Regulation of muscle contraction

Acquisition of a quantitative, stoichiometrically conserved ratiometric marker of maturation status in stem cell-derived cardiac myocytes

There is no consensus in the stem cell field as to what constitutes the mature cardiac myocyte. Thus, helping formalize a molecular signature for cardiac myocyte maturation would advance the field. In the mammalian heart, inactivation of the “fetal” TNNI gene, TNNI1 (ssTnI), together in temporal concert with its stoichiometric replacement by the adult TNNI gene product, TNNI3 (cTnI), represents a quantifiable ratiometric maturation signature. We examined the TNNI isoform transition in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) cardiac myocytes (hiPSC-CMs) and found the fetal TNNI signature, even during long-term culture. Rodent stem cell-derived and primary myocytes, however, transitioned to the adult TnI profile. Acute genetic engineering of hiPSC-CMs enabled a rapid conversion toward the mature TnI profile. While there is no single marker to denote the mature cardiac myocyte, we propose that tracking the cTnI:ssTnI protein isoform ratio provides a valuable maturation signature to quantify myocyte maturation status across laboratories.

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The TNNI gene switch is a quantitative maturation signal for hiPSC-CMs

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TnI isoform ratio is necessary, but not sufficient, to establish the mature state

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TNNI protein isoform switching is stalled in hiPSC-CMs

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Gene transfer enables acquisition of the mature TNNI signature in hiPSC-CMs

Myosin light chain phosphorylation and evidence for latchbridge formation in norepinephrine stimulated canine veins

The role of 20000 dalton myosin light chain phosphorylation in mediating venous smooth muscle contraction was studied in isolated preparations of canine jugular and femoral vein. One min 10(-5) M norepinephrine-induced contraction was accompanied by significant increases in phosphorylation (jugular - 21 to 46%; femoral - 19 to 54%) which were reversed within 10 min after agonist washout. During 40 min stimulation, phosphorylation and isometric force redevelopment rates declined to near basal levels while force was maintained. These findings implicate light chain phosphorylation as a prerequisite for initial tension development by crossbridge cycling in venous smooth muscle. However, long term tension can be maintained through a process similar to the latchbridge state in tracheal and arterial smooth muscle.

The effect of leiotonin fraction on stably phosphorylated smooth muscle myosin

This study was designed to determine the effect of leiotonin on the actin-activation once the myosin is stably phosphorylated. Gizzard myosin was stably phosphorylated by ATP-gamma-S using the gizzard light chain kinase. Addition of leiotonin preparation to phosphorylated myosin reconstituted with actin and tropomyosin did not alter the ATPase activity. Furthermore, leiotonin did not confer the calcium sensitivity of the ATPase activity. These experiments show that the actin-activated ATPase activity of stably phosphorylated gizzard myosin is not altered by leiotonin.