Cardiac-specific overexpression of phospholamban alters calcium kinetics and resultant cardiomyocyte mechanics in transgenic mice.
Phospholamban is the regulator of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase activity and an important modulator of basal contractility in the heart. To determine whether all the SR Ca(2+)-ATPase enzymes are subject to regulation by phospholamban in vivo, transgenic mice were generated which overexpressed phospholamban in the heart, driven by the cardiac-specific alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. Quantitative immunoblotting revealed a twofold increase in the phospholamban protein levels in transgenic hearts compared to wild type littermate hearts. The transgenic mice showed no phenotypic alterations and no changes in heart/body weight, heart/lung weight, and cardiomyocyte size. Isolated unloaded cardiac myocytes from transgenic mice exhibited diminished shortening fraction (63%) and decreased rates of shortening (64%) and relengthening (55%) compared to wild type (100%) cardiomyocytes. The decreases in contractile parameters of transgenic cardiomyocytes reflected decreases in the amplitude (83%) of the Ca2+ signal and prolongation (131%) in the time for decay of the Ca2+ signal, which was associated with a decrease in the apparent affinity of the SR Ca(2+)-ATPase for Ca2+ (56%), compared to wild type (100%) cardiomyocytes. In vivo analysis of left ventricular systolic function using M mode and pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography revealed decreases in fractional shortening (79%) and the normalized mean velocity of circumferential shortening (67%) in transgenic mice compared to wild type (100%) mice. The differences in contractile parameters and Ca2+ kinetics in transgenic cardiomyocytes and the depressed left ventricular systolic function in transgenic mice were abolished upon isoproterenol stimulation. These findings indicate that a fraction of the Ca(2+)-ATPases in native SR is not under regulation by phospholamban. Expression of additional phospholamban molecules results in: (a) inhibition of SR Ca2+ transport; (b) decreases in systolic Ca2+ levels and contractile parameters in ventricular myocytes; and (c) depression of basal left ventricular systolic function in vivo.
Kadambi
V J
VJ
Department of Pharmacology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Ohio 45267, USA.
Ponniah
S
S
Harrer
J M
JM
Hoit
B D
BD
Dorn
G W
GW
Walsh
R A
RA
Kranias
E G
EG
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000502:physiology; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D000099211:Phospholamban
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D002118:Calcium; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D007545:Isoproterenol; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D000099211:Phospholamban