Energy-dependent calcium uptake activity of microsomes from the aorta of normal and hypertensive rats.

Energy-dependent calcium uptake activity of microsomes isolated from the rat aorta has been characterized. The microsomes consist of smooth membrane vesicles which in the presence of MG-ATP as an energy source continuously sequester calcium over a 60-min period. This calcium uptake is greatly stimulated by oxalate anion which serves as a calcium trapping agent. Unlike the calcium uptake of mitochondria this uptake is not inhibited by sodium azide. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the microsomal calcium uptake suggests that the system is associated with the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In presence of 5 mM Mg-ATP and 20 muM calcium approximately 38 nmol of calcium per mg of microsomal protein are taken up in 20 min. In the absence of ATP, less than 2 nmol of calcium per mg of protein are taken up in the first 2 min with no further uptake of calcium in subsequent time periods. When calcium uptake activity is plotted against calcium or ATP concentration of the medium, half maximal activity is calculated for 24.3 muM calcium and for 1.6 mM ATP. The calcium uptake characteristics of the rat aorta microsomes are compatible with a postulated role in the relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle and the provision of an intracellular calcium store for muscle contraction. Aorta microsomes from SHR rats (a genetic strain that is spontaneously hypertensive) have a significantly reduced uptake when compared with the corresponding nonhypertensive control strain. The level of calcium and ATP for half maximal activity of the rat aorta microsomal calcium uptake system is approximately the same in the SHR and the control strain. The rate of release of calcium from rat aorta microsomes is apparently identical in SHR strain and control. The calcium uptake activity of kidney and liver microsomes isolated from the SHR strain and control. The calcium uptake activity of kidney and liver microsomes isolated from the SHR rat appears to be identical to that found in the control strain.     

Energy-dependent calcium uptake activity of microsomes from the aorta of normal and hypertensive rats

Energy-dependent calcium uptake activity of microsomes isolated from the rat aorta has been characterized. The microsomes consist of smooth membrane vesicles which in the presence of Mg · ATP as an energy source continuously sequester calcium over a 60-min period. This calcium uptake is greatly stimulated by oxalate anion which serves as a calcium trapping agent. Unlike the calcium uptake of miltochondria this uptake is not inhibited by sodium azide. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the microsomal calcium uptake suggests that the system is associated with the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In presence of 5 mM Mg · ATP and 20μM calcium approximately 38 nmol of calcium per mg of microsormal protein are taken up in 20 min. In the absence of ATP, less than 2 nmol of calcium per mg of protein are taken up in the first 2 min. with no further uptake of calcium in subsequent time periods. When calcium uptake activity is plotted against calcium or ATP concentration of the medium, half maximal activity is calculated for 24.3 μM calcium and for 1.6 mM ATP. The calcium uptake characteristics of the rat aorta microsomes are compatible with a postulated role in the relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle and the provision of an intracellular calcium store for muscle contraction.Aorta microsomes from SHR rats (a genetic strain that is spontaneously hypertensive) have a significantly reduced calcium uptake when compared with the corresponding nonhypertensive control strain. The level of calcium and ATP for half maximal activity of the rat aorta microsomal calcium uptake system is approximately the same in the SHR and the control strain. The rate of release of calcium from rat aorta microsomes is apparently identical in SHR strain and control. The calcium uptake activity of kidney and liver microsomes isolated from the SHR rat appears to be identical to that found in the control strain.Rats were treated with the steroid deoxycorticosterone acetate for ten and thirty days to induce hypertension. After ten days of deoxycorticosterone acetate although hypertension is present, there is no change in calcium uptake activity of aorta microsomes, renal microsomes or renal plasma membranes. After 30 days of deoxycorticosterone acetate treatment calcium uptake activity of renal microsomes is reduced. A variable decrease in calcium uptake activity is observed with aorta microsomes. Renal plasma membrane calcium uptake remains unchanged.     

Calcium transport and phosphorylated intermediate of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in plasma membranes of rat liver

We have identified and characterized calcium transport and the phosphorylated intermediate of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in plasma membrane vesicles prepared from rat liver. The calcium transport did not absolutely require the presence of oxalate and was completely inhibited by 1 microM of ionophore A23187. Oxalate, which serves as a trapping agent in calcium uptake of skeletal muscle and liver microsomes, was not absolutely required to maintain the net accumulation of calcium. The Vmax and Km for calcium uptake were 35.2 +/- 10.1 pmol of calcium/mg of protein/min, and 17.6 +/- 2.5 nM of free calcium, respectively. Ten mM magnesium was required for the maximal accumulation of calcium. Substitution of 5 and 10 mM ADP, CTP, GTP, and UTP for ATP could not support calcium uptake. The calcium uptake was not affected by 0.5 mM ouabain, 20 mM azide, or 2 micrograms/ml of oligomycin but was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by vanadate, with a Ki of approximately 20 microM for vanadate. The substrate affinities and specificities of this calcium-transport activity suggest that it is closely associated with the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase reported in the plasma membranes of liver (Lotersztajn, S., Hanoune, J., and Pecker, F. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 11209-11215). A calcium-stimulated and magnesium-dependent phosphoprotein was also demonstrated in the same membrane vesicles. The free calcium concentration at which its phosphorylation was half-maximal was 15.5 +/- 5.6 nM. Sodium fluoride, ouabain, sodium azide, oligomycin, adriamycin, and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide did not affect its formation while vanadate at 100 microM inhibited the calcium-dependent phosphorylation by approximately 60%. The properties of this phosphoprotein suggest that it may be the phosphorylated intermediate of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in the plasma membranes of rat liver.     

Dihydropyridine sensitive calcium channels in a smooth muscle cell line

The pharmacological properties of voltage sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) were examined in a rat aortic smooth muscle cell line (A10). The inorganic VSCC blockers Co2+ and Cd2+ blocked 45Ca2+ uptake into these cells in both 5 mM K+ and 50 mM K+ (depolarizing) conditions. The organic VSCC antagonists nitrendipine, nimodipine, D-600 and diltiazem also blocked 45Ca2+ uptake at low concentrations. The relative potencies of blockade were similar to those found in intact vascular smooth muscle. The VSCC "agonist" BAY K8644 enhanced 45Ca2+ uptake and this effect could be reversed by nitrendipine. These results indicate that A10 cells possess VSCC and that these VSCC behave similarly to those in authentic smooth muscle.     

Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase of microsomal membranes from bovine aortic smooth muscle. Identification and characterization of an acid-stable phosphorylated intermediate of the Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase

An acid-stable phosphoprotein was formed in a microsomal membrane fraction isolated from bovine aortic smooth muscle in the presence of Mg2+ + ATP and Ca2+. The microsomes also showed Ca2+ uptake activity. The Ca2+ dependence of phosphoprotein formation and of Ca2+ uptake occurred over the same range of Ca2+ concentration (1-10 microM), and resembled similar findings from rabbit skeletal microsomes. The molecular weight of the phosphorylated protein, estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis, was approximately 105,000. The phosphoprotein was labile at alkaline pH, and its decomposition was accelerated by hydroxylamine. Half-maximum incorporation of 32P in the presence of 10 microM Ca2+ occurred at 60 nM ATP. The calcium-dependent phosphoprotein formation was not affected by 5 mM NaN3, but was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by ADP with a 50% inhibition occurring at 180 microM. Fifty mM MgCl2 was required for the maximal phosphorylation. The rate of phosphoprotein decomposition after adding 2 mM EGTA was accelerated by varying the Mg2+ concentration from 10 microM to 3 mM. Alkaline pH (9.0) slowed the rate of phosphoprotein decay. Optimal Ca2+-dependent phosphoprotein occurred at 15 degrees C over a broad pH range (6.4 to 9.0). The activation energy of EGTA-induced phosphoprotein decomposition was 25.6 kcal/mol between 0 and 16 degrees C and 14.6 kcal/mol between 16 and 30 degrees C. The phosphoprotein formed by aortic microsomes was thus quite similar to the acid-stable phosphorylated intermediate of the Ca2+-transport ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum from skeletal and cardiac muscle. These data suggest that the Ca2+-dependent phosphoprotein is a reaction intermediate of the Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase of the aortic microsomes.     

Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane inhibits calcium uptake in vascular smooth muscle.

This report demonstrates that the commonly used buffering agent Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) in concentrations of 5 and 30 mM inhibits calcium (Ca2+) uptake in both rat aortic and portal venous smooth muscle. The data indicates that total exchangeable Ca2+ in portal vein is reduced by about 35% in 5 or 30 mM Tris, while the intracellular exchangeable Ca2+ is not significantly altered. On the other hand, in aortic smooth muscle, while 30 mM Tris reduces total exchangeable Ca2+ by about 20%, intracellular Ca2+ is reduced by 44% in 5 mM Tris and by 55% in 30 mM Tris. The present studies, thus, reveal that Tris exerts significant inhibitory effects on exchangeability and transmembrane movement of Ca2+ in at least two different types of smooth muscle.     

Effect of different calcium modulators on motilin-induced contractions of the rabbit duodenum. Comparison with acetylcholine

Motilin and acetylcholine (ACh) have a direct contractile effect on rabbit small intestinal smooth muscle. To explore the role of calcium influx in these contractions, we studied the effect of extracellular calcium concentration and of calcium antagonists on the response of longitudinal muscle preparations from rabbit duodenum. Motilin- (10(-7) M) and ACh- (10(-4) M)-induced contractions were abolished in Ca2+-depleted medium. ACh (10(-4) M) or motilin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) increased the contractile response to added Ca2+ to 130 +/- 6%, 129 +/- 10% and 145 +/- 5% of the maximal response to Ca2+ added alone (10 mM in a cumulative concentration response curve). The sensitivity to Ca2+ was greater in the presence of ACh and motilin (EC50 = 1.0 and 1.1 mM Ca2+) than in the absence of any agonist (1.7 mM). In cumulative concentration response (CCR) curves for motilin and ACh, pD2'-values were 7.0 and 6.6 for diltiazem, 8.4 and 7.8 for verapamil (two calcium entry blockers), 5.6 and 5.2 for TMB-8 (an inhibitor of intracellular calcium), 5.3 and 5.2 for TFP (a calmodulin-antagonist). All CCR-curves showed metactoid-like action of the antagonistic drugs. We conclude that ACh and motilin cause calcium to enter the smooth muscle cell. They are probably operating via separate channels, and use a mechanism which differs from K+-induced influx. Intracellular calcium stores appear to play a minor role in these contractions.     

The effect of cytochrome P-450 and reduced glutathione on the ATP-dependent calcium pump of hepatic microsomes from male rats

In the presence of ATP hepatic microsomes sequester calcium. This sequestration is thought to be important in the modulation of free cytosolic calcium concentration. We find that on the addition of NADPH the uptake of calcium by the hepatic microsomes is inhibited 27-85%. This inhibition is reversed by the addition of 1 mM reduced glutathione (85-91% of control), incubation under a nitrogen atmosphere (112% of control), or incubation in a 80% carbon monoxide/20% oxygen atmosphere (75% of control). Superoxide dismutase had no effect on the inhibition, while catalase reversed the inhibition by 35%. The addition of 1 mM reduced glutathione at 2 and 5 min after the addition of NADPH led to uptakes of calcium which paralleled the uptake seen when the reduced glutathione was added at the beginning of the incubation. The effect of reduced glutathione showed saturation kinetics with a Km of 10 microM. Together these data suggest that cytochrome P-450 reduces the activity of the microsomal ATP-dependent calcium pump both by the production of hydrogen peroxide and by the direct oxidation of the protein thiols. The reversal of this effect by reduced glutathione appears to be enzymatically catalyzed.     

The mechanism of calcium uptake by liver microsomes: effect of anions and ionophores

The mechanism of calcium uptake by liver microsomes was investigated using various anions and ionophores. Calcium uptake was shown to be specific to microsomes and unlikely to be due to contamination by plasma membranes by correlation of calcium uptake to the marker enzymes specific for these two fractions. Under the conditions employed, phosphates, sulfate, chloride, acetate, nitrate, thiocyanate, maleate, succinate and oxalate all stimulated calcium uptake by microsomes, but to different degrees. The greatest effect (4-6-fold) was observed with phosphate. On the contrary, phosphate is the only anion that stimulates the plasma membrane calcium uptake to any significant degree. Treatment of isolated microsomes with 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic acid stilbene (DIDS) resulted in inhibition of ATP- and anion-dependent calcium uptake. A lipid-permeable organic acid such as maleate retained its ability to promote calcium uptake in DIDS-treated microsomes. However, a lipophilic anion, such as nitrate, stimulated calcium uptake only in the presence of the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). In addition, 2 microM valinomycin, when added in the absence or presence of 10 to 100 mM K+, had no stimulatory effect on calcium uptake. These results appear to be consistent with a model in which the active uptake of calcium into microsomes involves electroneutral Ca2+-nH+ exchange.     

ATP-dependent calcium accumulation in brain microsomes. Enhancement by phosphate and oxalate.

1. ATP-dependent calcium uptake by a rabbit brain vesicular fraction (microsomes) was studied in the presence of phosphate or oxalate. These anions, which are known to form insoluble calcium salts, increased the rate of calcium uptake and the capacity of the vesicles for calcium accumulation. 2. The degree of activation depended on the concentration of phosphate or oxalate. Under optimal conditions, phosphate promoted a 5-fold increase in the amount of calcium stored at steady state. This level was 200-250 nmol Ca-2+/mg protein. 3. Initial rate of calcium uptake followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km for calcium of 6.7-10-minus 5 M and a V of 44 nmol/min per mg protein. Optimal pH was 7.0. With 2 mM ATP, optimal Mg-2+ concentration was 2 mM. 4. Dintrophenol and NaN3 inhibited calcium uptake in a mitochondria-enriched fraction but not in the microsomal fraction. 5. Calcium uptake activity was compared in the six subfractions prepared from the whole microsomal fraction by means of a sucrose density gradient fractionation. 6. The Mg-2+-dependent ATPase activity of brain microsomes was activated by calcium. Maximal activation was attained with 100 muM CaCl2. Greater calcium concentrations caused a progressive inhibition. 7. The data suggest that the ATP-dependent calcium uptake in brain microsomes, as in muscle microsomes, is brought about by an active transport process, calcium being accumulated as a free ion inside the vesicles.     

Sodium nitrite, a potent relaxant of rat stomach fundus: in vitro evidence

The effects of sodium nitrite (0.1, 1, 10 mM) on mechanical activity of isolated rat stomach fundus muscle and the influence of guanylate cyclase activity inhibitor (methylene blue) and channel inhibitors (tetrodotoxin, charybdotoxin, apamin) were studied. Nitrite evoked dose-dependent relaxation in the longitudinal and circular muscle layers. The lowest effective concentration of sodium nitrite was 0.1 mM, which is comparable with the NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level). Tetrodotoxin (1 microM) markedly inhibited electrically induced contraction and rebound relaxation, but did not influence the nitrite-induced relaxation. Charybdotoxin (100 nM) decreased the relaxation evoked by 10 mM nitrite to 52.3 and 65.7% of control reaction in the circular and longitudinal muscle layer, respectively. Apamin (100 nM) did not influence the nitrite-induced relaxation. Methylene blue (10 microM) decreased relaxation induced by nitrite in the longitudinal and circular muscle layer, respectively, to 66.7 and 54.3% of the response to 1 mM nitrite alone. Relaxation induced by nitrite was decreased in the presence of L-cysteine (5 mM), and in the circular and longitudinal muscle layer reached 29.6 and 23.1%, respectively, of the response to 1 mM nitrite alone. We conclude that the relaxing effect of nitrite on gastric fundus results from its direct action on smooth muscle cells and probably the enteric nervous system is not involved in this action. The nitrite-elicited relaxation depends on activation of guanylate cyclase and high conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channels; however, activation of potassium channels might be a part of or might act in parallel with the mechanism involving the cyclic GMP system. Effects of nitrite observed in the presence of L-cysteine suggest that nitrosothiols are not responsible for nitrite-evoked activation of guanylate cyclase.     

Ultrastructural and cytochemical characterization of subcellular fraction of plasmalemmal origin obtained from uterine longitudinal smooth muscle

The role of Ca2+-ATPase as the driving force for active calcium uptake, involved in the relaxation of smooth muscle, was studied. It was shown by immunocytochemistry that Ca2+-ATPase activity was localized at the plasma membrane level of longitudinal smooth muscle of pregnant rat uteri (18-20 days). To study calcium regulation in uterine longitudinal smooth muscle, 2 microsomal fractions (F1 and F2) were obtained, enriched in plasma membrane material (Lalanne et al., 1984, in: Calcium Regulation in Smooth Muscles. INSERM series, 124, pp. 283-292). In the present paper this material is characterized at both morphologic and cytochemical levels. Both fractions are ultrastructurally heterogeneous: (a) thin sections clearly show 2 populations that differ in vesicular shape and size; (b) negative staining also shows differences in membrane structure, which could be related to biochemical differences and/or to the well known heterogeneity of the plasma membrane. Two reactions (PATAg and concanavalin A-biotin-avidin-ferritin), allowing visualization of cell coat glycans, were performed on F1 and F2 and on thin sections of longitudinal smooth muscle. Plasma membrane and almost all the vesicles of F1 and F2 are reactive. It is concluded that these 2 fractions are characteristic enough for studying, at the molecular level, the ability of plasma membrane to control calcium circulation in uterine smooth muscle.     

Study of electrophoretic mobility of cellular membranes isolated from rat liver

Plasma membranes as well as mitochondrial and microsomal subfractions were subjected to zone electrophoresis. Treatment with neuraminidase, phospholipase A or C does not influence the movement of plasma membranes and smooth microsomes. Trypsin increases mobility of plasma membranes and smooth by about 20%, and further treatment with phospholipase C decreases mobility of plasma membranes, total smooth and smooth I microsomes, which, however, is not the case with smooth II microsomes. Low concentrations of trypsin also solubilize enzyme proteins of smooth microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rat liver, but electrophoretic mobility is not increased, indicating structural differences in induced membranes. The mobility of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes is significantly higher than that of submitochondrial particles. For microsomes the negative surface charge density occurs in the decreasing order of: ribosomes — rough — smooth I — smooth II. A 10 mM CsCl gradient decreases the mobility of rough microsomes by 40% and of ribosomes by 20% but has no effect on total smooth microsomes. On the other hand, 5 mM MgCl₂ decreased the mobility of all three fractions. EDTA-treated rough and EDTA-treated smooth microsomes have the same electrophoretic mobilities. However, the mobilities of non-treated rough and smooth microsomes differ significantly from each other.     

Effects of newly reported arachidonic acid metabolites on microsomal Ca++ binding, uptake and release

The 5,6-; 8,9-; 11,12- and 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids and their respective hydration products, the vic-diols, recently reported as metabolites of arachidonic acid in rat liver microsomes, were examined for effect on release of 45Ca from canine aortic smooth muscle microsomes. At 10(-6) M, the diols had no effect, but the 5,6-; 11,12- and 14,15-epoxyacids increased the loss of 45Ca. Further studies with the 14,15-epoxyacid demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease of Ca++ uptake (ATP present) in canine aortic microsomes in 0.03 mM Ca++, whereas Ca++ binding (ATP absent) was not affected. Ca++ uptake, binding and release in rat liver microsomes was similarly affected by the 14,15-epoxyacid, the major epoxyeicosatrienoic acid derivative produced by rat liver microsomal incubations. It is suggested that alterations in Ca++ metabolism might be a possible mechanism of action for these derivatives of arachidonic acid.     

MgATP-dependent glucose 6-phosphate-stimulated Ca2+ accumulation in liver microsomal fractions. Effects of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and GTP

Ca2+ release triggered by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and/or GTP has been studied with rough and smooth microsomes isolated from rat liver. Microsomes were loaded with Ca2+ in the presence of MgATP and in the presence or in the absence of glucose 6-phosphate (glucose-6-P) which markedly stimulated the MgATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation in rough and smooth microsomes (5- and 10-fold, respectively). Upon addition of IP3 (5 microM), rough and smooth microsomes rapidly release a part (not exceeding 20%) of the Ca2+ previously accumulated both in the absence and in the presence of glucose-6-P. Under the same experimental conditions, inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate was ineffective in triggering any Ca2+ release. Upon addition of GTP (10 microM) both the microsomal fractions progressively release the Ca2+ previously accumulated in the presence of glucose-6-P, when 3% polyethylene glycol was also present. In the absence of polyethylene glycol, GTP released Ca2+ from rough microsomes only, and GTP plus IP3 caused a Ca2+ release which was the sum of the Ca2+ releases caused by GTP and IP3 independently. Both IP3 and GTP, added to microsomes at the beginning of the glucose-6-P-stimulated Ca2+ uptake, reduced the Ca2+ accumulation into rough and smooth microsomes without modifying the initial rate (3 min) of Ca2+ uptake. Also in these conditions, the effects of GTP and IP3 were merely additive. These results indicate that both rough and smooth liver microsomes are responsive to IP3 and GTP with respect to Ca2+ release and that IP3 and GTP likely act independently.     

Combined effects of calcium and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on germinal vesicle breakdown in the mouse oocyte

Mouse oocytes were cultured in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and various agents that affect cytoplasmic calcium concentrations. Treatment that inhibited calcium uptake potentiated the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP and treatments which stimulated cellular calcium uptake overcame the effect of dbcAMP. Elevated extracellular calcium (greater than 10 mM) significantly decreased the inhibitory effect of concentrations of dbcAMP up to 150 microM when compared to control levels of calcium (1.7 mM). In addition, the calcium ionophore A23187 (greater than 1 microM) significantly overcame the effect of dbcAMP in media that contained 1.7 or 20 mM calcium. In the presence of 41 microM-dbcAMP the calcium antagonist verapamil increased (in a dose-dependent fashion) the percentage of oocytes blocked at the germinal vesicle stage, from 21% with 10 microM-verapamil to 99% with 200 microM. A similar dose-dependent, reversible potentiation of the effect of dbcAMP was found with tetracaine, which also lowers cytoplasmic calcium concentrations. These results suggest that a minimum level of cytoplasm calcium is required for the initiation of germinal vesicle breakdown and that the action of dbcAMP is mediated by its effect upon this calcium.     

Formation of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids from arachidonic acid by cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cell microsomes.

The vasodilatory effect of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EpETrE), especially 5(6)-EpETrE, has been reported recently and a role of P-450-dependent arachidonic acid monooxygenase metabolites was suggested in vasoregulation. Accordingly, the presence of P-450-dependent arachidonic acid monooxygenase was investigated in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Incubation of the microsomes of rat cultured aortic smooth muscle cells with 14C-arachidonic acid in the presence of 1 mM NADPH resulted in the formation of oxygenated metabolites. The metabolites were separated and purified by reverse phase and straight phase high performance liquid chromatography and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Identified metabolites were 5(6)-EpETrE, 5,6-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (DiHETrE), and 14,15-DiHETrE. The formation of these metabolites was totally dependent on the presence of NADPH, and inhibitors of cytochrome P-450-dependent enzymes, SKF-525A and metyrapone, reduced the formation of these metabolites. This is the first report that cytochrome P-450-dependent arachidonic acid metabolites, especially 5(6)-EpETrE and 14(15)-EpETrE, can be produced in the microsomes of vascular smooth muscle cells of rats.     

Study of electrophoretic mobility of cellular membranes isolated from rat liver.

Plasma membranes as well as mitochondrial and microsomal subfractions were subjected to zone electrophoresis. Treatment with neuraminidase, phospholipase A or C does not influence the movement of plasma membranes and smooth microsomes. Trypsin increases mobility of plasma membranes and smooth by about 20%, and further treatment with phospholipase C decreases mobility of plasma membranes, total smooth and smooth I microsomes, which, however, is not the case with smooth II microsomes. Low concentrations of trypsin also solubilize enzyme proteins of smooth microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rat liver, but electrophoretic mobility is not increased, indicating structural differences in induced membranes. The mobility of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes is significantly higher than that of submitochondrial particles. For microsomes the negative surface charge density occurs in the decreasing order of: ribosomes--rough--smooth I--smooth II. A 10 mM CsCl gradient decreases the mobility of rough microsomes by 40% and of ribosomes by 20% but has no effect on total smooth micromes. On the other hand, 5mM MgCl2 decreased the mobility of all three fractions. EDTA-treated rough and EDTA-treated smooth microsomes have the same electrophoretic mobilities. However, the mobilities of non-treated rough and smooth microsomes differ significantly from each other.     

Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase of microsomal membranes from bovine aortic smooth muscle: effects of Sr2+ and Cd2+ on Ca2+ uptake and formation of the phosphorylated intermediate of the Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase

The effects of various divalent cations on the Ca2+ uptake by microsomes from bovine aortic smooth muscle were studied. High concentrations (1 mM) of Co2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, and Ni2+ inhibited neither the Ca2+ uptake by the microsomes nor the formation of the phosphorylated intermediate (E approximately P) of the Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase of the microsomes. The cadmium ion, however, inhibited both the Ca2+ uptake and the E approximately P formation by the microsomes. Dixon plot analysis indicated Cd2+ inhibited (Ki = 135 microM) the Ca2+ dependent E approximately P formation in a non-competitive manner. The inhibitory effect of Cd2+ was lessened by cysteine or dithiothreitol. The strontium ion inhibited the Ca2+ uptake competitively, while the E approximately P formation increased on the addition of Sr2+ at low Ca2+ concentrations. At a low Ca2+ concentration (1 microM), Sr2+ was taken up by the aortic microsomes in the presence of 1 mM ATP. It is thus suggested that Sr2+ replaces Ca2+ at the Ca2+ binding site on the ATPase.     

Skeletal muscle sarcolemma in malignant hyperthermia: evidence for a defect in calcium regulation

Sarcolemmal properties implicated in the skeletal muscle disorder, malignant hyperthermia (MH), were examined using sarcolemma-membrane vesicles isolated from normal and MH-susceptible (MHS) porcine skeletal muscle. MHS and normal sarcolemma did not differ in the distribution of the major proteins, cholesterol or phospholipid content, vesicle size and sidedness, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, ouabain binding, or adenylate cyclase activity (total and isoproterenol sensitivity). The regulation of the initial rates of MHS and normal sarcolemmal ATP-dependent calcium transport (calcium uptake after 1 min) by Ca2+ (K1/2 = 0.64-0.81 microM), calmodulin, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase were similar. However, when sarcolemmal calcium content was measured at either 2 or 20 min after the initiation of active calcium transport, a significant difference between MHS and normal sarcolemmal calcium uptake became apparent, with MHS sarcolemma accumulating approximately 25% less calcium than normal sarcolemma. Calcium transport by MHS and normal sarcolemma, at 2 or 20 min, had a similar calmodulin dependence (C1/2 = 150 nM), and was stimulated to a similar extent by cAMP-dependent protein kinase or calmodulin. Halothane inhibited MHS and normal sarcolemmal active calcium uptake in a similar fashion (half-maximal inhibition at 10 mM halothane), while dantrolene (30 microM) and nitrendipine (1 microM) had little effect on either MHS or normal sarcolemmal calcium transport. After 20 min of ATP-supported calcium uptake, 2 mM EGTA plus 10 microM sodium orthovanadate were added to initiate sarcolemmal calcium efflux. Following an initial rapid phase of calcium release, an extended slow phase of calcium efflux (k = 0.012 min-1) was similar for both MHS and normal sarcolemma vesicles. We conclude that although a number of sarcolemmal properties, including passive calcium permeability, are normal in MH, a small but significant defect in MHS sarcolemmal ATP-dependent calcium transport may contribute to the abnormal calcium homeostasis and altered contractile properties of MHS skeletal muscle.