramers and calsequestrin monomers were employed for the internal standardization of the gel systems used. Thus, the large voltage-sensing complex appears to be tightly associated, since it does not disintegrate during subcellular fractionation and native electrophoresis procedures. Our findings support the cell biological hypothesis that native dihydropyridine receptor units form a tetrad structure within the transverse tubules.

The role of ion-regulatory membrane proteins of excitation-contraction coupling and relaxation in inherited muscle diseases

The excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle of skeletal muscle fibres depends on the finely tuned interplay between the voltage-sensing dihydropyridine receptor, the junctional ryanodine receptor Ca2+-release channel and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. Inherited diseases of excitation-contraction coupling and muscle relaxation such as malignant hyperthermia, central core disease, hypokalemic periodic paralysis or Brody disease are caused by mutations in these Ca2+-regulatory elements. Over twenty different mutations in the Ca2+-release channel are associated with susceptibility to the pharmacogenetic disorder malignant hyperthermia. Other mutations in the ryanodine receptor trigger central core disease. Primary abnormalities in the alpha-1 subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor underlie the molecular pathogenesis of both hypokalemic periodic paralysis and certain forms of malignant hyperthermia. Some cases of the muscle relaxation disorder named Brody disease were demonstrated to be based on primary abnormalities in the Ca2+-ATPase. Since a variety of other sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins modulate the activity of the voltage sensor, Ca2+-release channel and ion-binding proteins, mutations in these Ca2+-regulatory muscle components might be the underlying cause for novel, not yet fully characterized, genetic muscle disorders. The cell biological analysis of knock-out mice has been helpful in evaluating the biomedical consequences of defects in ion-regulatory muscle proteins.

Low-frequency stimulation of fast muscle affects the abundance of Ca(2+)-ATPase but not its oligomeric status

After chronic, low-frequency stimulation, a rapid decline in Ca(2+) pump activity is observed during the early stages of skeletal muscle transformation. However, this variation in enzymatic activity does not coincide with a drastic reduction in the amount of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases. To investigate whether changes in subunit interactions within Ca(2+) pump complexes contribute to this phenomena, we performed a chemical cross-linking analysis of 4 days continuously, and 4 days discontinuously, electrostimulated fast muscle fibers. The abundance of the slow and fast Ca(2+)-ATPase isoforms sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)- ATPase types 1 and 2 was affected during the fast-to-slow transition process, demonstrating that, even after short-term stimulation, distinct changes in the isoform expression pattern of muscle proteins occur. However, the oligomeric status of both ion pump species did not change. Hence, chemical modifications of critical enzyme domains must be responsible for the rapid stimulation-induced activity changes, not variations in protein-protein interactions within Ca(2+)-ATPase units. Oligomerization appears to be of central importance to the proper physiological functioning of the Ca(2+)-ATPase and does not undergo changes during skeletal muscle conditioning.

Impaired Ca2+-ATPase oligomerization and increased phospholamban expression in dilated cardiomyopathy

Although primary genetic defects have been identified for some forms of inherited cardiomyopathy, it is not well understood how secondary abnormalities actually lead to muscle cell destruction. Since cardiomyopathies significantly influence morbidity and mortality rates world-wide, it is important to improve the differential diagnosis of these disorders and develop potential treatments for inherited diseases of the heart. Elucidation of the secondary molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac cell necrosis might help linking a specific mutation in a cardiac gene to acute heart failure. As disturbed Ca2+-homeostasis may contribute to heart failure, we have investigated the relative abundance and oligomeric status of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase and phospholamban in various cardiomyopathies. These two proteins represent important factors in cardiac relaxation. The SERCA2 isoform of the Ca2+-ATPase represents a major Ca2+-removal system in cardiac muscle fibres and phospholamban is a regulator of Ca2+-pump activity. Although Ca2+-ATPase expression did not seem to be markedly altered, the comparative immunoblot analysis presented here clearly shows that phospholamban expression is increased in dilated cardiomyopathy, possibly explaining the decreased Ca2+-uptake in the disease. In contrast to the normal enzyme, the Ca2+-pump was demonstrated to exhibit an impairment of crosslinker-stabilized oligomerization in dilated cardiomyopathy. Since Ca2+-ATPase oligomerization is important for co-operative kinetics and protection against proteolytic degradation, the monomeric Ca2+-ATPase may trigger an abnormal contraction-relaxation cycle in dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure.

Identification of a novel 45 kDa protein (JP-45) from rabbit sarcoplasmic-reticulum junctional-face membrane

Using a biochemical/immunological approach to analyse the protein constituents of skeletal-muscle junctional-face membrane (JFM), we identified a 45 kDa protein. Its N-terminal amino acid was blocked, but the amino acid sequence obtained from several peptides after proteolytic treatment did not significantly match that of any protein present in the SwissProt and NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) databases. We synthesized a peptide whose sequence matched that of one of the peptides obtained after CNBr cleavage of the 45 kDa protein; the peptide was conjugated to a carrier and used to raise antibodies. The antiserum was used to study in more detail the biochemical characteristics of the novel 45 kDa protein. Analysis of the proteins present in different subcellular membrane fractions show that the novel 45 kDa polypeptide: (i) is an integral membrane constituent present both in neonatal and adult skeletal-muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum; (ii) is selectively localized in the JFM; (iii) is not present in microsomes obtained from rabbit heart, liver or kidney. Immunoprecitation with anti-(45 kDa protein) antibody indicates that the 45 kDa protein is part of a complex which can be phosphorylated in vitro by the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A.

Oligomeric status of the dihydropyridine receptor in aged skeletal muscle

A prominent feature of aging is represented by a decrease in muscle mass and strength. Abnormalities in Ca2+ -regulatory membrane complexes are involved in many muscular disorders. In analogy, we determined potential age-related changes in a key component of excitation-contraction coupling, the dihydropyridine receptor. Immunoblotting of the microsomal fraction from aged rabbit muscle revealed a drastic decline in the voltage-sensing alpha1-subunit of this transverse-tubular receptor, but only marginally altered expression of its auxiliary alpha(2)-subunit and the Na+/K+ -ATPase. A shift to slower fibre type characteristics was indicated by an age-related increase in the slow calsequestrin isoform. Chemical crosslinking analysis showed that the triad receptor complex has a comparable tendency of protein-protein interactions in young and aged muscles. Hence, a reduced expression and not modified oligomerization of the principal dihydropyridine receptor subunit might be involved in triggering impaired triadic signal transduction and abnormal Ca2+ -homeostasis resulting in a progressive functional decline of skeletal muscles.

Comparative analysis of the isoform expression pattern of Ca(2+)-regulatory membrane proteins in fast-twitch, slow-twitch, cardiac, neonatal and chronic low-frequency stimulated muscle fibers

Although all muscle cells generate contractile forces by means of organized filament systems, isoform expression patterns of contractile and regulatory proteins in heart are not identical compared to developing, conditioned or mature skeletal muscles. In order to determine biochemical parameters that may reflect functional variations in the Ca(2+)-regulatory membrane systems of different muscle types, we performed a comparative immunoblot analysis of key membrane proteins involved in ion homeostasis. Cardiac isoforms of the alpha(1)-dihydropyridine receptor, Ca(2+)-ATPase and calsequestrin are also present in skeletal muscle and are up-regulated in chronic low-frequency stimulated fast muscle. In contrast, the cardiac RyR2 isoform of the Ca(2+)-release channel was not found in slow muscle but was detectable in neonatal skeletal muscle. Up-regulation of RyR2 in conditioned muscle was probably due to degeneration-regeneration processes. Fiber type-specific differences were also detected in the abundance of auxiliary subunits of the dihydropyridine receptor, the ryanodine receptor and the Ca(2+)-ATPase, as well as triad markers and various Ca(2+)-binding and ion-regulatory proteins. Hence, the variation in innervation of different types of muscle appears to have a profound influence on the levels and pattern of isoform expression of Ca(2+)-regulatory membrane proteins reflecting differences in the regulation of Ca(2+)-homeostasis. However, independent of the muscle cell type, key Ca(2+)-regulatory proteins exist as oligomeric complexes under native conditions.

Effect of halothane on the oligomerization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase

The exact molecular mechanism of inhalational anesthetics remains obscure. Since the enzyme activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase from skeletal muscle fibres is modified by halothane and because protein-protein interactions play an important role in the regulation of Ca(2+)-regulatory proteins, we investigated the effect of this volatile drug on the oligomerization of the fast-twitch Ca(2+)-ATPase. Using electrophoretic separation following incubation with halothane, increases in relative molecular mass were determined by immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody to the SERCA1 isoform of the Ca(2+)-ATPase. Distinct drug-induced decreases in electrophoretic mobility indicated oligomerization of the native Ca(2+)-pump by halothane, comparable to crosslinking-mediated formation of homo-tetramers. Determination of the effect of halothane on enzyme activity suggested that halothane-mediated protein aggregation triggers a partial inhibition of Ca(2+)-pump units. Thus, halothane appears to exert its action via specific peptide binding sites and not indirectly by lipid perturbation. These findings support the protein theory of anesthetic action.

Isoform-specific interactions between halothane and the ryanodine receptor Ca(2+)-release channel: implications for malignant hyperthermia and the protein theory of anaesthetic action

General anaesthetics exhibit a relatively close relationship between their pharmacological potency and their lipid solubility and may thus act by non-specific perturbation of biomembranes. However, more recent data on anaesthetic action suggests that inhalational drugs such as halothane bind directly to hydrophobic protein domains, thereby modulating important receptor functions. In support of this protein theory of anaesthetic action our native gel analysis presented here shows that halothane induces oligomerization of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR) 1 Ca(2+)-release channel, but not its cardiac RyR-2 isoform. Thus, inhalational anaesthetics are not only able to influence protein-protein interactions directly but also appear to differentiate between protein isoforms and/or configurations. This suggests that distinct peptide binding sites exist for these pharmacological agents. In addition, similar mutations in the RyR-2 isoform, which would trigger an episode of malignant hyperthermia in skeletal muscle fibres via abnormal RyR-1 isoforms, would probably not induce an increase in cardiac Ca(2+)-release upon administration of halothane.

Effects of chronic low-frequency stimulation on Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins in rabbit fast muscle

Since chronic low-frequency stimulation of fast-twitch muscle fibers has a profound effect on all major functional elements of skeletal muscle, we analyzed the potential changes in the levels of Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins during fast-to-slow transformation. In this study we show that, in addition to isoform-switching in myosin heavy chains, electrostimulation triggers a decline in fast isoforms and an increase in slow/cardiac isoforms of Ca2+-ATPase and calsequestrin. The levels of excitation-contraction coupling elements, such as the ryanodine receptor, the dihydropyridine receptor, triadin and sarcalumenin, decreased sharply following stimulation. In contrast, levels of Na+/K+-ATPase and calreticulin increased in the microsomal fraction. Crosslinking studies have revealed that in normal and stimulated muscle the Ca2+-ATPase isoforms exist predominantly as oligomeric structures, and that the central elements of excitation-contraction coupling also form large triad complexes. Changes in the levels and pattern of isoform expression of the muscle membrane proteins studied here suggest that these biochemical alterations reflect molecular adaptations to changed demands in ion homeostasis and signal transduction in muscle that exhibits enhanced contractile activity. Overall, these findings support the physiological concept that there are muscle fiber-type specific differences in the fine-tuning of the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle, as well as the idea that mature skeletal muscle fibers exhibit a high degree of plasticity.

The 90-kDa junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum protein forms an integral part of a supramolecular triad complex in skeletal muscle

Although it is well established that voltage-sensing of the alpha(1)-dihydropyridine receptor triggers Ca(2+)-release via the ryanodine receptor during excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle fibers, it remains to be determined which junctional components are responsible for the assembly, maintenance, and stabilization of triads. Here, we analyzed the expression pattern and neighborhood relationship of a novel 90-kDa sarcoplasmic reticulum protein. This protein is highly enriched in the triad fraction and is predominantly expressed in fast-twitching muscle fibers. Chronic low-frequency electro-stimulation induced a drastic decrease in the relative abundance of this protein. Chemical crosslinking showed a potential overlap between the 90-kDa junctional face membrane protein and the ryanodine receptor Ca(2+)-release channel, suggesting tight protein-protein interactions between these two triad components. Hence, Ca(2+)-regulatory muscle proteins have a strong tendency to oligomerize and the triad region of skeletal muscle fibers forms supramolecular membrane complexes involved in the regulation of Ca(2+)-homeostasis and signal transduction.

Oligomerization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase SERCA2 in cardiac muscle

The slow/cardiac isoform of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase plays an important role in cardiac muscle Ca2+-homeostasis. To determine the native configuration of the SERCA2 ion pump, a chemical cross-linking analysis of heart microsomes was performed. Using one- and two-dimensional immunoblotting following incubation with the hydrophilic probe bis-sulfosuccinimidyl suberate or the hydrophobic crosslinker dithiobis-succinimidyl-propionate, we demonstrate here that SERCA2 forms high-molecular-mass aggregates. In contrast to the Na+/Ca2+-exchanger, Ca2+-ATPase clusters can be stabilized by hydrophilic 1.2 nm crosslinkers and are sensitive to chemical reduction. Hence, the native form of this important Ca2+-regulatory membrane protein involved in cardiac muscle relaxation appears not to exist as a monomeric ion pump unit. Protein-protein interactions might play an important role in the physiological functioning of this Ca2+-ATPase isoform, as has previously been shown for skeletal muscle Ca2+-pumps, Ca2+-binding proteins and Ca2+-channels.

Self-aggregation of triadin in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle

The 95 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein triadin is believed to be an essential component of excitation-contraction coupling in the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle fibers. It is debatable whether triadin mediates intraluminal interactions between calsequestrin and the ryanodine receptor exclusively or whether this junctional protein provides also a cytoplasmic linkage between the Ca2+-release channel and the dihydropyridine receptor. Here, we could show that native triadin exists as disulfide-linked homo-polymers of above 3000 kDa. Under non-reducing conditions, protein bands representing the alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor and calsequestrin did not show an immunodecorative overlap with the extremely high-molecular-mass triadin clusters. Following chemical crosslinking, the ryanodine receptor and triadin exhibited a similarly decreased electrophoretic mobility. However, immunoblotting of diagonal non-reducing/reducing two-dimensional gels clearly demonstrated a lack of overlap between the immunodecorated bands representing triadin, the alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor, the ryanodine receptor and calsequestrin. Thus, in native membranes triadin appears to form large self-aggregates primarily. Although triadin exists in a close neighborhood relationship to the Ca2+-release channel tetramers, it does not seem to be directly linked to the other main triad components implicated in the regulation of the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle and Ca2+-homeostasis. This agrees with a proposed role of triadin in the maintenance of overall triad architecture.

Complex formation of skeletal muscle Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins by halothane

In skeletal muscle, halothane affects the functions of several Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins involved in the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle. To investigate the mechanism by which this volatile anesthetic interferes with Ca2+-homeostasis, we studied potential changes in protein-protein interactions by halothane. Using comparative immunoblotting of microsomal muscle proteins separated on native and denaturing gels, we show here that halothane induces oligomerization of the terminal cisternae Ca2+-binding protein calsequestrin, the junctional ryanodine receptor Ca2+-release channel and the transverse-tubular alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor. This agrees with previous reports on the modulation of Ca2+-release activity by halothane since interactions between the voltage-sensing alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor, the ryanodine receptor and the luminal Ca2+-reservoir might result in a rapid release of Ca2+-ions. Furthermore, this study supports the idea that specific protein sites are involved in the action of inhalational anesthetics and that halothane might trigger abnormal Ca2+-homeostasis in malignant hyperthermia via oligomerization of the mutated ryanodine receptor.

Role of dystrophin isoforms and associated proteins in muscular dystrophy (review)

The membrane cytoskeletal component dystrophin and its associated glycoproteins play a central role in the molecular pathogenesis of several muscular dystrophies, i.e. Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy, congenital muscular dystrophy and various forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Although the most frequent of these disorders, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is mainly recognized as a disease of skeletal muscle fibers, pathophysiological changes also involve the heart and diaphragm, as well as the peripheral and central nervous system. Thus current research efforts into the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these genetic diseases are not only directed towards studying skeletal muscle necrosis but also investigate abnormalities of heart and brain dystrophin-glycoprotein complexes in cardiomyopathy and brain deficiencies associated with muscular dystrophy. Furthermore, many isoforms of dystrophin and dystrophin-associated components have been identified in various non-muscle tissues and their function(s) are mostly unknown. With respect to skeletal muscle fibers, the characterization of new dystrophin-associated proteins, such as dystrobrevin, sarcospan and the syntrophins, led to a modified model of the spatial configuration of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. However, it is generally accepted now that beta-dystroglycan forms the plasmalemma-spanning linkage between dystrophin and the laminin-binding protein alpha-dystroglycan and that this complex is associated with the sarcoglycan subcomplex of sarcolemmal glycoproteins.

Oligomerisation of Ca2+-regulatory membrane components involved in the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle during postnatal development of rabbit skeletal muscle

The skeletal muscle excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle matures during the first weeks after birth and protein-protein interactions are believed to be essential for proper Ca2+ regulation. We therefore studied potential changes in the oligomerisation of key components of the Ca2+-regulatory membrane system during postnatal myogenesis. In contrast to a decrease in calreticulin, the Ca2+-binding proteins calsequestrin and sarcalumenin increased in abundance in microsomes isolated from muscle between postnatal days 1 and 41. While the expression of the fast Ca2+-ATPase increased, its slow-twitch isoform decreased. The junctional component triadin, the 53 kDa sarcoplasmic reticulum glycoprotein, as well as the dihydropyridine receptor increased in abundance, while no major changes in the expression of the ryanodine receptor were observed. Crosslinking analysis revealed that the fast Ca2+-ATPase, alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor and calsequestrin exhibit a more pronounced tendency to oligomerise in adult muscle fibres as compared to early postnatal stages. Interestingly, adult calsequestrin exists not only as a 63 kDa form but also as stable molecular species of higher molecular mass. These findings imply that during postnatal development, protein-protein interactions within the Ca2+-regulatory membrane system become more complex and oligomerisation appears to be an essential prerequisite for the proper physiological functioning of key membrane proteins in matured skeletal muscle fibres.

Decreased expression of brain beta-dystroglycan in Duchenne muscular dystrophy but not in the mdx animal model

Abnormalities in the muscle dystrophin-glycoprotein complex are implicated in the molecular pathogenesis of various neuromuscular disorders. Weakening of the trans-sarcolemmal linkage between the actin membrane-cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix appears to trigger destabilization of the muscle cell periphery. In addition to muscular weakness, one-third of patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy exhibit mental retardation. Since little is known about the pathophysiology of brain abnormalities in these patients, we investigated the fate of the most abundant dystrophin-associated protein, beta-dystroglycan, in the central nervous system. It was found to be present throughout all normal brain regions studied. In contrast, this glycoprotein was greatly reduced in brain microsomes derived from Duchenne specimens, while it is of normal abundance in the brain from the dystrophic animal model mdx. Deficiency in brain beta-dystroglycan might render nervous tissue more susceptible to cellular disturbances and this may result in cognitive impairment in some Duchenne patients.

Complex formation between calsequestrin and the ryanodine receptor in fast- and slow-twitch rabbit skeletal muscle

Linkage between the high-capacity Ca2+-binding protein calsequestrin and the ryanodine receptor is proposed to be essential for proper Ca2+-release during skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling. However, no direct biochemical evidence exists showing a connection between these high-molecular-mass complexes in native skeletal muscle membranes. Here, using immunoblot analysis of chemically crosslinked membrane vesicles enriched in triad junctions, we have demonstrated that a very close neighborhood relationship exists between calsequestrin and the ryanodine receptor in both main fiber types. Hence, the luminal Ca2+-reservoir complex appears to be directly coupled to the membrane Ca2+-release complex and oligomerization seems to be of functional importance.

Excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle: role of Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins in normal, stimulated and pathological skeletal muscle (review)

Extremely large protein complexes involved in the Ca2+-regulatory system of the excitation-contraction-relaxation cycle have been identified in skeletal muscle, i.e. clusters of the Ca2+-binding protein calsequestrin, apparent tetramers of Ca2+-ATPase pump units and complexes between the transverse-tubular alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor and ryanodine receptor Ca2+-release channel tetramers of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. While receptor interactions appear to be crucial for signal transduction during excitation-contraction coupling, avoidance of passive disintegration of junctional complexes and stabilization of receptor interactions may be mediated by disulfide-bonded clusters of triadin. Oligomerization of Ca2+-release, Ca2+-sequestration and Ca2+-uptake complexes appear to be an intrinsic property of these muscle membrane proteins. During chronic low-frequency stimulation, the expression of triad receptors is decreased while conditioning has only a marginal effect on Ca2+-binding proteins. In contrast, muscle stimulation induces a switch from the fast-twitch Ca2+-ATPase to its slow-twitch/cardiac isoform. These alterations in Ca2+-handling might reflect early functional adaptations to electrical stimulation. Studying Ca2+-homeostasis in transformed muscles is important regarding the evaluation of new clinical applications such as dynamic cardiomyoplasty. Studies of Ca2+-handling in skeletal muscle fibers have not only increased our understanding of muscle regulation, but have given important insights into the molecular pathogenesis of malignant hyperthermia, hypokalemic periodic paralysis and Brody disease.

Oligomerization of beta-dystroglycan in rabbit diaphragm and brain as revealed by chemical crosslinking

The surface component beta-dystroglycan is a member of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex providing a trans-sarcolemmal linkage between the actin membrane cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix component laminin-alpha2. Although abnormalities in this complex are involved in the pathophysiology of various neuromuscular disorders, little is known about the organization of dystrophin-associated glycoproteins in diaphragm and brain. We therefore investigated the oligomerization of beta-dystroglycan and its connection with the most abundant dystrophin homologues in these two tissues. Employing detergent solubilization and alkaline extraction procedures of native membranes, it was confirmed that beta-dystroglycan behaves like an integral surface molecule as predicted by its cDNA sequence. Immunoblot analysis following chemical crosslinking of native membranes showed that beta-dystroglycan has a tendency to form high-molecular-mass complexes. Within these crosslinkable complexes, immuno-reactive overlaps were observed between beta-dystroglycan, alpha-dystroglycan, laminin and 427 kDa dystrophin in diaphragm and skeletal muscle. In synaptosomes, the major brain dystrophin isoform Dp116 also exhibited an immuno-reactive overlap with members of the dystroglycan complex. These findings demonstrate that beta-dystroglycan does not exist as a monomer in native membranes and imply that certain dystrophin isoforms and dystrophin-associated components interact with this surface protein in diaphragm and brain as has been previously shown for skeletal and heart muscle.

Oligomerization is an intrinsic property of calsequestrin in normal and transformed skeletal muscle

In skeletal muscle fibers, the high-capacity medium-affinity Ca(2+)-binding protein calsequestrin functions as the major Ca(2+)-reservoir of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. To determine the oligomeric status of calsequestrin, immunoblotting of microsomal proteins following chemical crosslinking was performed. Diagonal non-reducing/reducing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was employed to unequivocally differentiate between cross-linked species of 63 kDa calsequestrin and calsequestrin-like proteins of higher relative molecular mass. Since chronic low-frequency stimulation has a profound effect on the expression of many muscle-specific protein isoforms, we investigated normal and conditioned muscle fibers. Calsequestrin was found to exist in a wide range of high-molecular-mass clusters in normal and chronically stimulated skeletal muscle fibers. Hence, oligomerization is an intrinsic property of this important Ca(2+)-binding protein and does not appear to be influenced by the fast-to-slow transformation process. Although fiber-type specific differences exist in the physiology of the skeletal muscle Ca(2+)-regulatory system, oligomerization of calsequestrin seems to be essential for proper functioning.

Early functional and biochemical adaptations to low-frequency stimulation of rabbit fast-twitch muscle

To examine mechanisms underlying force reduction after the onset of chronic low-frequency (10 Hz) stimulation (CLFS), we exposed rabbit tibialis anterior muscles to various durations of CLFS. To follow changes in isometric contractile properties and electromyographic (EMG) activity, we studied stimulated and contralateral muscles during a terminal test at 10 Hz for 10 min. In addition, activities and protein amounts of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase, content of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, and expression patterns of triad junction components were examined. Force output and EMG amplitude declined abruptly soon after the onset of stimulation, suggesting refractoriness of a large fiber population. Although twitch force and to a lesser extent EMG activity gradually recovered after stimulation for 6 days and longer, the muscles exhibited profoundly altered properties, i.e., enhanced fatigue resistance, absence of twitch potentiation, and prolonged contraction and relaxation times. These changes were associated with significant increases in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase concentration and significant decreases in Ca(2+)-ATPase, ryanodine receptor, dihydropyridine receptor, and triadin concentrations over the course of the 20 days of stimulation. Alterations in excitability, Ca2+ handling, and excitation-contraction coupling prior to changes in myofibrillar protein isoforms may thus be responsible for early functional alterations.

Cross-linking analysis of the ryanodine receptor and alpha1-dihydropyridine receptor in rabbit skeletal muscle triads

In mature skeletal muscle, excitation-contraction (EC) coupling is thought to be mediated by direct physical interactions between the transverse tubular, voltage-sensing dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channel of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Although previous attempts at demonstrating interactions between purified RyR and alpha1-DHPR have failed, the cross-linking analysis shown here indicates low-level complex formation between the SR RyR and the junctional alpha1-DHPR. After cross-linking of membranes highly enriched in triads with dithiobis-succinimidyl propionate, distinct complexes of more than 3000 kDa were detected. This agrees with numerous physiological and electron-microscopic findings, as well as co-immunoprecipitation experiments with triad receptors and receptor domain-binding studies. However, a distinct overlap of immunoreactivity between receptors was not observed in crude microsomal preparations, indicating that the triad complex is probably of low abundance. Disulphide-bonded, high-molecular-mass clusters of triadin, the junctional protein proposed to mediate interactions in triads, were confirmed to be linked to the RyR. Calsequestrin and the SR Ca2+-ATPase were not found in cross-linked complexes of the RyR and alpha1-DHPR. Thus, whereas recent studies indicate that the two receptors exhibit temporal differences in their developmental inductions and that receptor interactions are not essential for the formation and maintenance of triads, this study supports the signal transduction hypothesis of direct physical interactions between triad receptors in adult skeletal muscle.

Rabbit brain and muscle isoforms containing the carboxy-terminal domain of 427 kDa skeletal muscle dystrophin exhibit similar biochemical properties

The membrane cytoskeletal component dystrophin, which is the protein product of the human Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene, exists in manifold isoforms. Using immunoblot analysis with an antibody to the carboxy-terminal domain of the 427 kDa skeletal muscle dystrophin, we investigated the membrane cytoskeletal properties of dystrophin isoforms from rabbit skeletal muscle, heart and brain. All isoforms identified, including the abundant brain isoforms Dp116 which lacks the amino-terminal actin-binding domain of 427 kDa dystrophin, exhibited similar biochemical properties, i.e. insolubility in non-ionic detergent but extraction from the membrane with alkaline solutions. In muscle, beta-dystroglycan was found to be more tightly associated with dystrophin than alpha-sarcoglycan. These findings agree with the proposed structure of identified muscle and brain dystrophin isoforms and are also consistent with the current model of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex.

[Molecular pathogenesis of muscular diseases]

Recent advances in the field of molecular myology have provided significant insight into the pathological mechanisms underlying a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Genetic abnormalities can now be linked to primary and secondary pathophysiological changes in muscle fibres which compromise structural, metabolic, regulatory or contractile mechanisms. Ion channel myopathies such as paramyotonia congenita, hyper- and hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, myotonia congenita, episodic ataxia and malignant hyperthermia were established as linked to mutations in genes encoding the sodium channel, dihydropyridine receptor, chloride channel, potassium channel and the ryanodine receptor calcium release channel, respectively. Metabolic disorders affecting skeletal muscle were found to be due to deficiencies in a variety of enzymes. Identification of defects in components belonging to the gigantic dystrophin-glycoprotein complex led to the discovery of the molecular pathogenesis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and related disorders. Based on these molecular findings, it is now feasible to design and evaluate new techniques such as gene and myoblast transfer therapy in order to replace defective components in diseased muscle fibres.

Oligomerization of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase from rabbit skeletal muscle

Although the primary structure and catalytic cycle of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase has been revealed, it is not well understood whether functional Ca2+ pump proteins exist in a monomeric or an oligomeric state in native skeletal muscle membranes. Here, we show that the Ca2+-ATPase tends to form high molecular weight complexes, estimated to be dimers and tetramers using immunoblotting of two-dimensionally separated microsomal membranes following crosslinking. This agrees with both electron microscopical and biochemical findings which demonstrate that Ca2+-ATPase clusters are the predominant molecular species in native membranes and that oligomerization may play a role in cooperative kinetics and enzyme stabilization.

Characterisation of the dystrophin-related protein utrophin in highly purified skeletal muscle sarcolemma vesicles

Due to its restricted localisation to the neuromuscular junction and based on sequence homology to cytoskeletal proteins, the dystrophin-related protein utrophin is thought to be an important constituent of the membrane cytoskeleton of the postsynaptic muscle membrane and may be involved in the clustering of acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. However, due to the low density of utrophin in microsomal muscle membranes, it is difficult to analyse the biochemical properties of the skeletal muscle isoform of utrophin. To overcome these technical difficulties, we used here immunoblot analysis of highly purified muscle surface membranes enriched even in sarcolemma markers of very low density such as ecto-5' nucleotidase and the calmodulin-sensitive Ca(2+)-ATPase. This enabled us to analyse the membrane biochemical properties of this dystrophin isoform of extremely low abundance. Since alkaline treatment released utrophin from the bilayer while it stayed associated with the insoluble pellet following detergent extraction, utrophin exhibits biochemical properties typical of a membrane cytoskeletal protein. Therefore, utrophin appears to be a specialised isoform which performs the membrane cytoskeletal function(s) of dystrophin at the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction.

Towards an understanding of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex: linkage between the extracellular matrix and the membrane cytoskeleton in muscle fibers

In muscle, the large membrane cytoskeletal protein dystrophin is tightly associated with several sarcolemmal proteins. It is now well established that the extracellular 156 kDa dystrophin-associated glycoprotein alpha-dystroglycan is a laminin binding protein which is linked to the sarcolemma via an integral glycoprotein complex. Beta-dystroglycan of 43 kDa, together with the 50 kDa protein adhalin and three other dystrophin-associated glycoproteins of 25, 35 and 43 kDa form this sarcolemmal complex which binds to the cysteine-rich domain of dystrophin. While the carboxy-terminal domain of dystrophin is associated with the syntrophin triplet of apparent 59 kDa, the amino-terminal dystrophin domain binds to the subsarcolemmal actin cytoskeleton. Numerous studies into the molecular pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies suggest that primary defects in components of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex are responsible for certain forms of these muscular disorders. Disturbances in the composition of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in skeletal and cardiac muscle seem to disrupt the linkage between the extracellular matrix and the actin membrane cytoskeleton which might render muscle fibers more susceptible to necrosis. In normal muscle, the vital function of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex appears to be the stabilization of the muscle cell periphery during contraction.

Role of the sea urchin egg receptor for sperm in gamete interactions

Embryonic development is initiated by a multi-step fertilization process involving induction of the acrosome reaction in sperm, sperm-egg binding, gamete membrane fusion and egg activation. In sea urchins, acrosome-reacted sperm interact, presumably via the sperm protein bindin, with a highly glycosylated receptor on the egg surface. This article highlights the recent advances in the molecular structure of the sea urchin sperm receptor and discusses its possible role in egg activation.

Developmental expression of the sea urchin egg receptor for sperm

Little is known about the biochemical changes underlying the morphological differentiation of the sea urchin egg during oogenesis. Because of this and the essential role of gamete recognition in fertilization, we studied the developmental expression of the recently identified egg surface receptor for sperm during oogenesis. Consecutive stages of ovaries undergoing oogenesis over a 4-month time course were examined morphologically and assessed with respect to content of sperm receptor mRNA, as well as the content and subcellular distribution of the sperm receptor glycoprotein. Although in early oocyte stages neither mRNA encoding for the receptor nor receptor glycoprotein was detectable, at the last two stages of development the level of receptor mRNA accumulation increased dramatically. This finding correlated well with immunoblot analyses which established that sperm receptor protein was only detectable at the last two stages of egg maturation. Interestingly, immunocytochemistry showed that the formation of the receptor correlated temporally and spatially with the formation of cortical granules. In the earlier of these two stages of maturation, the receptor population identified by immunoblotting was found by immunocytochemistry to be restricted to the cortical granules and small vesicles in the cytoplasm. In contrast, at the last stage of egg maturation, sperm receptor was also detected at the surface of the oocyte, localized predominantly to the microvilli. Two receptor populations appear to exist, one in cortical granules and a second at the cell surface that may be formed via secretory vesicles. The late appearance of the receptor on the plasma membrane during oogenesis is consistent with its biological role in binding sperm to the mature egg cell surface.

The biologically active form of the sea urchin egg receptor for sperm is a disulfide-bonded homo-multimer

Since many cell surface receptors exist in their active form as oligomeric complexes, we have investigated the subunit composition of the biologically active sperm receptor in egg plasma membranes from Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Electrophoretic analysis of the receptor without prior reduction of disulfide bonds revealed that the surface receptor exists in the form of a disulfide-bonded multimer, estimated to be a tetramer. These findings are in excellent agreement with the fact that the NH2-terminus of the extracellular domain of the sperm receptor is rich in cysteine residues. Studies with cross-linking agents of various length and hydrophobicity suggest that no other major protein is tightly associated with the receptor. Given the multimeric structure of the receptor, we investigated the effect of disulfide bond reduction on its biological activity. Because in quantitative bioassays fertilization was found to be inhibited by treatment of eggs with 5 mM dithiothreitol, we undertook more direct studies of the effect of reduction on properties of the receptor. First, we studied the effect of addition of isolated, pure receptor on fertilization. Whereas the non-reduced, native receptor complex inhibited fertilization in a dose-dependent manner, the reduced and alkylated receptor was inactive. Second, we tested the ability of the isolated receptor to mediate binding of acrosome-reacted sperm to polystyrene beads. Whereas beads coated with native receptor bound sperm, those containing reduced and alkylated receptor did not. Thus, these results demonstrate that the biologically active form of the sea urchin sperm receptor consists only of 350 kD subunits and that these must be linked as a multimer via disulfide bonds to produce a complex that is functional in sperm recognition and binding.

The role of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in the molecular pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies

The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex is considered to be a major trans-sarcolemmal structure which provides a linkage between the subsarcolemmal actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix component laminin. Recently, deficiency of the dystrophin-associated proteins has been shown to play an important role in the molecular pathogenesis of several forms of muscular dystrophy. These include Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), symptomatic DMD carriers, Becker muscular dystrophy and severe childhood autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy with DMD-like phenotype prevalent in North Africa. In Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD), the finding of abnormal expression of the dystrophin-associated proteins may provide a clue to its molecular pathogenesis. These recent findings indicate that the linkage between the subsarcolemmal cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix via the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex is critical for maintaining the integrity of muscle cell function.

The sea urchin egg receptor for sperm: isolation and characterization of the intact, biologically active receptor

The species-specific binding of sea urchin sperm to the egg is mediated by an egg cell surface receptor. Although earlier studies have resulted in the cloning and sequencing of the receptor, structure/function studies require knowledge of the structure of the mature cell surface protein. In this study, we report the purification of this glycoprotein to homogeneity from a cell surface complex of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs using lectin and ion exchange chromatography. Based on the yield of receptor it can be calculated that each egg contains approximately 1.25 x 10(6) receptor molecules on its surface. The receptor, which has an apparent M(r) of 350 kD, is a highly glycosylated transmembrane protein composed of approximately 70% carbohydrate. Because earlier studies on the partially purified receptor and on a pure, extracellular fragment of the receptor indicated that the carbohydrate chains were important in sperm binding, we undertook compositional analysis of the carbohydrate in the intact receptor. These analyses and lectin binding studies revealed that the oligosaccharide chains of the receptor are sulfated and that both N- and O-linked chains are present. Functional analyses revealed that the purified receptor retained biological activity; it inhibited fertilization in a species-specific and dose-dependent manner, and polystyrene beads coated with it bound to acrosome-reacted sperm in a species-specific manner. The availability of biochemical quantities of this novel cell recognition molecule opens new avenues to studying the interaction of complementary cell surface ligands in fertilization.

Disruption of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in the cardiomyopathic hamster

Cardiomyopathies are a diverse group of primary cardiac diseases, most of which have a poorly understood etiology. One type of hereditary cardiomyopathy is caused by defects in the dystrophin gene in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients. Our laboratory has identified a complex of dystrophin-associated proteins in skeletal and cardiac muscle which span the sarcolemma, linking the subsarcolemmal cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. The absence of dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients leads to the loss of dystrophin-associated proteins in both skeletal and cardiac muscle, suggesting that a primary loss of one or more dystrophin-associated proteins might lead to other forms of cardiomyopathy. Here we report the specific deficiency of the 50-kDa dystrophin-associated glycoprotein in cardiac and skeletal muscles of the BIO 14.6 strain of cardiomyopathic hamsters, which experience both autosomal recessive cardiomyopathy and myopathy. Other dystrophin-associated proteins are well preserved in myopathic hamster skeletal muscle, but the link between dystrophin and dystroglycan is disrupted. All dystrophin-associated proteins are decreased in abundance in the cardiomyopathic hamster heart, perhaps explaining why the cardiomyopathy is more severe than the myopathy. Thus, the disruption of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex may play a role in skeletal and cardiac myocyte necrosis of the cardiomyopathic hamster.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy: deficiency of dystrophin-associated proteins in the sarcolemma

Dystrophin, the protein product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene, is a major component of the subsarcolemmal cytoskeleton and exists in a large oligomeric complex tightly associated with several sarcolemmal glycoproteins which provide a linkage to the extracellular matrix protein, laminin. In the present study, we investigated the status of the dystrophin-associated proteins in the skeletal muscle from 17 DMD patients of various ages. The results revealed a dramatic reduction in all of the dystrophin-associated proteins in the sarcolemma of DMD muscle compared with normal muscle and muscle from a variety of other neuromuscular diseases. This abnormality was common in all 17 DMD patients, irrespective of age. Our results indicate that the absence of dystrophin leads to the loss in all of the dystrophin-associated proteins, which renders DMD muscle fibers susceptible to necrosis. The analysis of dystrophin-associated proteins is important in the assessment of experimental therapies that attempt to replace dystrophin in DMD muscle.