Dyspedic mouse skeletal muscle expresses major elements of the triadic junction but lacks detectable ryanodine receptor protein and function

The ry1(53) dyspedic mouse contains two disrupted alleles for ryanodine receptor type 1 (skeletal isoform of ryanodine receptor; Ry1R) resulting in perinatal death. In the present study, whole skeletal muscle homogenates and sucrose gradient-purified junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum from neonatal wild-type and dyspedic mice were assayed for biochemical and functional markers. Equilibrium binding experiments performed with 1-120 nM [3H]ryanodine reveal saturable high and low affinity binding to membrane preparations from wild-type mice, but not to preparations from dyspedic mice. Binding experiments performed with [3H]PN200 show a 2-fold reduction in [3H]PN200 binding capacity in dyspedic muscle, compared to age-matched wild-type muscle, with no change in receptor affinity. The presence or absence of proteins known to be critical for normal ryanodine receptor/Ca2+ channel complex function was assessed by Western blot analysis. Results indicate that FKBP-12, DHPRalpha1, triadin, calsequestrin, SERCA1 (sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase), and skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain are present in both dyspedic and wild-type muscle. Only wild-type membranes showed immunoreactivity toward Ry1R antibody. Neither dyspedic nor wild-type mouse muscle showed detectable immunoreactivity toward Ry2R or Ry3R antibodies, even after sucrose gradient purification of sarcoplasmic reticulum. These results indicate that proteins critical for ryanodine receptor function are expressed in dyspedic skeletal muscle in the absence of Ry1R. Ca2+ transport measurements show that membranes from wild-type controls, but not dyspedic mice, release Ca2+ upon exposure to ryanodine. Dyspedic mice and cells derived from them serve as excellent homologous expression systems in which to study how Ry1R structure relates to function.

Bastadins relate ryanodine-sensitive and -insensitive Ca2+ efflux pathways in skeletal SR and BC3H1 cells

Bastadins potently interact with the FK-506-binding protein of 12 kDa (FKBP12)-ryanodine receptor (Ry1R) complex in skeletal muscle to enhance a high-affinity ryanodine binding conformation (M. M. Mack, T. F. Molinski, E. D. Buck, and I. N. Pessah. J. Biol. Chem. 269: 23236-23249, 1994). Bastadins are used to examine the relationship between ryanodine-sensitive and ryanodine-insensitive Ca2+ efflux pathways that coexist in junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles from rabbit skeletal muscle and differentiated BC3H1 cells. Complete block of caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ channels with micromolar ryanodine or ruthenium red does not alter the steady-state loading capacity of SR. Inhibition of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) pumps with thapsigargin unmasks a ryanodine- and ruthenium red-insensitive Ca2+ efflux pathway. Bastadin 5 alone does not inhibit Ca2+ efflux unmasked by inhibition of SERCA pumps, but, in combination with blocking concentrations of ryanodine or ruthenium red, it eliminates the ryanodine-insensitive Ca2+ "leak" and enhances steady-state loading capacity of SR vesicles approximately 2.5-fold. These actions of bastadins occur in the same concentration range that enhances the number of high-affinity binding sites for [3H]ryanodine (50% effective concentration of approximately 2 microM). Similar effects on SR Ca2+ transport are found with FK-506 and ryanodine in combination. Block of Ry1R in intact BC3H1 cells with ryanodine does not eliminate the prominent Ca2+ leak unmasked by thapsigargin. A membrane-permeant mixture of bastadins in combination with ryanodine nearly eliminates the Ca2+ leak unmasked by thapsigargin, even though the Ca2+ stores are replete. The requirement of both a known Ry1R blocker and bastadins in combination provides a pharmacological link between ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ channels and ryanodine-insensitive leak pathways in isolated junctional SR and BC3H1 cells. Together, these results strongly suggest that bastadins, through their modulatory actions on the FKBP12-Ry1R complex, convert ryanodine-insensitive leak states into ryanodine-sensitive channels that recognize [3H]ryanodine with high affinity.

Ryanodine receptor type III (Ry3R) identification in mouse parotid acini. Properties and modulation of [3H]ryanodine-binding sites

Immunoblot analysis and [3H]ryanodine binding were used to characterize and identify ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in nonexcitable mouse parotid acini. Western analysis revealed ryanodine receptor type III (Ry3R) to be the only detectable isoform in parotid microsomal membranes. Binding of [3H]ryanodine to microsomal fractions was dependent on Ca2+, salt, pH, and temperature. At 23 degrees C, and in the presence of 0.5 M KCl and 100 microM Ca2+, [3H]ryanodine bound specifically to membranes with high affinity (Kd = 6 nM); maximum binding capacity (Bmax) was 275 fmol/mg protein. Mg2+ and ruthenium red inhibited [3H]ryanodine binding (IC50 = 1.4 mM and 0.5 microM, respectively). 4-Chloro-3-ethylphenol enhanced the binding of [3H]ryanodine 2.5-fold; whereas ATP and caffeine were much less efficacious toward activating Ry3R (56% and 18% maximal enhancement, respectively). Bastadin, a novel modulator of the 12-kDa FK506 binding protein.RyR complex, increased [3H]ryanodine binding 3-4-fold by enhancing Kd. The immunosuppressant FK506 enhanced [3H]ryanodine receptor occupancy at >100 microM and antagonized the action of bastadin, suggesting that an immunophilin modulates Ry3R in parotid acini. These results suggest that Ry3R may play an important role in Ca2+ homeostasis in mouse parotid acini.

Mechanisms of delta-hexachlorocyclohexane toxicity: II. Evidence for Ca2+-dependent K+-selective ionophore activity

delta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (delta-HCH) interacts with cardiac ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ channels (RyR2), accounting in part for altered Ca2+ transients and contractility (reported in companion report). Analysis of channel gating kinetics in the presence of delta-HCH also revealed a nonfluctuating membrane current that remained even after RyR2 channels were blocked. We further elucidated the nature of a direct interaction between delta-HCH and biological membranes by measuring ionic currents across planar lipid bilayers made from defined lipids lacking cellular protein using voltage-clamp. Dimethyl sulfoxide, in the presence or absence of 50 microM gamma-HCH (lindane) or delta-HCH, produced negligible steady-state current with symmetric 100 mM CsCl in the range of +/-50 mV. However, the addition of 50 microM Ca2+ to the bilayer chamber in the presence of delta-HCH induced a profound increase in ionic permeability that was not seen in the presence of gamma-HCH or dimethyl sulfoxide control. Significantly, the permeability increase 1) was proportional with increasing Ca2+ to approximately 600 microM and saturated between 1 and 2 mM Ca2+ regardless of holding potential, 2) occurred only when delta-HCH and Ca2+ were added to the same side of the membrane, and 3) was independent of the order of addition or of the side of the membrane to which delta-HCH and Ca2+ was added. The Ca2+-dependent current produced by delta-HCH was highly selective for monovalent cations (K+ >> Cs+ > Na+), with negligible conductance for Ca2+ or Cl-. In symmetric 100 mM K+, the conductance induced with 50 microM concentration each of delta-HCH and Ca2+ was 4.25 pA/mV. The results show that delta-HCH increases the ionic permeability of phospholipid membranes by two distinct Ca2+-dependent mechanisms: one mediated through RyR and the other mediated by a unique ionophore activity.

Mechanisms of delta-hexachlorocyclohexane toxicity: I. Relationship between altered ventricular myocyte contractility and ryanodine receptor function

Several isomers of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) have been shown to be toxic to mammals. Previous studies have revealed that the delta isomer (delta-HCH) was particularly potent toward disrupting Ca2+ homeostasis in a variety of excitable and nonexcitable cells and altering contractility of cardiac muscle. The effects of the delta and gamma isomers of HCH were further investigated on isolated ventricular myocytes from guinea pig and on single cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) Ca2+-release channels from cardiac SR vesicles. Intracellular Ca2+ transients were examined in electrically stimulated cells using the fluorescent dye indo-1, and twitch contractions of myocytes were analyzed using a video-based edge motion detection system. Exposure of myocytes to delta- but not gamma-HCH depressed the peak of intracellular Ca2+ transients and prolonged recovery time. These effects were correlated with the ability of delta-HCH to inhibit the binding of [3H]ryanodine, a conformationally sensitive probe for RyR2 function, to SR preparations (IC50 = 2 and 18 microM for high- and low-affinity interactions, respectively). Measurements of single-channel gating kinetics under voltage-clamp provided direct evidence of a potent isoform-selective activation of RyR2 by delta-HCH. Results from these studies revealed that delta-HCH alters Ca2+ homeostasis and contractility in cardiac myocytes and that the mechanism can be ascribed, at least in part, to a direct interaction with the RyR2 channel complex.

Novel modulators of skeletal muscle FKBP12/calcium channel complex from Ianthella basta. Role of FKBP12 in channel gating

Macrocyclic natural products derived from bromotyrosine isolated from the sponge Ianthella basta are shown to selectively modulate the skeletal isoform of the ryanodine-sensitive sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium channel by a novel mechanism involving the FKBP12/RyR-1 complex. Bastadins 5, 7, and the newly identified isomer of bastadin 5, bastadin 19, show marked differences in potency and efficacy toward activation of the binding of [3H]ryanodine. In physiological salt, bastadin 5 (5 microM) increases the [3H]ryanodine binding capacity of SR membranes 5-fold, by stabilizing the high affinity conformation of RyR-1 for ryanodine without shifting the affinity of the activator site for Ca2+ or altering the response to caffeine or adenine nucleotides. Bastadin 5 decreases the inhibitory potency of Mg2+ 8-fold and high (> 100 microM) Ca2+ 5-fold. Bastadin 5 inhibits Ca2+ uptake into SR vesicles and enhances Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release 8-fold. Bastadin 5 increases single-channel open dwell time, tau 1 and tau 2, 65- and 92-fold, respectively, without changing unitary conductance for Cs+ (450 picosiemans) or open probability. Most significant is the finding that the unique actions of bastadin 5 on [3H]ryanodine binding and Ca2+ transport are antagonized by the immunosuppressant FK506. FK506 alone weakly enhances the binding of [3H]ryanodine, compared to bastadin 5. However, FK506 diminishes bastadin 5-induced changes in [3H]ryanodine binding and Ca2+ transport without altering the efficacy of adenine nucleotides. Unlike FK506, bastadin 5 does not directly promote the dissociation of FKBP12 from the RyR-1 membrane complex; however, it markedly enhances the release of FKBP12 induced by FK506. These results suggest that the bastadin 5 effector site is a novel modulatory domain on FKBP12. Bastadins represent a new class of compounds to gain insight into the functional interactions between FKBP12 and RyR-1.

Ferrochelatase deficiency in an infant with anemia and growth delay

A 5-month-old infant with hypochromic anemia and iron overload secondary to ferrochelatase (heme synthetase) deficiency is described. Decreased activity of iron-containing enzymes in the absence of any other proven cause is suggested as the main cause of the associated growth retardation.