title: External calcium sensitivity of low sodium contractures in the control and hypertrophied right ventricle of the ferret.
abstract: The existence of possible differences of calcium (Ca2+) fluxes through the sarcolemmal sodium-calcium (Na+/Ca2+) exchanger during hypertrophy has been tested by comparing the characteristics of the contracture--as an indicator of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration--induced by partial or total withdrawal of external sodium (Na+), in the absence of external potassium, in the right ventricular trabeculae of adult ferret hearts. Pressure-overload was induced by pulmonary artery clipping and led to an increase of the right ventricular weight of 60%. At an external Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) of 3 mM, the dependence of the contractures on extracellular sodium concentration ([Na+]o), the rate of tension development, the time course of spontaneous relaxation and the time course for the repriming of the contracture were unchanged by hypertrophy. However, the relationship between [Ca2+]o and contracture amplitude at various [Na+]o showed that the apparent affinity of the contracture for [Ca2+]o was decreased in hypertrophied preparations. Thus, in 0 mM [Na+]o, half-maximal contracture was induced at a [Ca2+]o of 0.012 +/- 0.016 mM and 0.171 +/- 0.021 mM in control (n = 11) and hypertrophy (n = 12) respectively (P less than 0.001). Although these data may be indicative of a decreased Ca2+ influx through the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, it cannot be excluded that intracellular buffering mechanism may also be involved in this differential response to [Na+]o withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Générale, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, URA CNRS 1340, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baudet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noireaud
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leoty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005289:Ferrets; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium