CaMKII-Induced Shift in Modal Gating Explains L-Type Ca Current Facilitation: A Modeling Study

Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) plays an important role in L-type Ca²⁺ channel (LCC) facilitation: the Ca²⁺-dependent augmentation of Ca²⁺ current (I_CaL) exhibited during rapid repeated depolarization. Multiple mechanisms may underlie facilitation, including an increased rate of recovery from Ca²⁺-dependent inactivation and a shift in modal gating distribution from mode 1, the dominant mode of LCC gating, to mode 2, a mode in which openings are prolonged. We hypothesized that the primary mechanism underlying facilitation is the shift in modal gating distribution resulting from CaMKII-mediated LCC phosphorylation. We developed a stochastic model describing the dynamic interactions among CaMKII, LCCs, and phosphatases as a function of dyadic Ca²⁺ and calmodulin levels, and we incorporated it into an integrative model of the canine ventricular myocyte. The model reproduces behaviors at physiologic protein levels and allows for dynamic transition between modes, depending on the LCC phosphorylation state. Simulations showed that a CaMKII-dependent shift in LCC distribution toward mode 2 accounted for the I_CaL positive staircase. Moreover, simulations demonstrated that experimentally observed changes in LCC inactivation and recovery kinetics may arise from modal gating shifts, rather than from changes in intrinsic inactivation properties. The model therefore serves as a powerful tool for interpreting I_CaL experiments.