Changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by L-type Ca2+ channel current in guinea pig gastric myocytes

We investigatedthe relationship between voltage-operatedCa²⁺ channel current and thecorresponding intracellular Ca²⁺concentration([Ca²⁺]_i)change (Ca²⁺ transient) in guineapig gastric myocytes. Fluorescence microspectroscopy was combined withconventional whole cell patch-clamp technique, and fura 2 (80 µM) wasadded to CsCl-rich pipette solution. Step depolarization to 0 mVinduced inward Ca²⁺ current(I_Ca) andconcomitantly raised[Ca²⁺]_i.Both responses were suppressed by nicardipine, an L-typeCa²⁺ channel blocker, and thevoltage dependence of Ca²⁺transient was similar to the current-voltage relation ofI_Ca. When pulseduration was increased by up to 900 ms, peakCa²⁺ transient increased andreached a steady state when stimulation was for longer. The calculatedfast Ca²⁺ buffering capacity(B value), determined as the ratio ofthe time integral ofI_Ca divided bythe amplitude of Ca²⁺ transient,was not significantly increased after depletion of Ca²⁺ stores by the cyclicapplication of caffeine (10 mM) in the presence of ryanodine (4 µM).The addition of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA, 10 µM), a sarco(endo)plasmicreticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase inhibitor,decreased B value by ~20% in areversible manner. When KCl pipette solution was used,Ca²⁺-activatedK⁺ current[I_K(Ca)]was also recorded during step depolarization. CPA sensitivelysuppressed the initial peak and oscillations of I_K(Ca) withirregular effects on Ca²⁺transients. The above results suggest that, in guinea pig gastric myocyte, Ca²⁺ transient is tightlycoupled to I_Caduring depolarization, and global[Ca²⁺]_iis not significantly affected byCa²⁺-inducedCa²⁺ release from sarcoplasmicreticulum during depolarization.

     

Two classes of gating current from L-type Ca channels in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Intramembrane charge movement was recorded in guinea pig ventricular myocytes at 19-22 degrees C using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. From a holding potential of -110 mV, the dependence of intramembrane charge moved on test voltage (Q(V)) followed the sum of two Boltzmann components. One component had a transition voltage (V) of -48 mV and a total charge (Qmax) of congruent to 3 nC/microF. The other had a V of -18 mV and a Qmax of 11 nC/microF. Ba2+ currents through Ca channels began to activate at -45 mV and peaked at congruent to -15 mV. Na+ current peaked at -35 to -30 mV. Availability of charge (in pulses from -70 to +10 mV) depended on the voltage of conditioning depolarizations as two Boltzmann terms plus a constant. One term had a V of -88 mV and a Qmax of 2.5 nC/microF; the other had a V of -29 mV and a Qmax of 6.3 nC/microF. From the Q(V) dependence, the voltage dependence of the ionic currents, and the voltage dependence of the availability of charge, the low voltage term of Q(V) and availability was identified as Na gating charge, at a total of 3.5 nC/microF. The remainder, 11 nC/microF, was attributed to Ca channels. After pulses to -40 mV and above, the OFF charge movement had a slow exponentially decaying component. Its time constant had a bell-shaped dependence on OFF voltage peaking at 11 ms near -100 mV. Conditioning depolarizations above -40 mV increased the slow component exponentially with the conditioning duration (tau approximately equal to 480 ms). Its magnitude was reduced as the separation between conditioning and test pulses increased (tau approximately equal to 160 ms). The voltage distribution of the slow component of charge was measured after long (5 s) depolarizations. Its V was -100 mV, a shift of -80 mV from the value in normally polarized cells. This voltage was the same at which the time constant of the slow component peaked. Qmax and the steepness of the voltage distribution were unchanged by depolarization. This indicates that the same molecules that produce the charge movement in normally polarized cells also produce the slow component in depolarized cells. 100 microns D600 increased by 77% the slow charge movement after a 500-ms conditioning pulse. These results demonstrate two classes of charge movement associated with L-type Ca channels, with kinetics and voltage dependence similar to charge 1 and charge 2 of skeletal muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Modulation of L-type Ca2+ current by fast and slow Ca2+ buffering in guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Free Ca2+ near Ca2+ channel pores is expected to be lower in cardiomyocytes dialyzed with bis-(o-amino-phenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) than with ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) because BAPTA chelates incoming Ca2+ more rapidly. The consequences of intracellular Ca2+ buffering by BAPTA (0.2-60 mM) and by EGTA (0.2-67 mM) on whole-cell L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L) were investigated in voltage-clamped guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes; bulk cytoplasmic free Ca2+ (Cac2+) was monitored using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator indo-1. ICa,L was augmented by approximately 12-fold when BAPTA in the cell dialysate was increased from 0.2 to 50 mM (half-maximal stimulation at 31 mM), whereas elevating internal EGTA from 0.2 to 67 mM increased ICa,L only by approximately 2-fold. Cac2+ was < 20 nM with internal BAPTA or EGTA > or = 20 mM. While EGTA up to 67 mM had only an insignificant inhibitory effect on the stimulation of ICa,L by 3 microM forskolin, ICa,L in 50 mM BAPTA-dialyzed myocytes was insensitive to forskolin-induced elevation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP); conversely, ICa,L in cAMP-loaded cells was unresponsive to BAPTA dialysis. Cell dialysis with BAPTA, but not with EGTA, accelerated the slow component of ICa,L inactivation (tau S) without affecting its fast component (tau F), resembling the effects of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. BAPTA-stimulated ICa,L was inhibited by acetylcholine and by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) blocker H-89. These results suggest that BAPTA-induced lowering of peri-channel Ca2+ stimulates cAMP synthesis and channel phosphorylation by disinhibiting Ca(2+)-sensitive adenylyl cyclase.     

三羟异黄酮对豚鼠心室肌细胞L-型钙通道电流的影响

本实验用全细胞膜片钳技术观察三羟异黄酮(genistein,GST)对豚鼠心室肌细胞L-钙通道电流(ICa、L)的影响。结果如下:(1)GST(10、50、100 μmol/L)可浓度依赖性地降低ICa,L(n=6,P<0.01)。GST的非活性结构类似物daidzein(100μmol/L),在同一浓度范围对ICa,L没有影响(n=5,P>0.05)。(2)GST使I-V曲线上移,但对ICa,L的电压依赖特征和最大激活电压无明显影响。(3)GST对ICa,L的激活动力学特性也无影响,但可使钙电流稳态失活曲线左移。V0.5从对照的-28.6±0.6 mV变为-32.8±1.1mV,κ值从对照的5.8±0.5 mV升至6.5±0.9 mV(n=6,P<0.05)。(4)GST明显使复活曲线右移,从而使ICa,L从失活状态下恢复明显减慢(n=7,P<0.01)。(5)酪氨酸磷酸酶抑制剂正钒酸钠(1 mmol/L)显著对抗GST引起的ICa,L抑制效应(n=6,P<0.01)。根据以上结果得出的结论是:GST抑制ICa,L加速钙通道失活和钙通道在失活状态下恢复减慢;GST对ICa,L的这种抑制作用与蛋白酪氨酸激酶(PTK)抑制有关。     

Calmodulin reverses rundown of L-type Ca(2+) channels in guinea pig ventricular myocytes

Calmodulin (CaM) is implicated in regulation of Ca²⁺ channels as a Ca²⁺ sensor. The effect of CaM on rundown of L-type Ca²⁺ channels in inside-out patch form was investigated in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Ca²⁺ channel activity disappeared within 1–3 min and did not reappear when the patch was excised and exposed to an artificial intracellular solution. However, application of CaM (0.03, 0.3, 3 µM) + 3 mM ATP to the intracellular solution within 1 min after patch excision resulted in dose-dependent activation of channel activity. Channel activity averaged 11.2%, 94.7%, and 292.9%, respectively, of that in cell-attached mode. Channel activity in inside-out patch mode was induced by CaM + ATP at nanomolar Ca²⁺ concentrations ([Ca²⁺]); however, increase to micromolar [Ca²⁺] rapidly inactivated the channel activity induced, revealing that the effect of CaM on the channel was Ca²⁺ dependent. At the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th minutes after patch excision, CaM (0.75 µM) + ATP induced Ca²⁺ channel activity to 150%, 100%, 96.9%, 29.3%, and 16.6%, respectively, revealing a time-dependent action of CaM on the channel. CaM added with adenosine 5'-(,-imido)triphosphate (AMP-PNP) also induced channel activity, although with much lower potency and shorter duration. Protein kinase inhibitors KN-62, CaM-dependent protein kinase (CaMK)II 281-309, autocamtide-related CaMKII inhibitor peptide, and K252a (each 1–10 µM) did not block the effect of CaM, indicating that the effect of CaM on the Ca²⁺ channel was phosphorylation independent. Neither CaM nor ATP alone induced Ca²⁺ channel activity, showing a cooperative effect of CaM and ATP on the Ca²⁺ channel. These results suggest that CaM is a crucial regulatory factor of Ca²⁺ channel basal activity. cardiac myocyte; calcium channel; patch clamp     

小剂量辣椒素对豚鼠心室肌细胞L-型钙电流的影响

应用全细胞膜片钳技术研究低浓度辣椒素(capsaicin,CAP)对单个豚鼠心室肌细胞L-型钙电流的影响及其作用机制.CAP(1～25 nmol/L)可浓度依赖性增加电压依赖性的ICa-L的峰值并下移I-V曲线.CAPl,10,25 nmol/L使ICa-L最大峰值分别由-9.67±0.7pA/pF增至-10.21±0.8pA/pF(P＞0.05),-11.37±0.8pA/pF和-12.84±0.9pA/pF(P＜0.05).CAP25nmol/L可明显使稳态激活曲线左移,激活中点电压(V0.5)由-20.76±2.0mV变至-26.71±3.0mV(P＜0.05),表明低浓度CAP改变了钙通道激活的电压依赖性.CAP25nmol/L对电压依赖性稳态失活曲线和ICa-L从失活状态下复活过程无明显影响.辣椒素受体(VR1)阻断剂钌红(RR,10μmol/L)可阻断低浓度辣椒素的效应.以上结果表明,低浓度辣椒素使钙通道稳态激活曲线左移,增加ICa-L,这一效应可能由VRl介导.     

银杏苦内酯B对豚鼠模拟缺血心室肌细胞L-型钙电流及胞内游离钙的影响

应用全细胞膜片钳及激光共聚焦技术 ,研究银杏苦内酯B(ginkgolideB ,GB)对豚鼠心室肌细胞L 型钙电流及胞内游离钙的作用 ,并探讨GB心肌保护作用的机制。实验结果显示 ,在指令电压为 0mV时 ,GB对生理状态下豚鼠心室肌细胞L 型钙电流无明显作用。在模拟缺血状态下 ,L 型钙峰值电流减小 3 7 71% ,但加入 1μmol/LGB后 ,可逆转缺血引起的L 型钙电流的降低 ,与缺血对照组比较 ,有显著性差异 (P <0 0 5 )。 1μmol/LGB能使由于模拟缺血而上移的L 型钙电流 电压曲线回复正常。在生理状态下 ,0 1、1、10mol/LGB分别使心肌细胞内游离钙降低 10 5 8%(n =12 )、17 2 7% (n =12 )、16 3 5 % (n =10 ) ,与对照组相比有非常显著性差异。模拟缺血液灌流 12min时 ,细胞内游离钙浓度增加 2 0 15 % ,在模拟缺血液中分别加入 1μmol/Lnifedipine或 5mmol/LNiCl2 ,结果显示 :模拟缺血液灌流 12min ,与正常对照组相比细胞内钙分别增加 18 18% (P >0 0 5 )与 11% (P <0 0 5 )。在模拟缺血液中加入1mol/LGB灌流 12min时细胞内钙仅增加 9 60 % (n =12 ,P <0 0 0 1) ,与缺血对照组相比有显著性差异 (P <0 0 5 )。结果表明 ,GB可逆转模拟缺血造成L 型钙电流的降低 ,同时可部分减轻由于缺血所造成的细胞内钙的超载     

Properties of L-type calcium channel gating current in isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Nonlinear capacitative current (charge movement) was compared to the Ca current (ICa) in single guinea pig ventricular myocytes. It was concluded that the charge movement seen with depolarizing test steps from -50 mV is dominated by L-type Ca channel gating current, because of the following observations. (a) Ca channel inactivation and the immobilization of the gating current had similar voltage and time dependencies. The degree of channel inactivation was directly proportional to the amount of charge immobilization, unlike what has been reported for Na channels. (b) The degree of Ca channel activation was closely correlated with the amount of charge moved at all test potentials between -40 and +60 mV. (c) D600 was found to reduce the gating current in a voltage- and use-dependent manner. D600 was also found to induce "extra" charge movement at negative potentials. (d) Nitrendipine reduced the gating current in a voltage-dependent manner (KD = 200 nM at -40 mV). However, nitrendipine did not increase charge movement at negative test potentials. Although contamination of the Ca channel gating current from other sources cannot be fully excluded, it was not evident in the data and would appear to be small. However, it was noted that the amount of Ca channel gating charge was quite large compared with the magnitude of the Ca current. Indeed, the gating current was found to be a significant contaminant (19 +/- 7%) of the Ca tail currents in these cells. In addition, it was found that Ca channel rundown did not diminish the gating current. These results suggest that Ca channels can be "inactivated" by means that do not affect the voltage sensor.     

Angiotensin II-induced increase of T-type Ca2+ current and decrease of L-type Ca2+ current in heart cells

The effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the T- and L-type calcium currents (I(Ca)) in single ventricular heart cells of 18-week-old fetal human and 10-day-old chick embryos was studied using the whole-cell voltage clamp technique. Our results showed that in both, human and chick cardiomyocytes, Ang II (10(-7)M) increased the T-type calcium current and decreased the L-type I(Ca). The effect of Ang II on both types of currents was blocked by the AT1 peptidic antagonist, [Sar1, Ala8] Ang II (2 x 10(-7)M). Protein kinase C activator, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, mimicked the effect of Ang II on the T- and L-type calcium currents. These results demonstrate that in fetal human and chick embryo cardiomyocytes Ang II affects the T- and L-type Ca2+ currents differently, and this effect seems to be mediated by the PKC pathway.     

Inhibition of L-type Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> current in guinea pig ventricular myocytes by cisapride

The effect of cisapride on L-type Ca²⁺ current (I _Ca,L) was studied in guinea pig ventricular myocytes using a whole-cell voltage-clamp technique and a conventional action potential recording method. Myocytes were held at –40 mV, and internally dialyzed and externally perfused with Na⁺- and K⁺-free solutions; cisapride elicited a concentration-dependent block of peakI _Ca,L, with a half-maximum inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) of 46.9 µM. There was no shift in the reversal potential, nor any change in the shape of the current-voltage relationship ofI _Ca,L in the presence of cisapride. Inhibition of cisapride was not associated with its binding to serotonin or to -adrenergic receptors because ketanserin, SB203186, and prazosin had no effect on the inhibitory action of cisapride onI _Ca,L. Cisapride elicited a tonic block and a use-dependent block ofI _Ca,L. These blocking effects were voltage dependent as the degree of inhibition at –40 mV was greater than that at –70 mV. Cisapride shifted the steady-state inactivation curve ofI _Ca,L in the negative direction, but had no effect on the steady-state activation curve. Cisapride also delayed the kinetics of recovery ofI _Ca,L from inactivation. At a slow stimulation frequency (0.1 Hz), the action potential duration in guinea pig papillary muscles showed biphasic effects; it was prolonged by lower concentrations of cisapride, but shortened by higher concentrations. These findings suggest that cisapride preferentially binds to the inactivated state of L-type Ca²⁺ channels. The inhibitory effect of cisapride onI _Ca,L might play an important role in its cardiotoxicity under pathophysiological conditions, such as myocardial ischemia.     

Cholesterol depletion modulates basal L-type Ca2+ current and abolishes its -adrenergic enhancement in ventricular myocytes

Cholesterol is a primary constituent of the plasmalemma, including the lipid rafts/caveolae, where various G protein-coupled receptors colocalize with signaling proteins and channels. By manipulating cholesterol in rabbit and rat ventricular myocytes using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD), we studied the role of cholesterol in the modulation of L-type Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca,L)). MbetaCD was mainly dialyzed from BAPTA-containing pipette solution during whole cell clamp. In rabbit myocytes dialyzed with 30 mM MbetaCD for 10 min, a positive shift in membrane potential at half-maximal activation (V(0.5)) from -8 to -2 mV developed and was associated with an increase in current density at positive potentials (42% at +20 mV vs. time-matched controls). Isoproterenol (ISO) increased I(Ca,L) approximately threefold and caused a negative shift in V(0.5) in control cells, but it did not increase I(Ca,L) in MbetaCD-treated myocytes, nor did it shift V(0.5). The effect of MbetaCD (10 or 30 mM) was concentration dependent: 30 mM MbetaCD suppressed the ISO-induced increase in I(Ca,L) more effectively than 10 mM MbetaCD. MbetaCD dialysis also abolished the increase in I(Ca,L) elicited by forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP, but not that elicited by (-)BAY K 8644. External application of MbetaCD-cholesterol complex to rat myocytes attenuated the MbetaCD-mediated inhibition of the ISO-induced increase of I(Ca,L). Biochemical analysis confirmed that the myocytes' cholesterol content was diminished by MbetaCD and increased by MbetaCD-cholesterol complex. Cholesterol thus appears to contribute to the regulation of basal I(Ca,L) and beta-adrenergic cAMP/PKA-mediated increases in I(Ca,L). We suggest that cholesterol affects the structural coupling between L-type Ca(2+) channels and adjacent regulatory proteins.     

Ca2+ entry-independent effects of L-type Ca2+ channel modulators on Ca2+ sparks in ventricular myocytes

During the cardiac action potential, Ca²⁺ entry through dyhidropyridine receptor L-type Ca²⁺ channels (DHPRs) activates ryanodine receptors (RyRs) Ca²⁺-release channels, resulting in massive Ca²⁺ mobilization from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). This global Ca²⁺ release arises from spatiotemporal summation of many localized elementary Ca²⁺-release events, Ca²⁺ sparks. We tested whether DHPRs modulate Ca²⁺sparks in a Ca²⁺ entry-independent manner. Negative modulation by DHPR of RyRs via physical interactions is accepted in resting skeletal muscle but remains controversial in the heart. Ca²⁺ sparks were studied in cat cardiac myocytes permeabilized with saponin or internally perfused via a patch pipette. Bathing and pipette solutions contained low Ca²⁺ (100 nM). Under these conditions, Ca²⁺ sparks were detected with a stable frequency of 3–5 sparks·s^–1·100 µm^–1. The DHPR blockers nifedipine, nimodipine, FS-2, and calciseptine decreased spark frequency, whereas the DHPR agonists Bay-K8644 and FPL-64176 increased it. None of these agents altered the spatiotemporal characteristics of Ca²⁺ sparks. The DHPR modulators were also without effect on SR Ca²⁺ load (caffeine-induced Ca²⁺ transients) or sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) activity (Ca²⁺ loading rates of isolated SR microsomes) and did not change cardiac RyR channel gating (planar lipid bilayer experiments). In summary, DHPR modulators affected spark frequency in the absence of DHPR-mediated Ca²⁺ entry. This action could not be attributed to a direct action of DHPR modulators on SERCA or RyRs. Our results suggest that the activity of RyR Ca²⁺-release units in ventricular myocytes is modulated by Ca²⁺ entry-independent conformational changes in neighboring DHPRs. exitation-contraction coupling; ryanodine receptor; sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase; dihydropyridine receptor; sarcoplasmic reticulum     

Na+/Ca2+ exchanger plays a key role in inducing apoptosis after hypoxia in cultured guinea pig ventricular myocytes

Altered Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) protein expression or activity is thought to contribute to various aspects of cardiac pathology. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, NCX-mediated Ca(2+) entry is almost entirely responsible for Ca(2+) overload during hypoxia-reoxygenation. Because Ca(2+) overload is a common initiator of apoptosis, the purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that NCX activity is critically involved in initiating apoptosis after hypoxia-reoxygenation and that hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced apoptosis can be modulated by changes in NCX protein expression or activity. An NCX antisense oligonucleotide was used to reduce NCX protein expression in cultured adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release were used as markers of apoptosis. Hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced apoptosis was significantly decreased in antisense-treated myocytes compared with untreated control or nonsense-treated myocytes. Pretreatment of cultured myocytes for 24 h with either endothelin-1 or phenylephrine was found to increase both NCX protein expression and evoked NCX activity as well as enhance hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced apoptosis. Control experiments demonstrated that endothelin-1 and phenylephrine did not induce apoptosis on their own nor did they enhance the apoptotic response in a model of Ca(2+)-dependent, NCX-independent apoptosis. Additional control experiments demonstrated that the NCX antisense oligonucleotide did not alter the apoptotic response of myocytes to either H(2)O(2) or isoproterenol. Taken together, these data suggest that the NCX has a critical and specific role in the initiation of apoptosis after hypoxia-reoxygenation in guinea pig myocytes and that hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced apoptosis is quite sensitive to changes in NCX activity.     

L-type Ca2+ currents in ventricular myocytes from neonatal and adult rats

Postnatal changes in the slow Ca2+ current (I(Ca)(L)) were investigated in freshly isolated ventricular myocytes from neonatal (1-7 days old) and adult (2-4 months old) rats, using whole-cell voltage clamp and single-channel recordings. The membrane capacitance (mean+/-SEM) averaged 23.2+/-0.5 pF in neonates (n = 163) and 140+/-4.1 pF in adults (n = 143). I(Ca)(L) was measured as the peak inward current at a test potential of +10 mV (or +20 mV) by applying a 300-ms pulse from a holding potential of -40 mV; 1.8 mM Ca2+ was used as charge carrier. The basal ICa(L) density was 6.7+/-0.2 pA/pF in neonatal and 7.8+/-0.2 pA/pF in adult cells (p < 0.05). The time course of inactivation of the fast component (at +10 ms) was significantly longer in the neonatal (10.7+/-1.4 ms) than in the adult (6.6+/-0.4 ms) cells (p < 0.05). Ryanodine (10+/-M) significantly increased this value to 18.0+/-1.9 in neonate (n = 8) and to 17.7+/-2.0 in adult (n = 9). For steady-state inactivation, the half-inactivation potential (Vh) was not changed in either group. For steady-state activation, Vh was 5.1 mV in the neonatal (n = 6) and -7.9 mV in the adult cells (n = 7). Single-channel recordings revealed that long openings (mode-2 behavior) were occasionally observed in the neonatal cells (11 events from 1080 traces/11 cells), but not in the adult cells (400 traces/4 cells). Slope conductance was 24 pS in both the neonatal and adult cells. Results in rat ventricular myocytes suggest the following: (i) the peak Ca2+ current density is already well developed in the neonatal period (being about 85% of the adult value); (ii) the fast component of inactivation is slower in neonates than in adults; and (iii) naturally occurring long openings are occasionally observed in the neonatal stage but not in the adult. Thus, the L-type Ca2+ channels of the neonate were slightly lower in density, were inactivated more slowly, and occasionally exhibited mode-2 behavior as compared with those of the adult.     

L-type Ca2+ channel function and expression in neonatal rabbit ventricular myocytes

L-type Ca(2+) channel-mediated, Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR) is the dominant mode of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling in the mature mammalian myocardium but is thought to be absent in the fetal and newborn mammalian myocardium. Furthermore, the characteristics and contributors of E-C coupling at the earliest developmental stages are poorly understood. In this study, we measured [(3)H](+)PN200-110 dihydropyridine binding capacity, functionality and expression of the L-type Ca(2+) channel, and cytosolic [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) at various developmental stages (3, 6, 10, 20, and 56 days old) to characterize ontogenetic changes in E-C coupling. We found that 1) the whole cell L-type Ca(2+) channel peak current (I(Ca)) density increased slightly in parallel with cell growth, but the current-voltage relationship, the steady-state activation, and the maximum DHP binding and binding affinity did not exhibit significant developmental changes; 2) sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) dependence of inactivation rates of L-type Ca(2+) channel and peak of I(Ca) density were only observed after 10 days of age, which temporally coincides with transverse (T)-tubule formation; 3) the relationship between [Ca(2+)](i) and voltage changed from a linear relationship at the earliest developmental stages to a "bell-shaped" relationship at the later developmental stages, presumably corresponding to a switch from reverse-mode Na/Ca exchange-dependent to I(Ca)-dependent E-C coupling; and 4) the expression of two different splice variants of Ca(V)1.2, IVS3A and IVS3B, switched from predominantly IVS3A at the earliest stages to IVS3B at the later developmental stages. Our data suggest that whereas the density of functional dihydropyridine receptors (DHPRs) increases only slightly during ontogeny, the enhancement of functional coupling between DHPR and ryanodine receptor is dramatic between the second and third weeks after birth. Furthermore, we found that the differential expression of splice variants during development temporally correlated with the appearance of I(Ca)-dependent E-C coupling and T-tubule formation.     

Contribution of L-type Ca2+ channels to early afterdepolarizations induced by I Kr and I Ks channel suppression in guinea pig ventricular myocytes

Early afterdepolarizations (EADs) induced by suppression of cardiac delayed rectifier I (Kr) and/or I (Ks) channels cause fatal ventricular tachyarrhythmias. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, partial block of one of the channels with complete block of the other reproducibly induced EADs. Complete block of both I (Kr) and I (Ks) channels depolarized the take-off potential and reduced the amplitude of EADs, which in some cases were not clearly separated from the preceding action potentials. A selective L-type Ca(2+) (I (Ca,L)) channel blocker, nifedipine, effectively suppressed EADs at submicromolar concentrations. As examined with the action potential-clamp method, I (Ca,L) channels mediated inward currents with a spike and dome shape during action potentials. I (Ca,L) currents decayed mainly due to inactivation in phase 2 and deactivation in phase 3 repolarization. When EADs were induced by complete block of I (Kr) channels with partial block of I (Ks) channels, repolarization of the action potential prior to EAD take-off failed to increase I (K1) currents and thus failed to completely deactivate I (Ca,L) channels, which reactivated and mediated inward currents during EADs. When both I (Kr) and I (Ks) channels were completely blocked, I (Ca,L) channels were not deactivated and mediated sustained inward currents until the end of EADs. Under this condition, the recovery and reactivation of I (Ca,L) channels were absent before EADs. Therefore, an essential mechanism underlying EADs caused by suppression of the delayed rectifiers is the failure to completely deactivate I (Ca,L) channels.