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Biomedical subjects

A Zahradníková

Publications and source records attributed to A Zahradníková.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Functional fluo-3/AM assay on P-glycoprotein transport activity in L1210/VCR cells by confocal microscopy.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype of L1210/VCR cell line, acquired by selection for vincristine (VCR), is predominantly mediated by P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Calcein/AM (Cal) was recently described as a fluorescent substrate for Pgp and may be used for measuring of transport activity of Pgp. Expression of Pgp in the cells prevents them to be loaded with the fluorescent marker. To detect the activity of Pgp, verapamil (Ver) or cyclosporine A (CsA) has to be used as Pgp inhibitors. Multidrug resistance protein (MRP), another drug efflux pump, may be inhibited by probenecid (Pro), i.e, the inhibitor of a wide variety of anion transporters. Ver, but not Pro, is able to induce the loading of L1210/CR cells by Cal that is measurable by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). Another dye, fluo-3/AM (F-3), has a similar behaviour like Cal. Using confocal microscopy we have proved that L1210/VCR cells, in contrast to parental sensitive cells, are not loaded with F-3. Marking of cells with the dye can be achieved using inhibitors of Pgp like Ver or CsA but not by Pro. These results indicate that F-3 is usable for detection of Pgp function in various MDR tissue cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Regulation of dynamic behavior of cardiac ryanodine receptor by Mg2+ under simulated physiological conditions.

Mg2+, an important constituent of the intracellular milieu in cardiac myocytes, is known to inhibit ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channels by competing with Ca2+ at the cytosolic activation sites of the channel. However, the significance of this competition for local, dynamic Ca2+-signaling processes thought to govern cardiac excitation-contraction (EC) coupling remains largely unknown. In the present study, Ca2+ stimuli of different waveforms (i.e., sustained and brief) were generated by photolysis of the caged Ca2+ compound nitrophenyl (NP)-EGTA. The evoked RyR activity was measured in planar lipid bilayers in the presence of 0.6-1.3 mM free Mg2+ at the background of 3 mM total ATP in the presence or absence of 1 mM luminal Ca2+. Mg2+ dramatically slowed the rate of activation of RyRs in response to sustained (> or =10-ms) elevations in Ca2+ concentration. Paradoxically, Mg2+ had no measurable impact on the kinetics of the RyR response induced by physiologically relevant, brief (<1-ms) Ca2+ stimuli. Instead, the changes in activation rate observed with sustained stimuli were translated into a drastic reduction in the probability of responses. Luminal Ca2+ did not affect the peak open probability or the probability of responses to brief Ca2+ signals; however, it slowed the transition to steady state and increased the steady-state open probability of the channel. Our results indicate that Mg2+ is a critical physiological determinant of the dynamic behavior of the RyR channel, which is expected to profoundly influence the fidelity of coupling between L-type Ca2+ channels and RyRs in heart cells.

Animals↗

Kinetics of cardiac RyR channel gating studied at high temporal resolution.

Measurements of ryanodine receptor (RyR) activity during dynamic changes of calcium concentration have suggested that RyR has at least four calcium binding sites, and that activation transpires as an increase in the activity within the high open probability H-mode. Binding of several Ca2+ ions within the H-mode should manifest itself in the steady-state RyR activity by the presence of multiple closed times. However, previously only two closed times were detected in the H-mode of RyR activity. Here we recorded steady-state activity of single cardiac RyRs with high temporal resolution and compared it to data simulated under the same conditions using our previously published model of RyR gating. At a 10 kHz resolution, the closed time histograms of both experimental and simulated data had three exponential components. The closed times of simulated data were not significantly different from those obtained experimentally. After filtering at 2 kHz, only two exponential closed time components with time constants not significantly different from those previously published could be detected in both experimental and simulated records. The conformity of the steady-state experimental data to the model derived from the dynamic data provides further support for the idea that RyRs need binding of multiple Ca2+ ions to open.

Animals↗

Analysis of calcium-induced calcium release in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles using models derived from single-channel data.

The planar lipid bilayer and vesicle release experiments are two alternative approaches used to study the function of the ryanodine receptor (RyR) channel at the subcellular level. In this work, we combine models of gating (Zahradníková and Zahradník, Biophys. J. 71 (1996) 2996-3012) and permeation (Tinker et al., J. Gen. Physiol. 100 (1992) 495-517) of the cardiac RyR channel to simulate calcium release experiments on sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. The resulting model and real experimental data agreed well within the experimental scatter, confirming indistinguishable properties of the RyRC in the vesicle preparation and in the planar lipid bilayer. The previously observed differences in calcium dependencies of the release and the gating processes can be explained by binding of calcium within the RyRC conducting pore. A novel method of analysis of calcium dependence of calcium release was developed and tested. Three gating models of the RyRC, showing, respectively, an increase, no change, and a decrease in calcium sensitivity over time, were compared. The described method of analysis enabled determination of temporal changes in calcium sensitivity, giving potential for detection of the adaptation/inactivation phenomena of the RyRC in both vesicle and in situ release experiments.

Calcium↗

Modal gating transitions in cardiac ryanodine receptors during increases of Ca2+ concentration produced by photolysis of caged Ca2+.

Channel adaptation is a basic property of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release channels/ryanodine receptors (RyRs). It allows channel activity to decay during sustained increases in the concentration of activating Ca2+. Despite the potential physiological importance of this self-confining process, its molecular mechanism is not well understood. To define the mechanism of adaptation we studied the dynamics of cardiac Ca2+-release channel (RyR) gating using the planar lipid bilayer technique in combination with photolysis of caged Ca2+ (DM-nitrophen). Channels activated by rapid and sustained increases in Ca2+ concentration (from 0.1 to 0.5 micromol/l) displayed three distinct gating modes, manifested as current records with frequent and long openings (H-mode), with rare and short openings (L-mode), and with no openings (I-mode). H-mode channel activity occurred primarily at early times while L- and I-modes predominated at late times after the rapid Ca2+ concentration increase. The decrease in probability of H-mode, mirrored by an increase in the probability of the I-mode, proceeded with a time constant similar to that observed for spontaneous decay in channel activity (i.e., adaptation) in ensemble average records. These results indicate that RyR adaptation transpires by a shift of channel gating from a high open probability mode to low open probability and inactivated modes of the channel.

Animals↗

Rapid activation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor by submillisecond calcium stimuli.

The local control concept of excitation-contraction coupling in the heart postulates that the activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor channels (RyR) is controlled by Ca(2+) entry through adjoining sarcolemmal single dihydropyridine receptor channels (DHPRs). One unverified premise of this hypothesis is that the RyR must be fast enough to track the brief (<0.5 ms) Ca(2+) elevations accompanying single DHPR channel openings. To define the kinetic limits of effective trigger Ca(2+) signals, we recorded activity of single cardiac RyRs in lipid bilayers during rapid and transient increases in Ca(2+) generated by flash photolysis of DM-nitrophen. Application of such Ca(2+) spikes (amplitude approximately 10-30 microM, duration approximately 0.1-0.4 ms) resulted in activation of the RyRs with a probability that increased steeply (apparent Hill slope approximately 2.5) with spike amplitude. The time constants of RyR activation were 0.07-0.27 ms, decreasing with spike amplitude. To fit the rising portion of the open probability, a single exponential function had to be raised to a power n approximately 3. We show that these data could be adequately described with a gating scheme incorporating four sequential Ca(2+)-sensitive closed states between the resting and the first open states. These results provide evidence that brief Ca(2+) triggers are adequate to activate the RyR, and support the possibility that RyR channels are governed by single DHPR openings. They also provide evidence for the assumption that RyR activation requires binding of multiple Ca(2+) ions in accordance with the tetrameric organization of the channel protein.

Acetates↗

Voltage change-induced gating transitions of the rabbit skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel.

1. We used the planar lipid bilayer method to study single ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channels (RyRCs) from fast skeletal muscle of the rabbit. We found that changes in membrane voltage directly induced gating transitions of the RyRC: (i) in the steady state, even at activating Ca2+ concentrations (20 microM), at a constant membrane potential the channels resided in a low open probability (Po) state (inactivated-, I-mode), and (ii) upon abrupt changes of voltage, the apparent inactivation of the RyRCs was relieved, resulting in a rapid and transient increase in Po. 2. The magnitude of the Po increase was a function of both the duration and the amplitude of the applied prepulse, but was independent of the channel activity during the prepulse. 3. The voltage-induced Po increase probably involved major conformational changes of the channel, as it resulted in substantial alterations in the gating pattern of the channels: the voltage change-induced increase in Po was accompanied by the rapid appearance of two types of channel activity (high (H) and low (L) open probability modes). 4. The response of the RyRC to voltage changes raises the interesting possibility that the activation of RyRC in situ might involve electrical events, i.e. a possible dipole-dipole coupling between the release channel and the voltage sensor.

Animals↗

Inactivation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor calcium release channel by nitric oxide.

We have recently reported [Mészáros L.G., Minarovic I., Zahradníková A. Inhibition of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor calcium release channel by nitric oxide. FEBS Lett 1996; 380: 49-52] that nitric oxide (NO) reduces the activity of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channel (RyRC), a principal component of the excitation-contraction coupling machinery in striated muscles. Since (i) as shown here, we have obtained evidence which indicates that the NO synthase (eNOS) of cardiac muscle origin co-purified with RyRC-containing sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) fractions; and (ii) the effects of NO donors on the release channel, as well as on cardiac function, appear somewhat contradictory, we have made an attempt to investigate the response of the cardiac RyRC to NO that is generated in situ from L-arginine in the NOS reaction. We found that L-arginine-derived NO inactivates Ca2+ release from cardiac SR and reduces the steady-state activity (i.e. open probability) of single RyRCs fused into a planar lipid bilayer. This reduction was prevented by NOS inhibitors and the NO quencher hemoglobin and was reversed by 2-mercaptoethanol. We thus conclude that: (i) in isolated SR preparations, it is possible to assess the effects of NO that is generated from L-arginine in the NOS reaction; and (ii) cardiac RyRc responds to NO in a manner which is identical to that we have previously found with the skeletal channel. These findings suggest that the direct modulation of the RyRC by NO is a signaling mechanism which likely participates in earlier demonstrated NO-induced myocardial contractility changes.

Animals↗

Nitric oxide and its effects on the calcium transport systems in the myocardium.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important modulator of many physiological processes, including myocardial contractile function. The understanding of how the production of NO in the myocardium is regulated in response to physiological stimuli and pathological processes is evolving rapidly. The main goal of this minireview is to summarize the current knowledge (i) about the enzymes that produce NO in the heart muscle, (ii) about the targets of myocardial NO that modulate calcium transport systems of the heart muscle cells, and (iii) about the role that NO-induced changes of calcium homeostasis play in the modulation of myocardial contractility.

Animals↗

A minimal gating model for the cardiac calcium release channel.

A Markovian model of the cardiac Ca release channel, based on experimental single-channel gating data, was constructed to understand the transient nature of Ca release. The rate constants for a minimal gating scheme with one Ca-free resting state, and with two open and three closed states with one bound Ca2+, were optimized to simulate the following experimental findings. In steady state the channel displays three modes of activity: inactivated 1 mode without openings, low-activity L mode with single openings, and high-activity H mode with bursts of openings. At the onset of a Ca2+ step, the channel first activates in H mode and then slowly relaxes to a mixture of all three modes, the distribution of which depends on the new Ca2+. The corresponding ensemble current shows rapid activation, which is followed by a slow partial inactivation. The transient reactivation of the channel (increment detection) in response to successive additions of Ca2+ is then explained by the model as a gradual recruitment of channels from the extant pool of channels in the resting state. For channels in a living cell, the model predicts a high level of peak activation, a high extent of inactivation, and rapid deactivation, which could underlie the observed characteristics of the elementary release events (calcium sparks).

Animals↗

Heterogeneity of the cardiac calcium release channel as assessed by its response to ADP-ribose.

ADP-ribose (ADPR) was found to decrease the rate of Ca2+ release from isolated cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles, which was limited to a maximum of 46 +/- 8% inhibition and was in accordance with our results obtained with single cardiac ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channels (RyRC) incorporated into planar lipid bilayers: Out of 23 separate single channels, 9 responded to ADPR by a complete closure, while 14 channels showed no response at all, resulting in a reduction in overall open probability in the presence of ADPR (relative to control channels) by 39.7%. Although the ADPR-responsive and unresponsive single channels showed no differences in their respective open times, current amplitudes or relative occurrences of dwell levels, the bare existence of two types of response to ADPR together with the 50%-limited inhibition of cardiac SR Ca2+ release by ADPR indicates a heterogeneity of RyRCs in cardiac SR, which is likely due to protein(s) that interact(s) with the channel and are present in substoichiometric mole ratios.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

Description of modal gating of the cardiac calcium release channel in planar lipid membranes.

Single channel activity of the cardiac ryanodine-sensitive calcium-release channel in planar lipid membranes was studied in order to elucidate the calcium-dependent mechanism of its steady-state behavior. The single channel kinetics, observed with Cs+ as the charge carrier at different activating (cis) Ca2+ concentrations in the absence of ATP and Mg2+, were similar to earlier reports and were extended by analysis of channel modal behavior. The channel displayed three episodic levels of open probability defining three gating modes: H (high activity), L (low activity), and I (no activity). The large difference in open probabilities between the two active modes resulted from different bursting patterns and different proportions of two distinct channel open states. I-mode was without openings and can be regarded as the inactivated mode of the channel; L-mode was composed of short and sparse openings; and H-mode openings were longer and grouped into bursts. Modal gating may explain calcium-release channel adaptation (as transient prevalence of H-mode after Ca2+ binding) and the inhibitory effects of drugs (as stabilization of mode I), and it provides a basis for understanding the regulation of calcium release.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Modification of cardiac Ca2+ release channel gating by DIDS.

The effects of 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) on individual cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channels have been examined in planar lipid bilayers. A sudden step-like increase in open probability (Po) induced by DIDS was observed. At zero holding potential it proceeded with an apparent time constant of 84 s and Po was increased 15 times in the steady state. Independent of membrane voltage, DIDS induced a long-lived open state with tau o = 15 ms at 0 mV and tau o = 5 ms at -50 mV (cis (cytoplasmic) side negative). While at 0 mV the modified channel spent most of the time in this long-lived state, at -50 mV the occupancy of the long-lived state was very low and most openings occurred to the short and medium open state, leading to deactivation of the channel to only 2-3 times of control. Voltage-induced changes in the activity of modified channels were reversible and proceeded with time constants of 14 s for deactivation and 12 s for activation, that is, faster than onset of activation by DIDS. As no changes in single channel conductance of the channel were observed in the presence of DIDS and its abrupt activating action could not be removed, a covalent modification of an amino group residing in the gating structure of the channel by DIDS can be considered.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Procaine effects on single sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channels.

The effects of the Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release blocker procaine on individual sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channels have been examined in planar lipid bilayers. Procaine did not reduce the single channel conductance nor appreciably shorten the mean open times of the channel; rather, it increased the longest closed time. These results indicated that procaine interacted selectively with a closed state of the channel rather than with an open state. Gating of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel was described by a modified scheme of Ashley and Williams (1990. J. Gen. Physiol. 95:981-1005), including an additional long-lived closed state. Computer simulations determined that procaine was more likely to interact with this long-lived Ca(2+)-bound closed state of the channel rather than with other states of the channel. Simulations with the same model were also able to reproduce a prominent Ca(2+)-sensitive transition between "random" and "bursting" forms of gating of the channel, variations of which may account for "gearshift" behavior reported in studies with this and other single channels.

Animals↗

Single potassium channels of human glioma cells.

Single potassium channels in the membrane of human malignant glioma cells U-118MG were studied using the technique of patch clamp in cell-attached and inside-out configurations. Three types of potassium channels were found which differed from each other under conditions close to physiological in their conductance and gating characteristics. The lowest-conductance channel (20 pS near the reversal potential) showed a mild outward rectification up to 45 pS at positive voltages and spontaneous modes of high and low activity. At extreme values of potentials its activity was generally low. The intermediate conductance channel had an S-shaped I-V curve, giving a conductance of 63 pS at reversal, and a low and voltage independent opening probability. The high-conductance (215 pS) channel was found to be activated by both membrane potential and Ca2+ ions and blocked by internal sodium at high voltages. The current-voltage curves of all three channel types displayed saturation.

Calcium↗

Interaction of diltiazem with single L-type calcium channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.

The effects of diltiazem on cardiac L-type calcium channels were studied at the single channel level, using Ba2+ ions as the charge carrier. Patch clamp experiments were performed on enzymatically isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. It was shown in cell-attached configuration on multichannel patches that diltiazem, when applied to the bath, can approach the calcium channel under the pipette after diffusion through the membrane phase. The time constant of the onset of the effect was 60 s. The rate of recovery seemed to be of the same order. Diltiazem had most prominent effect on calcium channel open state probability by reducing the frequency of openings, and by increasing the frequency of records without channel opening (nulls). The effect on mean open time was found to be insignificant at 1 kHz resolution. Diltiazem had no effect on the amplitude of unitary currents. These data are consistent with the assumption that diltiazem interacts mainly with the inactivated state (although interaction with the closed states was not ruled out), and does not bind to the open state of the calcium channel.

Animals↗

[Rubidium permeability through Ca2(+)-activated potassium channels in human erythrocytes].

Both potassium and rubidium can flow through the Ca2(+)-activated K channel of human erythrocytes. Although rubidium unitary currents are much smaller than potassium ones at the same potentials, no change in the reversal potential was observed on changing from potassium to rubidium solution on one side of the red cell membrane white keeping the other side in high potassium. The current-voltage curve in symmetrical potassium solutions exhibited strong inward rectification. When Rb+ was substituted for K+, the I-V curve became almost linear. These findings can all be described using a model with two binding sites, in which the ions are assumed to be both permeating and blocking.

Calcium↗