title: Effects of ouabain and digitoxin on the respiration of chick embryo cardiomyocytes in culture.
abstract: The effect of digitoxin (CAS 71-63-6) and ouabain (g-strophantin, CAS 630-60-4) on respiration, morphology and beating activity of cardiomyocytes in culture derived from embryonic chick hearts has been investigated. The drugs were applied in a perfusion system using a protein- and substrate-free perfusion medium (BSS) at two concentration of K+ (5.4 and 4 mmol/l). In either K+ concentration oxygen consumption was 0.13 +/- 0.05 nmol O2 h-1 per 1000 cells. During 3 h of perfusion with BSS oxygen consumption declines only slightly to 79 +/- 15% of the initial value. No relation was found between beating frequency and oxygen consumption. Increase in respiration ranged from 5 to 45% and lasted between 5 and 120 min. At concentrations being inhibitory to the Na+/K(+)-ATPase (greater than or equal to 1 mumol/l) ouabain stimulated respiration by about 20% at 4 mmol/l K+ and 10% at 5.4 mmol/l K+ while digitoxin was effective at 5.4 mmol/l only (a transient increase of 20%). At 0.1 nmol/l, (a concentration below the KD of the high affinity binding site of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase) ouabain caused a long lasting activation of respiration by about 30%, digitoxin induced a transient rise of up to 20% at 5.4 mmol/l K+. At 4 mmol/l K+ digitoxin did not affect respiration while ouabain caused a transient increase. The lowest concentration of ouabain inducing a reproducible activation of oxygen consumption was 0.1 pmol/l. At this concentration digitoxin was no longer effective. At 1 fmol/l respiration was stimulated only occasionally.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cinematic Cell Research Group, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt/Main, Fed. Rep. of Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riehle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bereiter-Hahn
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004074:Digitoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D010477:Perfusion
chemical_list: D010042:Ouabain; D004074:Digitoxin