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J Scheuer

Publications and source records attributed to J Scheuer.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Effects of physical training and detraining on intrinsic cardiac control mechanisms.

The effects of a moderate physical training program on the hearts of rats have been studied. The mechanical responses of these hearts are improved. Possible contributing factors in this improvement are increased coronary reserve and capacity to deliver oxygen to the myocardium, increased myocardial glycogen stores and increased turnover of fatty acids through the endogenous triglyceride pool. Myocardial oxidative compounds and high energy phosphate stores are not altered. Major changes are found in the energy utilization pathways. Actomyosin, myosin, and heavy meromyosin ATPase activity and binding activity of isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum are all enhanced. Sulfhydryl control of the active site of myosin ATPase is altered. The biochemical effects of conditioning are short lived when training is decreased or discontinued.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Studies of subcellular control factors in hearts of uremic rats.

Subcellular fractions in hearts from rats with severe acute uremia (24 hours after total nephrectomy) and moderate chronic uremia (2 weeks after five sixths nephrectomy) were studied and compared with preparations from acute and chronic sham-operated rats, respectively. Calcium- and magnesium-sensitive actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were normal in both groups. Acute uremia was associated with a significant depression of sarcolemmal Na+,K+ ATPase activity. Calcium transport by fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum was also depressed in the presence and absence of oxalate in acute uremia. Mitochondrial calcium transport and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) concentrations were normal in these animals. Chronic uremic animals showed no abnormal subcellular mechanisms. These data suggest a direct effect of acute uremia on some membrane functions in myocardial cells. The discrepancies observed between acute and chronic uremic groups may be due to a different degree of uremic state. The observation of depressed calcium transport by fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (FSR) in acute uremic hearts which were previously shown to have increased contractile reserve suggests that studies of calcium transport in FSR may not always truly reflect the contractile capacity of the heart.

Actomyosin↗

Effects of physical training on cardiac myosin ATPase activity.

Cardiac myosin from rats exercised 90 or 150 min daily for 8 wk was compared with the myosin from the hearts of matched sedentary controls. The Ca++-ATPase activity was increased 17 percent in rats exercised 90 min and 30 percent in rats exercised 150 min daily. In the exercised group 0.18 M KCl increased the myosin ATPase activity by 50 percent but had no effect in the control group. Ethylene glycol activated the Ca++-ATPase in control myosin preparations, but had no significant effect on myosin from conditioned hearts. Heavy meromyosin (HMM) from conditioned hearts had a higher Ca++-ATPase activity than from controls. Fluorescence with 8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS) was increased 30 percent in HMM from conditioned hearts. The results suggest that the increased myosin ATPase activity in the hearts of exercised animals may be due to a local conformational change at or near the active site.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Increased cardiac contractility in acute uremia: interrelationships with hypertension.

To study the effects of acute uremia on the inotropic state of the rat heart, we subjected rats to bilateral nephrectomy and studied their hearts in the open chest 24 h later. Uremic rats had significantly higher systolic blood pressure than sham-operated animals. Left ventricular systolic pressure and maximum dP/dt, both during ejection and isovolumic contrations, were higher for any given end-diastolic pressure in hearts of uremic rats than in sham-operated animals. This difference in performance charcteristics was not abolished by doses of propranolol that blocked the heart rate response to isoproterenol. The administration of phenoxybenzamine during the 24 h of uremia abolished the blood pressure rise in uremic rats, but the increased contractile state persisted. Treatment of sham-operated animals with methoxamine to produce the same course of blood pressure as observed in uremic rats was also associated with an increased inotropic state. These results indicate that in the rat, acute uremia is associated with an increased inotropic state that is not mediated by beta-adrenergic mechanisms. The systolic hypertension of acute uremia is not the major cause of the increased contractility, although systolic hypertension without uremia can mimic the performance characteristics found in hearts of uremic rats.

Animals↗

Some metabolic approaches to improving myocardial performance during cardiac hypoxia.

Four possible metabolic approaches to improving cardiac function in the presence of myocardial hypoxia have been considered. 1. It appears that there is increasing evidence which suggests that free fatty acids are harmful to the ischemic heart. 2. Although it has been demonstrated that Krebs cycle intermediates can result in anaerobic energy formation by the mitochondria, and under certain extreme conditions can lead to improved performance of the heart, the potential for a physiologically important effect of this approach is probably limited. 3. The protection of the ischemic or hypoxic heart by alkalosis may be a feasible approach. The major beneficial effect appears to be exerted through more efficient conversion of energy that is already available to contractile performance rather than by increasing energy supply. 4. There appears to be some real potential for improving cardiac energy delivery via the glycolytic pathway. Calculations based on isolated rat heart studies indicate that, at 50% oxygenation, glycolytic ATP generation could totally correct for the deficit in mitochondrial ATP formation. Therefore, it is in the area of overcoming the inhibition of glycolytic ATP formation and tapping this potential metabolic pathway that energy delivery may be restored toward normal in the hypoxic and perhaps the borderline zone of underperfusion in the ischemic heart. The problem of the ischemic inhibition of glycolysis may partially be overcome by creating extracellular alkalosis, but this presumption will have to be tested.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Early changes in myocardial hypoxia: relations among mechanical function, pH, and intracellular redox states.

When rat hearts were subjected to abrupt hypoxia the onset of NADH changes as measured by epicardial fluorescence and of depressed contractility occurred at similar times. Direct measurements of changes in tissue metabolism lagged behind changes in fluorescence and contractility. Calculated NAD:NADH ratios became reduced more rapidly and to a greater extent in the cytoplasm than in the mitochondria, but did not necessarily signal greater changes in total NADH. The detection of depressed contractility before a fall in intracellular pH or a rise in intracellular lactate casts doubt on the postulate that an increase in hydrogen ion is the primary cause of hypoxic myocardial failure.

Animals↗