Effects of monovalent cations on Ca uptake by skeletal and cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

Ca²⁺ transport by the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase (SERCA) is sensitive to monovalent cations. Possible K⁺ binding sites have been identified in both the cytoplasmic P-domain and the transmembrane transport-domain of the protein. We measured Ca²⁺ transport into SR vesicles and SERCA ATPase activity in the presence of different monovalent cations. We found that the effects of monovalent cations on Ca²⁺ transport correlated in most cases with their direct effects on SERCA. Choline⁺, however, inhibited uptake to a greater extent than could be accounted for by its direct effect on SERCA suggesting a possible effect of choline on compensatory charge movement during Ca²⁺ transport. Of the monovalent cations tested, only Cs⁺ significantly affected the Hill coefficient of Ca²⁺ transport (n_H). An increase in n_H from ∼2 in K⁺ to ∼3 in Cs⁺ was seen in all of the forms of SERCA examined. The effects of Cs⁺ on the maximum velocity of Ca²⁺ uptake were also different for different forms of SERCA but these differences could not be attributed to differences in the putative K⁺ binding sites of the different forms of the protein.     

Oxidative stress leads to inhibition of calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum in skeletal muscle

Iron administration results in the development of oxidative stress in skeletal muscles, as evidenced by increases in amounts of lipid oxidation fluorescent end products, decreases in vitamin E concentration, and inhibition of calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum. Exhaustive physical loading or hyperoxia, or their combination, does not lead to apparent modification in calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum in skeletal muscle homogenates. However, physical loading or hyperoxia does in fact induce oxidative stress since they magnify the effect of iron loading on the inhibition of calcium transport.     

Lysophospholipid-mediated alterations in the calcium transport systems of skeletal and cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

Summary The effects of various lysophospholipids on the calcium transport activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) from rabbit skeletal and canine cardiac muscles were examined. The lipids decreased calcium transport activity in both membrane types; the effectiveness being in the order lysoPC > lsyoPS, lysoPG > lysoPE. The maximum inhibition induced by lysoPC, lysoPG and lysoPS was greater than 85% of the normal Ca²⁺-transport rate. In cardiac SR lysoPE had a maximal inhibition of about 50%. Half maximal inhibition of calcium transport by lysoPC was achieved at 110 nmoles lysoPC/mg SR. At this concentration of lysoPC, the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)-ATPase and Ca²⁺-uptake activities were inhibited to the same extent (about 60%) in skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum, while in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum, there was less than 20% inhibition of the Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺-ATPase activity. Studies with EGTA-induced passive calcium efflux showed that up to 200 nmoles lysoPC/mg SR did not alter calcium permeability significantly in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. In skeletal muscle membranes the lysophospholipid mediated decrease in calcium uptake correlated well with the increase in passive calcium efflux due to lysophosphatidylcholine. The difference in the lysophospholipid-induced effects on the sarcoplasmic reticulum from the two muscle types probably reflects variations in protein and other membrane components related to the respective calcium transport systems.     

Photooxidation of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum induces rapid calcium release.

The photooxidizing xanthene dye rose bengal is shown to induce rapid Ca2+ release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles. In the presence of light, nanomolar concentrations of rose bengal increase the Ca2+ permeability of the SR and stimulate the production of singlet oxygen (1O2). In the absence of light, no 1O2 production is measured. Under these conditions, higher concentrations of rose bengal (micromolar) are required to stimulate Ca2+ release. Furthermore, removal of oxygen from the release medium results in marked inhibition of the light-dependent reaction rate. Rose bengal-induced Ca2+ release is relatively insensitive to Mg2+. At nanomolar concentrations, rose bengal inhibits [3H]ryanodine binding to its receptor. beta,gamma-Methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate, a nonhydrolyzable analog of ATP, inhibits rose bengal-induced Ca2+ release and prevents rose bengal inhibition of [3H]ryanodine binding. Ethoxyformic anhydride, a histidine modifying reagent, at millimolar concentrations induces Ca2+ release from SR vesicles in a manner similar to that of rose bengal. The molecular mechanism underlying rose bengal modification of the Ca2+ release system of the SR appears to involve a modification of a histidyl residue associated with the Ca2+ release protein from SR. The light-dependent reaction appears to be mediated by singlet oxygen.     

Cyclic AMP modulation of calcium accumulation by sarcoplasmic reticulum from fast skeletal muscle.

The role of cyclic 3',5'-AMP in modulating sarcoplasmic reticulum from fast skeletal muscle was studied. The rate of Ca2+ uptake was stimulated in the presence of protein kinase plus 1 micron cyclic AMP. The stimulation was absent when denatured protein kinase was used. When an adenylate cyclase inhibitor was added, the uptake rates fell to 55% of control. This decrease in rate was partially overcome by 1 micron cyclic AMP. A modulating role for cyclic AMP in fast skeletal muscle is proposed.     

Drug-induced calcium release from heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle

Calcium release from isolated heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle by several calmodulin antagonistic drugs was measured spectrophotometrically with arsenazo III and compared with the properties of the caffeine-induced calcium release. Trifluoperazine and W7 (about 500 microM) released all actively accumulated calcium (half-maximum release at 129 microM and 98 microM, respectively) in the presence 0.5 mM MgCl2 and 1 mg/ml sarcoplasmic reticulum protein; calmidazolium (100 microM) and compound 48/80 (70 micrograms/ml) released maximally 30-40% calcium, whilst bepridil (100 microM) and felodipin (50 microM) with calmodulin antagonistic strength similar to trifluoperazine (determined by inhibition of the calcium, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum) did not cause a detectable calcium release, indicating that this drug-induced calcium release is not due to the calmodulin antagonistic properties of the tested drugs. Calcium release of trifluoperazine, W7 and compound 48/80 and that of caffeine was inhibited by similar concentrations of magnesium (half-inhibition 1.4-4.2 mM compared with 0.97 mM for caffeine) and ruthenium red (half-inhibition for trifluoperazine, W7 and compound 48/80 was 0.22 microM, 0.08 microM and 0.63 micrograms/ml, respectively, compared with 0.13 microM for caffeine), suggesting that this drug-induced calcium release occurs via the calcium-gated calcium channel of sarcoplasmic reticulum stimulated by caffeine or channels with similar properties.     

Mechanism of anthraquinone-induced calcium release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

The anthraquinones, doxorubicin, mitoxantrone, daunorubicin and rubidazone are shown to be potent stimulators of Ca2+ release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and to trigger transient contractions in chemically skinned psoas muscle fibers. These effects of anthraquinones are the direct consequence of their specific interaction with the [3H] ryanodine receptor complex, which constitutes the Ca2+ release channel from the triadic junction. In the presence of adenine nucleotides and physiological Mg2+ concentrations (approximately 1.0 mM), channel activation by doxorubicin and daunorubicin exhibits a sharp dependence on submicromolar Ca2+ which is accompanied by a selective, dose-dependent increase in the apparent affinity of the ryanodine binding sites for Ca2+, in a manner similar to that previously reported with caffeine. Unlike caffeine, however, anthraquinones increase [3H]ryanodine receptor occupancy to the level observed in the presence of adenine nucleotides. A strong interaction between the anthraquinone and the caffeine binding sites on the Ca2+ release channel is also observed when monitoring Ca2+ fluxes across the SR. Millimolar caffeine both inhibits anthraquinone-stimulated Ca2+ release, and reduces anthraquinone-stimulated [3H]ryanodine receptor occupancy, without changing the effective binding constant of the anthraquinone for its binding site. The degree of cooperativity for daunorubicin activation of Ca2+ release from SR also increases in the presence of caffeine. These results demonstrate that the mechanism by which anthraquinones stimulate Ca2+ release is caused by a direct interaction with the [3H]ryanodine receptor complex, and by sensitization of the Ca2+ activator site for Ca2+.     

Activation of calcium channels in sarcoplasmic reticulum from frog muscle by nanomolar concentrations of ryanodine.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated from fast-twitch frog skeletal muscle presented two classes of binding sites for ryanodine, one of high affinity (Kd1 = 1.7 nM, Bmax1 = 3.3 pmol per mg) and a second class with lower affinity (Kd2 = 90 nM, Bmax2 = 7.0 pmol per milligram). The calcium channels present in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes were studied in vesicles fused into lipid bilayers. Low concentrations of ryanodine (5 to 10 nM) activated a large conductance calcium channel after a short delay (5 to 10 min). The activation, which could be elicited from conditions of high or low fractional open time, was characterized by an increase in channel fractional open time without a change in conductance. The open and closed dwell time distributions were fitted with the sum of two exponentials in the range of 4 to 800 ms. The activating effect of ryanodine was due to an increase of both open time constants and a concomitant decrease in the closed time constants. Under conditions of low fractional open time (less than 0.1), the time spent in long closed periods (greater than 800 ms) between bursts was not affected by ryanodine. Higher concentrations of ryanodine (250 nM) locked the channel in a lower conductance level (approximately 40%) with a fractional open time near unity. These results suggest that the activating effects of nanomolar concentrations of ryanodine may arise from drug binding to high affinity sites. The expression of the lower conductance state obtained with higher concentrations of ryanodine may be associated with the low affinity binding sites observed in frog sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Cyclic AMP modulation of calcium accumulation by sarcoplasmic reticulum from fast skeletal muscle

The role of cyclic 3′,5?AMP in modulating sarcoplasmic reticulum from fast skeletal muscle was studied. The rate of Ca²⁺ uptake was stimulated in the presence of protein kinase plus 1 μM cyclic AMP. The stimulation was absent when denatured protein kinase was used. When an adenylate cyclase inhibitor was added, the uptake rates fell to 55% of control. This decrease in rate was partially overcome by 1 μM cyclic AMP. A modulating role for cyclic AMP in fast skeletal muscle is proposed.     

Effects of beta-bungarotoxin on calcium uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

A fluorescent chelate probe and a Millipore filtration technique have been used to study the effects of β-bungarotoxin (β-toxin) on passive and active Ca⁺⁺ uptake and ATPase in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit skeletal muscle. β-Toxin at 3 × 10^?6 M did not affect ATPase activity. In the absence of ATP, β-Toxin increased the passive uptake of Ca⁺⁺; in the presence of ATP, active Ca⁺⁺ uptake was inhibited. The effect of β-toxin in SR can be detected at concentrations as low as 10^?9 M. The results suggest that β-toxin induces Ca⁺⁺ leakage in SR membranes.     

Ethanol increases calcium permeability of heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle

The effects of ethanol on both Ca2+ pump activity and Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit skeletal muscle were studied. In concentrations of 0.1-1.0%, ethanol conspicuously enhanced Ca2+ release from the heavy fraction of SR, whereas a much smaller effect was noted in the light fraction. When Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release was inhibited by 10 mM Mg2+, the Ca2+ pump activities of both the heavy and light SR were the same; the activities were not significantly influenced by 1% ethanol. Ethanol itself did not release Ca2+ from the heavy SR. However, it appeared to render the heavy SR more permeable to Ca2+, thereby decreasing the amount of storable Ca2+. This action of ethanol may be related to the mechanism of its negative inotropic effect.     

Target size of calcium pump protein from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

The oligomeric size of calcium pump protein (CPP) in fast skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane was determined using target theory analysis of radiation inactivation data. There was a parallel decrease of Ca2+-ATPase and calcium pumping activities with increasing radiation dose. The loss of staining intensity of the CPP band, observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, also correlated directly with the loss of activity. The target size molecular weight of the CPP in the normal sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane ranged between 210,000 and 250,000, which is consistent with a dimeric structure. Essentially the same size is obtained for the non-phosphorylated CPP or for the phosphoenzyme form generated from either ATP (E1 state) or inorganic phosphate (E2 state). Hence, the oligomeric state of the pump does not appear to change during the catalytic cycle. Similar results were obtained with reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane vesicles with different lipid to protein ratios. We conclude that the CPP is a dimer in both native and reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. The target size of the calcium-binding protein (calsequestrin) was found to be 50,000 daltons, approximating a monomer.     

Quercetin stimulation of calcium release from rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

To elucidate the mechnism by which quercetin enhances the rate of tension development in skinned muscle fibers, effects on calcium release from longitudinal tubule-derived SR (LSR) after phosphate-supported calcium uptake were examined. In all studies, 100 μM quercetin (which inhibits initial calcium uptake velocity 85%) was added at or shortly after the time calcium content reached a maximum at various extravesicular Ca²⁺ concentrations (Ca_o). At moderate Ca_o (0.2–1.0 μM). where spontaneous calcium release rate depended on Ca_o, quercetin caused a marked stimulation of calcium release. This was accompanied by a 60% reduction in calcium influx and a 30-fold increase in calcium efflux. Thus, the previously reported quercetin-induced increase in the rate of tension development by skinned muscle fibers may result, at least in part, from sensitization of Ca²⁺-triggered calcium release to lower Ca_o.     

Time course of activation of calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum in skeletal muscle.

Myoplasmic free calcium transients were measured with antipyrylazo III in voltage clamped segments of frog skeletal muscle fibers and were used to calculate the rate of release (Rrel) of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Intramembrane charge movement was measured for the same pulses in the same fibers. During a depolarizing pulse Rrel rose to an early peak and then decayed relatively rapidly but incompletely due to calcium-dependent inactivation (Schneider M.F., and B.J. Simon. 1988. J. Physiol. (Lond.). 405:727-745). Two approaches were used to determine release activation independent of the effects of inactivation: (a) a mathematical correction based on the assumption that inactivation was a process occurring in parallel with and independently of activation; (b) an experimental procedure in which release was maximally inactivated by a large short prepulse and then the remaining noninactivatable component of release was monitored during a subsequent test pulse. Both procedures gave the same time course of activation of release. Release activation paralleled the time course of intramembrane charge movement but was delayed by a few milliseconds.     

Interaction of valinomycin and monovalent cations with the (Ca2+,Mg2+)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

The interactions of monovalent cations and of the K+-specific ionophore, valinomycin, with the Ca2+-ATPase of skeletal muscle of sarcoplasmic reticulum have been studied in the absence of cation gradients by their effects on enzyme turnover and on the ATP plus Ca2+-dependent enhanced fluorescence of the ATP analogue, 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrocyclohexyldienylidine)-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (TNP-ATP) (Watanabe, T., and Inesi, G. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 11510-11516). Monovalent cations decreased turnover-dependent TNP-ATP fluorescence in the series K+ greater than Rb+ approximately equal to Cs+ greater than Na+ greater than Li+ (K0.5 = 49, 73, 75, 94, and 246 mM, respectively), consistent with the known specificity of the monovalent cation binding site that stimulates turnover and E-P hydrolysis. Valinomycin (200 nmol/mg), in the absence of monovalent cations, decreased ATPase activity by 30% and abolished the stimulatory effects of 150 mM KCl or NaCl on turnover. The ionophore alone enhanced TNP-ATP fluorescence by 20% and altered the specificity and affinity of the site that inhibited TNP-ATP fluorescence to Cs+ greater than Rb+ greater than K+ approximately equal to Na+ greater than Li+ (K0.5 = 79, 111, 134, 136, and 270 mM, respectively), which follows the Hofmeister series for effectiveness of monovalent lyotropic cations. TNP-ATP binding was not affected by either monovalent cations or valinomycin. Inhibition of turnover-dependent TNP-ATP fluorescence appears to be a useful parameter for monitoring monovalent cation binding to the Ca2+-ATPase. It is concluded that the ionophore interacts directly with the Ca2+-ATPase, independent of its K+ conductance effects on the lipid bilayer, and modifies the affinity and specificity of the monovalent cation site, either by direct interaction or by the formation of a valinomycin-monovalent cation-enzyme complex.     

Calcium-gated calcium channels in sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skinned skeletal muscle fibers

The action of ruthenium red (RR) on Ca2+ loading by and Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of chemically skinned skeletal muscle fibers of the rabbit was investigated. Ca2+ loading, in the presence of the precipitating anion pyrophosphate, was monitored by a light-scattering method. Ca2+ release was indirectly measured by following tension development evoked by caffeine. Stimulation of the Ca2+ loading rate by 5 microM RR was dependent on free Ca2+, being maximal at pCa 5.56. Isometric force development induced by 5 mM caffeine was reversibly antagonized by RR. IC50 for the rate of tension rise was 0.5 microM; that for the extent of tension was 4 microM. RR slightly shifted the steady state isometric force/pCa curve toward lower pCa values. At 5 microM RR, the pCa required for half-maximal force was 0.2 log units lower than that of the control, and maximal force was depressed by approximately 16%. These results suggest that RR inhibited Ca2+ release from the SR and stimulated Ca2+ loading into the SR by closing Ca2+-gated Ca2+ channels. Previous studies on isolated SR have indicated the selective presence of such channels in junctional terminal cisternae.     

Hypochlorous acid modifies calcium release channel function from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We have previously demonstrated that H2O2 at millimolar concentrations induces Ca(2+) release from actively loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and induces biphasic [(3)H]ryanodine binding behavior. Considering that hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a related free radical and has been demonstrated to be a more effective oxidant of proteins, we evaluated the effects of HOCl on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-channel release mechanism. In a concentration-dependent manner, HOCl activates the SR Ca(2+) release channel and induces rapid release of Ca from actively loaded vesicles. HOCl-induced Ca(2+) release is inhibited in the presence of millimolar concentrations of DMSO. High-affinity [(3)H]ryanodine binding is also enhanced at concentrations from 10 to 100 microM. At HOCl concentrations of >100 microM, equilibrium binding is inhibited. HOCl stimulation of binding is inhibited by the addition of dithiothreitol. The direct interaction between HOCl and the Ca(2+) release mechanism was further demonstrated in single-channel reconstitution experiments. HOCl, at 20 microM, activated the Ca(2+) release channel after fusion of a SR vesicle to a bilayer lipid membrane. At 40 microM, Ca(2+)-channel activity was inhibited. Pretreatment of SR vesicles with HOCl inhibited the fluorescence development of a fluorogenic probe specific to thiol groups critical to channel function. These results suggest that HOCl at micromolar concentrations can modify SR Ca(2+) handling.     

Ryanodine receptor channel-dependent glutathione transport in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle

We found that glutathione transport across endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes correlates with the abundance of ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1). The transport was the fastest in muscle terminal cisternae, fast in muscle microsomes and slow in liver, heart, and brain microsomes. Glutathione influx could be inhibited by RyR1 blockers and the inhibitory effect was counteracted by RyR1 agonists. The effect of blockers was specific to glutathione, as the transport of other small molecules was not hindered. Therefore, the glutathione transport activity seems to be associated with RyR1 in sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Calcium transport ATPase of canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. A comparison with that of rabbit fast skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

To define the mechanism responsible for the slow rate of calcium transport by cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum, the kinetic properties of the Ca2+-dependent ATPase of canine cardiac microsomes were characterized and compared with those of a comparable preparation from rabbit fast skeletal muscle. A phosphoprotein intermediate (E approximately P), which has the stability characteristics of an acyl phosphate, is formed during ATP hydrolysis by cardiac microsomes. Ca2+ is required for the E approximately P formation, and Mg2+ accelerates its decomposition. The Ca2+ concentration required for half-maximal activation of the ATPase is 4.7 +/- 0.2 muM for cardiac microsomes and 1.3 +/- 0.1 muM for skeletal microsomes at pH 6.8 and 0 degrees. The ATPase activities at saturating concentrations of ionized Ca2+ and pH 6.8, expressed as ATP hydrolysis per mg of protein, are 3 to 6 times lower for cardiac microsomes than for skeletal microsomes under a variety of conditions tested. The apparent Km value for MgATP at high concentrations in the presence of saturating concentrations of ionized Ca2+ is 0.18 +/- 0.03 ms at pH 6.8 and 25 degrees. The maximum velocity of ATPase activity under these conditions is 0.45 +/- 0.05 mumol per mg per min for cardiac microsomes and 1.60 +/- 0.05 mumol per mg per min for skeletal microsomes. The maximum steady state level of E approximately P for cardiac microsomes, 1.3 +/- 0.1 nmol per mg, is significantly less than the value of 4.9 +/- 0.2 nmol per mg for skeletal microsomes, so that the turnover number of the Ca2+-dependent ATPase of cardiac microsomes, calculated as the ratio of ATPase activity to the E approximately P level is similar to that of the skeletal ATPase. These findings indicate that the relatively slow rate of calcium transport by cardiac microsomes, whem compared to that of skeletal microsomes, reflects a lower density of calcium pumping sites and lower Ca2+ affinity for these sites, rather than a lower turnover rate.