Calcium ion currents in the smooth muscle of the myometrium

The results of kinetic analysis of Ca liberation from preparations of female rabbit myometrium show that in the uterus smooth muscle there exist three pools of cation with characteristic times of metabolism 182.18 +/- 25.20, 25.56 +/- 1.00 and 2.94 +/- 0.38 min respectively. It was concluded from the compartmentalization analysis and from the data on Na+- and Mg2+--ATP-dependent transport in plasmic membrane fraction of myometrium cells that the fast phase of calcium metabolism reflects the liberation of the cation from extracellular space in the incubation medium, the intermediate one--Ca transfer from myocytes into the extracellular medium, and the slow one--liberation from the subcellular structures into the myoplasm.     

A kinetic model of stationary calcium metabolism in smooth muscle cells

A model is proposed for Ca2+ stationary exchange in the myometrium cells in the absence of effects activating calcium channels of the plasmic membrane. The results of the model analysis point to an important role of the calcium pump (but not on Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger) of the sarcolemma in providing the long-term regulation of physiologically significant concentration of ionized calcium in the smooth muscle cells. Ability of the calcium pump to efficiently compensate Ca2+ basal current continuously entering the myocytes at rest is proved. It is suggested that the stationary transsarcolemmal exchange of calcium (the system "basal calcium current--ATP-dependent transfer of Ca2+") underlies the control mechanism of the myometrium basal tonus, while a disturbance of the stationary state (with the pump inhibition) provides activation of the smooth muscle tonic contraction.     

Levels and intracellular distribution of calcium and magnesium in the myometrium

Atom-absorption spectrophotometry have shown that the content of Ca2+ in the rabbit and cow myometrium amounts to 4.54 +/- 0.47 and 2.57 +/- 0.30 and that of Mg2+--3.89 +/- 0.15 and 1.35 +/- 0.17 mmol per 1 kg of wet tissue weight, respectively, The content of Mg2+ in the myometrium is two times lower than in the myocardium and three times lower than in the skeletal muscle. During pregnancy (the day before delivery), delivery and postdelivery period the Ca2+ content in the rabbit myometrium is 1.5-2 times lower than in the state of functional rest, and its specific content in fractions of nuclei, mitochondria, microsomal and plasma membranes is practically the same (100-140 nmol per 1 mg of fraction protein). Distribution of the total Ca content calculated per fraction protein satisfies the following series: soluble fraction (56.4%) greater than nuclei (23.6% greater than mitochondria (7.4%) greater than microsomes (1.9%) greater than or equal to plasma membranes (1.3%). The highest specific content of Mg2+ is observed in the fraction of: plasma membranes--52, then mitochondria--40, microsomes--27 and nuclei--19 nmol per 1 mg of protein. The distribution of the total content of this element is described by a series: soluble fraction (71.8%) greater than nuclei (8.3%) greater than mitochondria (4.6%) greater than plasma membranes (1.7%) greater than microsomes (0.4%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of the membrane potential on the passive transport of Ca2+ in fractions of vesicles of the myometrium sarcolemma

Using a potential-sensitive fluorescent probe diS-C3-(5), the formation of the membrane (K+-diffusion) potential, delta psi, in the myometrium sarcolemmal vesicular fraction was demonstrated. The magnitude of this potential corresponds to that calculated according to the Nernst equation, is time-stable (characteristic dissociation time--3-5 min) and temperature-dependent and is generated upon the substitution of the anion (Cl- for gluconate-) and the compensating cation (Na+ for Tris+, choline+). The change in delta psi from -61 to 0 mV leads to the activation of passive Ca2+ efflux from the vesicles (with choline+ as the compensating cation in the dilution medium). At the same value of the potential, i. e., -61 mV, the substitution of choline in the dilution medium for Na+ or Li+ stimulates the passive release of Ca2+. Co2+, Mn2+ and D-600 suppress this process by 15-20% in depolarized vesicles which points to the inhibition of Ca2+ release with an alteration of the membrane potential value from 0 to -61 mV (20%). The potential-dependent component of passive Ca2+ transport is characterized by saturation with the substrate (Km = 0.5 mM). The dependence of Ca2+ flux release from the sarcolemmal vesicles on the membrane potential value (-60-+27 mV) is bell-shaped and qualitatively relative to the volt-amper characteristics of the steady state Ca2+ flux in single smooth muscle cells. Analysis of experimental results revealed that the potential-dependent component of passive Ca2+ transport in myometrium sarcolemmal vesicles is determined by the non-activated Ca2+ conductivity of plasma membrane.     

Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Conflict in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Is Associated with Nuclear and Plastidic Candidate Genes Encoding Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunits

In crosses of wild and cultivated peas (Pisum sativum L.), nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibility frequently occurs manifested as decreased pollen fertility, male gametophyte lethality, sporophyte lethality. High-throughput sequencing of plastid genomes of one cultivated and four wild pea accessions differing in cross-compatibility was performed. Candidate genes for involvement in the nuclear-plastid conflict were searched in the reconstructed plastid genomes. In the annotated Medicago truncatula genome, nuclear candidate genes were searched in the portion syntenic to the pea chromosome region known to harbor a locus involved in the conflict. In the plastid genomes, a substantial variability of the accD locus represented by nucleotide substitutions and indels was found to correspond to the pattern of cross-compatibility among the accessions analyzed. Amino acid substitutions in the polypeptides encoded by the alleles of a nuclear locus, designated as Bccp3, with a complementary function to accD, fitted the compatibility pattern. The accD locus in the plastid genome encoding beta subunit of the carboxyltransferase of acetyl-coA carboxylase and the nuclear locus Bccp3 encoding biotin carboxyl carrier protein of the same multi-subunit enzyme were nominated as candidate genes for main contribution to nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibility in peas. Existence of another nuclear locus involved in the accD-mediated conflict is hypothesized.     

Comparative study of in vitro and in vivo effect of ouabain and calixarene C107 on Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in plasma membranes of rat hepatocytes

The comparative study of influence of ouabain and calixarene C107, and the structure component of this calixarene--fragment M3, in the conditions of in vitro and chronic action in vivo on Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity was carried out on the fractions of plasmatic membranes (PM) of the rat hepatocytes. A general property in the conditions in vitro is the ability of calixarene C107 and ouabain (both substances were in the concentration of 1 mM) to inhibit PM Na+, K(+)-ATPase of rat hepatocytes. However, in the case of activities of calixarene C107 and ouabain in the conditions in vivo heterogeneous action on Mg2(+)-ATPase and Mg2+, Na+, K(+)-ATPase activities takes place: total activity in the conditions of injection of increased concentrations of ouabain remains without changes, but Mg2(+)-ATPase activity significantly grows; in analogous conditions under the action of calixarene C107 both these activities decrease twice in comparison with control. Both under the in vitro and in vivo conditions, M3 fragment (the structural component of C107) does not change the values of investigated enzymatic activities. The biochemical mechanisms of calixarene C107 action on Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in PM of rat hepatocytes are discussed.     

Comparative study of calixarene effect on Mg2+ -dependent ATP-hydrolase enzymatic systems from smooth muscle cells of the uterus

Investigation the influence of calyx[4]arenes C-90, C-91, C-97 and C-99 (codes are indicated) on the enzymatic activity of four functionally different Mg2+ -dependent ATPases from smooth muscle of the uterus: actomyosin ATPase, transporting Ca2+, Mg2+ -ATPase, ouabain-sensible Na+, K+ -ATPase and basal Mg2+ -ATPase. It was shown that calixarenes C-90 and C-91 in concentration 100 microM act multidirectionally on the functionally different Mg2+ -dependent ATP-hydrolase enzymatic systems. These compounds activate effectively the actomyosin ATPase (Ka = 52 +/- 11 microM [Ukrainian character: see text] 8 +/- 2 microM, accordingly), at the same time calixarene C-90 inhibited effectively activity of transporting Ca2+, Mg2+ -ATPase of plasmatic membranes (I(0,5) = 34.6 +/- 6.4 microM), but influence on membrane-bound Na+, K+ -ATPase and basal Mg2+ -ATPase. Calixarene C-91 reduce effectively basal Mg2+ -ATPase activity, insignificantly activating Na+, K+ -ATPase but has no influence on transporting Ca2+, Mg2+ -ATPase activity of plasmatic membranes. Calixarenes C-97 and C-99 (100 microM), which have similar structure, have monodirectional influence on activity of three functionally different Mg2+-dependent ATPases of the myometrium: actomyosin ATPase and two ATPases, that related to the ATP-hydrolases of P-type--Ca2+, Mg2+ -ATPase and Na+, K+ -ATPase of plasmatic membranes. Basal Mg2+ -ATPase is resistant to the action of these two connections. Results of comparative experiments that were obtained by catalytic titration of calixarenes C-97 and C-99 by actomyosin ATPase (I(0,5) = 88 +/- 9 and 86 +/- 8 microM accordingly) and Na+, K+ -ATPase from plasmatic membranes (I(0,5) = 33 +/- 4 and 98 +/- 8 nM accordingly) indicate to the considerably more sensitiveness of Na+, K+ -ATP-ase to these calixarenes than ATPase of contractile proteins. Thus, it is shown that calixarenes have influence on activity of a number of important enzymes, involved in functioning of the smooth muscle of the uterus and related to energy-supplies of the process of the muscle contracting and support of intracellular ionic homeostasis. The obtained results can be useful in further researches, directed at the use of calixarenes as pharmaceutical substance, able to normalize the contractile function of the uterus at some pregnancy pathologies in women's.     

Effect of polyamines on Mg(2+)-dependent ATP-hydrolase activity in plasmatic membrane of myometrium cells

Influence of aliphatic polyamines of spermine and spermidine on the enzymatic activity of the ouabain-sensitive Na+,K(+)-ATPase and the ouabain-resistant basal Mg(2+)-ATPase (specific activity--10.6 +/- 0.9 and 18.1 +/- 1.2 microM P(i)/hour on 1 mg of protein accordingly, n = 7) has been studied in the experiments carried out with the suspension of the myometrium cell plasmatic membranes treated with 0.1% digitonin solution. It was found, that the polyamine spermine in concentration of 1 and 10 mM activated the Na+,K(+)-ATPase by 54 and 64% on the average relative to control value. Spermidine also stimulated the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity, however it did it less efficiently than spermine: by 8 and 20% on the average at concentration of 1 and 10 mM, accordingly. Similarly, polyamines had affect on the basal Mg(2+)-ATPase: spermine in concentration of 1 and 10 mM activated it by 26 and 39% relative to control value; spermidine in concentration of 1 and 10 mM activated it by 10 and 32% relative to control. The magnitudes of the apparent activation constant K(a) of spermine were 0.35 +/- 0.07 and 0.10 +/- 0.02 mM for Na+,K(+)-ATPase and basal Mg(2+)-ATPase, accordingly (M +/- m, n = 5). It is supposed, that the obtained experimental data can be useful in the further research of the membrane mechanisms underlying of the cationic exchange in the smooth muscles, in particular, when investigating the role of the plasmatic membrane in providing electromechanical coupling in them, and also in regulation of ionic homeostasis in the smooth muscle cells.