title: Modulation of cardiac contractility by myosin light chain phosphorylation.
abstract: Cytosolic free [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]c) mediates primary regulation of cardiac contractility. Both the magnitude and time-course of [Ca2+]c transient that is elicited by a sarcolemmal action potential play central roles in defining the characteristics of the mechanical response that occurs during a single excitation-contraction coupling cycle. Numerous modulators of cardiac contractility, both hormonal and autoregulatory, act to influence contractile function via direct effects on various cellular processes that govern [Ca2+]c dynamics. Cardiac contractility can also be influenced by mechanisms that alter the responsiveness of the contractile element to activation by Ca2+ (see preceding paper). There is growing interest in the possibility that the phosphorylation of the P-light chain subunit of cardiac myosin by a Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase may modulate cardiac muscle contractility by increasing the sensitivity of the contractile element to activation by Ca2+. The types of experimental data that have led to the development of this hypothesis and the unique aspects of cardiac P-light chain phosphate content regulation will be briefly addressed in this paper. Furthermore, several unresolved issues regarding the functional significance of cardiac P-light chain phosphorylation in intact myocardium are identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Musch
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase