title: Selected contribution: mechanical strain increases force production and calcium sensitivity in cultured airway smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Cultured airway smooth muscle cells subjected to cyclic deformational strain have increased cell content of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin and increased formation of actin filaments. To determine how these changes may increase cell contractility, we measured isometric force production with changes in cytosolic calcium in individual permeabilized cells. The pCa for 50% maximal force production was 6.6+/-0.4 in the strain cells compared with 5.9+/-0.3 in control cells, signifying increased calcium sensitivity in strain cells. Maximal force production was also greater in strain cells (8.6+/-2.9 vs. 5.7+/-3.1 microN). The increased maximal force production in strain cells persisted after irreversible thiophosphorylation of myosin light chain, signifying that increased force could not be explained by differences in myosin light chain phosphorylation. Cells strained for brief periods sufficient to increase cytoskeletal organization but insufficient to increase contractile protein content also produced more force, suggesting that strain-induced cytoskeletal reorganization also increases force production.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatric, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. pgs3@po.cwru.edu
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Q Q
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brozovich
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018994:Myosin Light Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018994:Myosin Light Chains; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013455:Sulfur; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains; D002118:Calcium