Frequency-force relationship in guinea-pig ventricular myocardium as influenced by magnesium

Magnesium-dependent calcium efflux in mammalian heart muscle

Extra and intracellular magnesium is involved in the control of myocardial calcium movements. Here we report on an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration in resting ventricular myocytes due to the withdrawal of extracellular magnesium under the condition of a blocked sodium-dependent calcium elimination. Evidence for an activation of cellular calcium efflux by extracellular magnesium showed experiments in perfused hearts. It is concluded that extracellular magnesium can modulate the intracellular free calcium concentration of the myocardial cells by its influence on calcium elimination.

Calcium metabolism and depressed contractility in isolated human and porcine heart muscle

Contractility is often depressed in isolated heart muscle. To analyze this phenomenon, we measured the derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt) in intact and in isolated, blood perfused pig hearts, and peak force (F) or stress (F/mm2) in ventricular trabeculae of man and pig. When the heart was in the steady state at a priming frequency of 2 Hz an extrasystolic interval of 0.3 s was interposed, followed by four postextrasystolic intervals of 0.8 s. In the case of isolated trabeculae the priming frequency was 0.2 Hz, the extra interval 0.4 s, and the post-extrasystolic intervals were 5 s. The exponential decay of potentiation is characterized by the constant D: a low value of D indicates a rapid decay of potentiation. DP/dt was about 1000 mm Hg/s in the intact hearts, but within 1 h after isolation dP/dt decreased to about 700 mm Hg/s, and this was associated with a decrease in D from 0.63 to 0.40. Developed stress in the isolated trabeculae was about 2 mN/mm2 and D was about 0.20 under standard, in vitro conditions (a.o. 1.5 mM Ca2+. 0.2 Hz stimulus frequency). This stress is only 10% of the calculated stress in the intact heart. An increase of priming frequency, or of [Ca2+], or addition of 30 nM isoproterenol to the perfusate caused a marked increase in F and D. Properties of human and porcine trabeculae were quantitatively similar. The strong correlation between dP/dt, or F, and D suggests a causal relationship. This is consistent with the current model of e-c coupling in heart muscle, in which the activity of the Ca2+ pump of the sarcoplasmic reticulum determines the decay of potentiation and the amount of releasable Ca2+ in the reticulum determines force of contraction. Since isoproterenol stimulates the Ca2+ pump in the reticulum, the increase in D and F induced by this drug is consistent with the model. We conclude, that the decreased dP/dt, F, and D in isolated preparations was due to impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum function. The role of this phenomenon in the stunned heart syndrome, species differences and possible causes are discussed.

Effects of buffer magnesium on positive inotropic agents in guinea pig cardiac muscle

Experiments examined effects of extracellular Mg2+ concentration (Mgo2+) on dose-dependent actions of strophanthidin, norepinephrine, Bay K-8644 and extracellular Ca2+ (Cao2+) in electrically stimulated atrial and ventricular muscle isolated from guinea pig heart. Mgo2+ itself elicited a concentration-dependent negative inotropic effect. Elevation of Mgo2+ between 0.6 and 12 mM increased the concentration of strophanthidin necessary to produce its toxic effects without affecting the maximum developed tension prior to toxicity. Similarly, Mgo2+ did not alter the maximum contractile force elicited by cumulative addition of norepinephrine, Bay K-8644 or Cao2+, but increased their ED50 values. These data suggest that interactions between Mgo2+ and the four positive inotropic agents were not mediated by effects on receptor binding or Na+,K+-ATPase, but rather by alterations at one or more steps involved in excitation-contraction coupling.

Excitation-contraction coupling and extracellular calcium transients in rabbit atrium: reconstruction of basic cellular mechanisms

Interactions of electrogenic sodium-calcium exchange, calcium channel and sarcoplasmic reticulum in the mammalian heart have been explored by simulation of extracellular calcium transients measured with tetramethylmurexide in rabbit atrium. The approach has been to use the simplest possible formulations of these mechanisms, which together with a minimum number of additional mechanisms allow reconstruction of action potentials, intracellular calcium transients and extracellular calcium transients. A 3:1 sodium-calcium exchange stoichiometry is assumed. Calcium-channel inactivation is assumed to take place by a voltage-dependent mechanism, which is accelerated by a rise in intracellular calcium; intracellular calcium release becomes a major physiological regulator of calcium influx via calcium channels. A calcium release mechanism is assumed, which is both calcium- and voltage-sensitive, and which undergoes prolonged inactivation. 200 microM cytosolic calcium buffer is assumed. For most simulations only instantaneous potassium conductances are simulated so as to study the other mechanisms independently of time- and calcium-dependent outward current. Thus, the model reconstructs extracellular calcium transients and typical action-potential configuration changes during steady-state and non-steady-state stimulation from the mechanisms directly involved in trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements. The model predicts relatively small trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements during regular stimulation (ca. 2 mumol kg-1 fresh mass per excitation); calcium current is fully activated within 2 ms of excitation, inactivation is substantially complete within 30 ms, and sodium-calcium exchange significantly resists repolarization from approximately -30 mV. Net calcium movements many times larger are possible during non-steady-state stimulation. Long action potentials at premature excitations or after inhibition of calcium release can be supported almost exclusively by calcium current (net calcium influx 5-30 mumol kg-1 fresh mass); action potentials during potentiated post-stimulatory contractions can be supported almost exclusively by sodium-calcium exchange (net calcium efflux 4-20 mumol kg-1 fresh mass). Large calcium movements between the extracellular space and the sarcoplasmic reticulum can take place through the cytosol with virtually no contractile activation. The simulations provide integrated explanations of electrical activity, contractile function and trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements, which were outside the explanatory range of previous models.

Positive inotropic effect of Mg2+ in K+-depolarized isoprenaline-reactivated guinea-pig ventricular strip

In K+-depolarized isoprenaline-reactivated guinea-pig ventricular strips increase in external Mg2+ concentration produced a biphasic inotropic effect i.e. at low concentrations (2.5-7.5 mM) a slight negative inotropic effect was observed, while at higher Mg2+ concentrations (10-17.5 mM) a strong positive inotropic effect become predominant. Variation in extracellular K+ concentration (17-22 and 25 mM) determined a concentration related reduction in Mg2+-induced positive inotropic effect. Increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentration (2.5-3.6 and 5.4 mM) prevented the development of Mg2+-induced negative inotropic effect but did not affect the magnitude of the positive inotropic effect. Mg2+-induced positive inotropic effect was unaffected by TTX (3 mg/l) and even enhanced by nifedipine (65 nM). Caffeine (0.2-15 mM) antagonized in a concentration dependent manner the positive inotropic effect of Mg2+. On the other hand in the presence of Mg2+ (15 mM) caffeine (0.2 mM) was unable to exert its positive inotropic effect. Mg2+ (15 mM) determined a "Ca2+ entry blocking"--like modifications of electrophysiological parameters of slow action potentials elicited by isoprenaline in K+-depolarized preparations. Such effects of Mg2+ were also present during the positive inotropic effect. The possible mechanisms responsible for these complex inotropic effects of Mg2+ are discussed.

Excitation-contraction coupling in rested-state contractions of guinea-pig ventricular myocardium

Different types of rested-state contractions were examined under the influence of various inotropic agents. In magnesium-free solution, in low sodium (40 mmol/l) solution or in the presence of dihydroouabain, an "early" rested-state contraction developed without delay after stimulation. A distinctive "late" rested-state contraction was observed under the influence of noradrenaline. It is characterized by a latent period of about 100 ms between stimulation and onset of contraction. This latency was not reduced by increasing the catecholamine concentration, despite a concentration-dependent increase in the height of the "late" rested-state contraction. The late rested-state contraction under the influence of noradrenaline was suppressed by the slow inward current inhibitor nifedipine whether or not the nifedipine-dependent shortening of the action potential duration was prevented by caesium. When the slow inward current was not inhibited, the prolongation of the action potential duration by caesium resulted in an increase of the late rested-state contraction because of a prolongation of the time to peak force. High concentrations of dihydroouabain led to the appearance of an early contraction component without appreciably influencing the noradrenaline-dependent late component. From this it was deduced that the activator calcium for the late rested-state contraction was not stored intracellularly during rest prior to stimulation and, consequently, could not have been released by inflowing calcium. Instead, it is proposed that the activator calcium for the late rested-state contraction entered the sites of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and subsequently released from its release sites as long as the cell was depolarized. The "early" rested-state contractions in Mg2+-free solution, in low sodium solution or in the presence of dihydroouabain were not influenced in their contraction velocity by high concentrations of nifedipine which fully inhibited the late rested-state contractions. Nifedipine caused only a slight reduction in peak force due to a shortening of the time to peak force as a result of a shortening in action potential duration. This indicates that the activator calcium for the "early" rested-state contractions had accumulated in the sarcoplasmic reticulum during rest prior to stimulation and that it was released immediately by depolarization without a participation of the slow inward current.

Where is the origin of the activator calcium in cardiac ventricular contraction?

Under normal experimental conditions, the force of rested-state contractions (i.e., contractions after a rest period of 15 min or longer) of mammalian ventricular myocardium is insignificant. In Mg2+-free solution, in low sodium solution or in the presence of a cardioactive steroid, a strong "early" rested-state contraction develops without delay after stimulation, indicating the accumulation during rest of intracellularly stored activator calcium. By contrast, catecholamines cause a "late" rested-state contraction with a characteristic latent period of about 100 ms between stimulation and onset of contraction. Inhibition of the slow inward current by nifedipine has no influence on the contraction velocity of the "early" rested-state contraction, indicating that Ca2+ of the slow inward current is not involved in the calcium release mechanism of prefilled stores during excitation-contraction coupling. Nifedipine suppresses the "late" rested-state contraction in the presence of noradrenaline. In view of the constancy of the latent period, it is proposed that the activator calcium for the "late" rested-state contraction enters the cell with the slow inward current, is sequestered at first by uptake sites of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and subsequently released from its release sites as long as the cell is depolarized. The model of the different origin of activator calcium is discussed in its implication for high-frequency contractions.