title: The cAMP binding protein Epac modulates Ca2+ sparks by a Ca2+/calmodulin kinase signalling pathway in rat cardiac myocytes.
abstract: cAMP is a powerful second messenger whose known general effector is protein kinase A (PKA). The identification of a cAMP binding protein, Epac, raises the question of its role in Ca(2+) signalling in cardiac myocytes. In this study, we analysed the effects of Epac activation on Ca(2+) handling by using confocal microscopy in isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes. [Ca(2+)](i) transients were evoked by electrical stimulation and Ca(2+) sparks were measured in quiescent myocytes. Epac was selectively activated by the cAMP analogue 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-2'-O-methyladenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-CPT). Patch-clamp was used to record the L-type calcium current (I(Ca)), and Western blot to evaluate phosphorylated ryanodine receptor (RyR). [Ca(2+)](i) transients were slightly reduced by 10 microm 8-CPT (F/F(0): decreased from 4.7 +/- 0.5 to 3.8 +/- 0.4, P < 0.05), an effect that was boosted when cells were previously infected with an adenovirus encoding human Epac. I(Ca) was unaltered by Epac activation, so this cannot explain the decreased [Ca(2+)](i) transients. Instead, a decrease in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) load underlies the decrease in the [Ca(2+)](i) transients. This decrease in the SR Ca(2+) load was provoked by the increase in the SR Ca(2+) leak induced by Epac activation. 8-CPT significantly increased Ca(2+) spark frequency (Ca(2+) sparks s(-1) (100 microm)(-1): from 2.4 +/- 0.6 to 6.9 +/- 1.5, P < 0.01) while reducing their amplitude (F/F(0): 1.8 +/- 0.02 versus 1.6 +/- 0.01, P < 0.001) in a Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII)-dependent and PKA-independent manner. Accordingly, we found that Epac increased RyR phosphorylation at the CaMKII site. Altogether, our data reveal a new signalling pathway by which cAMP governs Ca(2+) release and signalling in cardiac myocytes.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U637, Physiopathologie Cardiovasculaire, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Métrich
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Velasco
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perrier
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Rodolphe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischmeister
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bénitah
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lezoualc'h
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gómez
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
chemical_list: C473217:8-(4-chloro-phenylthio)-2'-O-methyladenosine-3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; C116122:RAPGEF3 protein, human; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2