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N Kurebayashi

Publications and source records attributed to N Kurebayashi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Depletion of Ca2+ in the sarcoplasmic reticulum stimulates Ca2+ entry into mouse skeletal muscle fibres.

To examine whether a capacitative Ca2+ entry pathway is present in skeletal muscle, thin muscle fibre bundles were isolated from extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of adult mice, and isometric tension and fura-2 signals were simultaneously measured. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the muscle fibres was successfully depleted of Ca2+ by repetitive treatments with high-K+ solutions, initially in the absence and then in the presence of a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor. Depletion of the SR of Ca2+ enabled us for the first time to show convincingly that the vast majority of the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ store overlaps the caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ store in intact fibres from mouse EDL muscle. This conclusion was based on the observation that both high-K+ solution and caffeine failed to cause a contracture in the depleted muscle fibres. The existence of a Ca2+ influx pathway active enough to refill the depleted SR within several minutes was shown in skeletal muscle fibres. Ca2+ entry was sensitive to Ni2+, but resistant to nifedipine and was suppressed by plasma membrane depolarisation. Evidence for store-operated Ca2+ entry was provided by measurements of Mn2+ entry. Significant acceleration of Mn2+ entry was observed only when the SR was severely depleted of Ca2+. The Mn2+ influx, which was blocked by Ni2+ but not by nifedipine, was inwardly rectifying, as is the case with the Ca2+ entry. These results indicate that the store-operated Ca2+ entry is similar to the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel (CRAC) current described in other preparations.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Calcium dynamics in skeletal muscle].

There are two kinds of Ca(2+) homeostasis, a short-term and a long-term ones, in skeletal muscle. In the former, Ca(2+) changes its location within a cell during EC coupling, while in the latter, cellular Ca(2+) content changes according to extracellular Ca(2+) concentration, i.e., Ca(2+) moves across cell membrane. Ca(2+) influx and efflux system of skeletal muscle has not been well known. Recently, the presence of store-operated Ca(2+) entry, which has important role in non-excitable cells, has been shown in skeletal muscle. The influx is indicated to be larger than that of Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel.

English Abstract↗
PubMed2000

Role of Mg(2+) in Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release through ryanodine receptors of frog skeletal muscle: modulations by adenine nucleotides and caffeine.

Mg(2+) serves as a competitive antagonist against Ca(2+) in the high-affinity Ca(2+) activation site (A-site) and as an agonist of Ca(2+) in the low-affinity Ca(2+) inactivation site (I-site) of the ryanodine receptor (RyR), which mediates Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR). This paper presents the quantitative determination of the affinities for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) of A- and I-sites of RyR in frog skeletal muscles by measuring [(3)H]ryanodine binding to purified alpha- and beta-RyRs and CICR activity in skinned fibers. There was only a minor difference in affinity at most between alpha- and beta-RyRs. The A-site favored Ca(2+) 20- to 30-fold over Mg(2+), whereas the I-site was nonselective between the two cations. The RyR in situ showed fivefold higher affinities for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) of both sites than the purified alpha- and beta-RyRs with unchanged cation selectivity. Adenine nucleotides, whose stimulating effect was found to be indistinguishable between free and complexed forms, did not alter the affinities for cations in either site, except for the increased maximum activity of RyR. Caffeine increased not only the affinity of the A-site for Ca(2+) alone, but also the maximum activity of RyR with otherwise minor changes. The results presented here suggest that the rate of CICR in frog skeletal muscles appears to be too low to explain the physiological Ca(2+) release, even though Mg(2+) inhibition disappears.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed2000

Putative roles of type 3 ryanodine receptor isoforms (RyR3).

Ca(2+)-release from the sarcoplasmic or endoplasmic reticulum, the intracellular Ca(2+) store, is mediated by the ryanodine receptor (RyR) and/or the inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R). While IP3R is a ligand(IP3)-operated channel, RyR can be gated by a ligand (Ca(2+)) and/or mechanical coupling with the voltage sensor. There are three genetically distinct isoforms among RyR in mammals: RyR1-3. RyR1, the primary isoform in the skeletal muscle, can be gated by direct or indirect coupling with the conformation change of the alpha 1S subunit of dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) on the T-tubules (transversely invaginated sarcolemma) upon depolarization of skeletal muscles or by the increased cytoplasmic Ca(2+) (Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release, CICR). RyR2, the primary isoform in the cardiac ventricular muscle (and, in a lesser amount, the brain), can be gated by Ca(2+) which flows in through DHPR, especially the alpha1C subunit on depolarization. RyR3 is distributed ubiquitously in various tissues and may be coexpressed with RyR1 and RyR2. RyR3 is considered to be similar to RyR2 in the respect that it can be activated by Ca(2+), in view of the lack of available evidence to show the activation by the alpha1S subunit. Therefore, it is anticipated that RyR3 might take part through CICR in Ca(2+) signaling in smooth muscle and other non-muscle cells. To address the possible involvement of the CICR mechanism in the Ca(2+) signal transduction, it is critical to assess the effect of Mg(2+) on the CICR activity and the cytoplasmic concentration of Mg(2+). In this brief review, our discussion focuses on the effects of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) on the activity of RyR3.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Abnormal features in skeletal muscle from mice lacking mitsugumin29.

Physiological roles of the members of the synaptophysin family, carrying four transmembrane segments and being basically distributed on intracellular membranes including synaptic vesicles, have not been established yet. Recently, mitsugumin29 (MG29) was identified as a novel member of the synaptophysin family from skeletal muscle. MG29 is expressed in the junctional membrane complex between the cell surface transverse (T) tubule and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), called the triad junction, where the depolarization signal is converted to Ca(2+) release from the SR. In this study, we examined biological functions of MG29 by generating knockout mice. The MG29-deficient mice exhibited normal health and reproduction but were slightly reduced in body weight. Ultrastructural abnormalities of the membranes around the triad junction were detected in skeletal muscle from the mutant mice, i.e., swollen T tubules, irregular SR structures, and partial misformation of triad junctions. In the mutant muscle, apparently normal tetanus tension was observed, whereas twitch tension was significantly reduced. Moreover, the mutant muscle showed faster decrease of twitch tension under Ca(2+)-free conditions. The morphological and functional abnormalities of the mutant muscle seem to be related to each other and indicate that MG29 is essential for both refinement of the membrane structures and effective excitation-contraction coupling in the skeletal muscle triad junction. Our results further imply a role of MG29 as a synaptophysin family member in the accurate formation of junctional complexes between the cell surface and intracellular membranes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Ryanodine receptor isoforms in excitation-contraction coupling.

Three genomically distinct isoforms of RyR are now known. RyR1 homologue is the primary isoform in skeletal muscles, whereas in cardiac muscles it is RyR2 homologue. RyR3 homologue occurs ubiquitously in many cells, but the biological function is little known, partly because of its minuscule amount in mammalian cells. The difference among RyR isoforms may not be so great in CICR activity, in other words, in the interaction of RyR isoforms with Ca2+, adenine nucleotides and caffeine. Species specificity among RyR1 homologues may be more important in the apparent difference between RyR1 and RyR3 homologues. CICR is likely to be the dominant underlying mechanism for E-C coupling in the cardiac muscle and probably in cells other than the skeletal muscle where the significance of CICR is controversial in physiological contraction. In E-C coupling of skeletal muscle (DICR), the reciprocal tight interactions between DHPR and RyR1 are critically required. The alpha 1 subunit of DHPR was only the main target of our current interests in the interaction with RyR1; the involvement of auxiliary subunits of alpha 2/delta and beta subunits and their mutual interactions, however, are also important. DICR and CICR in RyR1 share common properties of stimulation by concentrated solutes and modulation by luminal calcium or Ca2+, suggesting that the main difference between the two Ca2+ release mechanisms may be in the gating mechanism of the channel. Further investigations are required to understand molecular interactions during E-C coupling.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of properties of Ca2+ release channels between rabbit and frog skeletal muscles.

Biochemical investigation of Ca2+ release channel proteins has been carried out mainly with rabbit skeletal muscles, while frog skeletal muscles have been preferentially used for physiological investigation of Ca2+ release. In this review, we compared the properties of ryanodine receptors (RyR), Ca2+ release channel protein, in skeletal muscles between rabbit and frog. While the Ryr1 isoform is the main RyR of rabbit skeletal muscles, two isoforms, alpha- and beta-RyR which are homologous to Ryr1 and Ryr3 isoforms in mammals, respectively, coexist as a homotetramer in a similar amount in frog skeletal muscles. The two isoforms in an isotonic medium show very similar property in [3H]ryanodine binding activity which is parallel to Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release (CICR) activity, and make independent contributions to the activities of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. CICR and [3H]ryanodine binding activities of rabbit and frog are qualitatively similar in stimulation by Ca2+, adenine nucleotide and caffeine, however, they showed the following quantitative differences. First, rabbit RyR showed higher Ca2+ affinity than the frog. Second, rabbit RyR showed higher activity in the presence of Ca2+ alone with less stimulation by adenine nucleotide than the frog. Third, rabbit RyR displayed less enhancement of [3H]ryanodine binding by caffeine in spite of having a similar magnitude of Ca2+ sensitization than the frog, which may explain the occasional difficulty by researchers to demonstrate caffeine contracture with mammalian skeletal muscles. Finally, but not least, rabbit RyR still showed marked inhibition of [3H]ryanodine binding in the presence of high Ca2+ concentrations in the 1 M NaCl medium, while frog RyR showed disinhibition. Other matters relevant to Ca2+ release were also discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Effect of luminal calcium on Ca2+ release channel activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum in situ.

Ca2+ influx into empty SR in the absence of Ca2+ pump activity was determined in skinned frog skeletal muscle fibers and compared with Ca2+ efflux from loaded SR (i.e., Ca2+ release) to deepen our understanding of the properties of the Ca2+ release channel (CRC). Calcium content in SR increased approximately in a first-order kinetics and finally reached the equilibrium level determined by cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c). Because AMP caused an increase in the rate of Ca2+ influx, and procaine, Mg2+, and high concentrations of Ca2+ caused a characteristic decrease, the major Ca2+ influx pathway was concluded to be the CRC, as is true of Ca2+ release. The apparent rate constant (k(app)) of Ca2+ efflux did not significantly change when the loading level was decreased to one-third. At a given [Ca2+]c, the same equilibrium level of calcium in SR was attained with a similar k(app) by both Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ efflux. The relationship between [Ca2+]c and calcium in SR indicated the Ca2+ binding sites in SR. These results, together with the anticipated effects of these Ca2+ buffer sites on kinetics, are consistent with the idea that luminal Ca2+ inhibits the CRC.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1998

Stimulation by polyols of the two ryanodine receptor isoforms of frog skeletal muscle.

While the stimulating effect of concentrated salts on ryanodine receptor (RyR) is widely accepted in Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) and [3H]ryanodine binding, the effect of non-ionic solutes on RyR is controversial. We investigated the effects of polyols on [3H]ryanodine binding to alpha- and beta-RyR purified from bullfrog skeletal muscle, and on CICR from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in a skinned frog skeletal muscle fibre. Addition of polyols (glucose, sucrose, sorbitol, glycerol and ethylene glycol) in submolar to molar concentrations to an isotonic salt medium increased dose-dependently Ca(2+)-activated [3H]ryanodine binding to alpha- and beta-RyR of a similar magnitude. The increase is due to the rise in both apparent affinity (1/KD) and maximal numbers of binding sites (Bmax) for ryanodine. In addition to this stimulating effect, glucose sensitized both isoforms to Ca2+ in the Ca(2+)-activated reaction, which is distinct in mechanism(s) from caffeine. These stimulating effects of polyols were not observed unless some NaCl was present, which might explain the discrepancy among reported results. Consistent with these findings, polyols reversibly enhanced the rate of CICR from SR in skinned fibres with an increase in the Ca2+ sensitivity. The enhanced CICR was still sensitive to well-known modulators for CICR (Ca2+, Mg2+, adenine nucleotides and procaine), as with [3H]ryanodine binding. The results of this study reveal that polyols stimulate alpha- and beta-RyR in frog skeletal muscle, bringing about increased CICR activity. The finding that the specific activity of polyols in stimulation of [3H]ryanodine binding was approximately proportional to their molecular weights leads us to discuss the possible modification of protein surface-water molecule interaction as an underlying mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Ca2+ sensitivity and caffeine-induced changes in skinned cardiac muscle fibers of the carp, Cyprinus carpio.

Ca2+ sensitivity and caffeine-induced sensitivity changes in skinned carp heart fibers were compared with those of guinea pig and rat heart. The Ca2+ concentration-response curves of saponin-treated left atrial skinned fibers obtained from guinea pig and rat were almost identical. Doses of 5 and 20 mmol.l-1 caffeine shifted this curve to the left. However, when a relatively high concentration (50 mmol.l-1) of caffeine was used, the left-ward shift was reduced. Caffeine reduced the peak of the Ca2+ concentration-response curve. The Ca2+ concentration-response curve of carp atrial skinned fiber is almost identical to that of guinea pig and rat. However, a further increase in Ca2+ sensitivity was observed even when 50 mmol.l-1 caffeine was added. Similarly, a decrease in the response curve peak was also observed. Ca2+ sensitivity in ventricular skinned fibers obtained from carp was almost the same as that observed for the atrial, but the increase in Ca2+ sensitivity due to caffeine was larger. In addition, a further increase was also observed when 50 mmol.l-1 caffeine was added. These results indicate that the Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile proteins in atrial muscles from carp heart is the same as that of guinea pig and rat. It is, however, assumed that there are some differences in properties in the contractile proteins. It is also assumed that there are some differences between the atrial and ventricular muscles of carp heart.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Resting myoplasmic free calcium in frog skeletal muscle fibers estimated with fluo-3.

Fluo-3 is an unusual tetracarboxylate Ca2+ indicator. For recent lots supplied by Molecular Probes Inc. (Eugene, OR), FMAX, the fluorescence intensity of the indicator in its Ca(2+)-bound form, is approximately 200 times that of FMIN, the fluorescence intensity of the indicator in its Ca(2+)-free form. (For earlier lots, impurities may account for the smaller reported values of FMAX/FMIN, 36-40). We have injected fluo-3 from a high-purity lot into intact single fibers from frog muscle and measured the indicator's absorbance and fluorescence signals at rest (A and F, respectively) and changes in absorbance and fluorescence following action potential stimulation (delta A and delta F signals substantially lagged behind that of the myoplasmic free Ca2+ transient. Our analysis of fluo-3's signals from myoplasm therefore focused on information about the level of resting myoplasmic free [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]r). From A, delta A, and in vitro estimates of fluo-3's molar extinction coefficients, the change in the fraction of fluo-3 in the Ca(2+)-bound form during activity (delta f) was estimated. From delta f, delta F, and F, the fraction of the indicator in the Ca(2+)-bound form in the resting fiber (fr) was estimated by fr = (delta f x F/delta F) + (1-FMAX/FMIN)-1. Since FMAX/FMIN is large, the contribution of the second term to the estimate of fr is small. At 16 degrees C, the mean value (mean +/- S.E.) of fr was 0.086 +/- 0.004 (N = 15). From two estimates of the apparent dissociation constant of fluo-3 for Ca2+ in the myoplasm, 1.09 and 2.57 microM, the average value of [Ca2+]r is calculated to be 0.10 and 0.24 microM, respectively. The smaller of these estimates lies near the upper end of the range of values for [Ca2+]r in frog fibers (0.02-0.12 microM) estimated by others with aequorin and Ca(2+)-selective electrodes. The larger of the estimates lies within the range of values (0.2-0.3 microM) previously estimated in this laboratory with fura red. We conclude that [Ca2+]r in frog fibers is at least 0.1 microM and possibly as large as 0.3 microM.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1993

Use of fura red as an intracellular calcium indicator in frog skeletal muscle fibers.

Fura red, a fluorescent Ca2+ indicator with absorbance bands at visible wavelengths, was injected into intact single muscle fibers that had been stretched to a long sarcomere length (approximately 3.8 microns) and bathed in a 'high-Ca2+' Ringer ([Ca2+] = 11.8 mM). From fura red's slow diffusion coefficient in myoplasm, 0.16 (+/- 0.01, SEM) x 10(-6) cm2 s-1 (N = 5; 16 degrees C), it is estimated that approximately 85% of the indicator molecules are bound to muscle constituents of large molecular weight. Binding appears to elevate, by 3- to 4-fold, the indicator's apparent dissociation constant for Ca2+ (KD), which is estimated to be 1.1-1.6 microM in myoplasm. Fura red's myoplasmic absorbance spectrum was used to estimate fr, the fraction of fura red molecules in the Ca2+-bound form at rest. In 3 fibers thought to be minimally damaged by the micro-injection, fr was estimated to be 0.15 (+/- 0.01). Thus, resting myoplasmic free [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]r) is estimated to be 0.19-0.28 microM. For fibers in normal Ringer solution ([Ca2+] = 1.8 mM), at shorter sarcomere length (approximately 2.7 microns), and containing a nonperturbing concentration of indicator (< or = 0.2 mM), [Ca2+]r is estimated to be 0.18-0.27 microM. This range is higher than estimated previously in frog fibers with other techniques. In 6 fibers, R, the indicator's fluorescence ratio signal (equal to the emission intensity measured with 420 nm excitation divided by that measured with 480 nm excitation), was measured at rest and following electrical stimulation and compared with absorbance measurements made from the same fiber region. The analysis implies that RMIN and RMAX (the values of R that would be measured if all indicator molecules were in the Ca(2+)-free and Ca(2+)-bound states, respectively) were substantially smaller in myoplasm than in calibration solutions lacking muscle proteins. Several methods for estimation of [Ca2+]r from R are analyzed and discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Excitation-contraction coupling in intact frog skeletal muscle fibers injected with mmolar concentrations of fura-2.

Experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis that mM concentrations of fura-2, a high-affinity Ca2+ buffer, inhibit the release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle fibers. Intact twitch fibers from frog muscle, stretched to a long sarcomere length and pressure-injected with fura-2, were activated by an action potential. Fura-2's absorbance and fluorescence signals were measured at different distances from the site of fura-2 injection; thus, the myoplasmic free Ca2+ transient (delta [Ca2+]) and the amount and rate of SR Ca2+ release could be estimated at different myoplasmic concentrations of fura-2 ([fura-2T]). At [fura-2T] = 2-3 mM, the amplitude and half-width of delta [Ca2+] were reduced to approximately 25% of the values measured at [fura-2T] less than 0.15 mM, whereas the amount and rate of SR Ca2+ release were enhanced by approximately 50% (n = 5; 16 degrees C). Similar results were observed in experiments carried out at low temperature (n = 2; 8.5-10.5 degrees C). The finding of an enhanced rate of Ca2+ release at 2-3 mM [fura-2T] is opposite to that reported by Jacquemond et al. (Jacquemond, V., L. Csernoch, M. G. Klein, and M. F. Schneider. 1991. Biophys. J. 60:867-873) from analogous experiments carried out on cut fibers. In two experiments involving the injection of larger amounts of fura-2, reductions in SR Ca2+ release were observed; however, we were unable to decide whether these reductions were due to [fura-2T] or to some nonspecific effect of the injection itself. These experiments do, however, suggest that if large [fura-2T] inhibits SR Ca2+ release in intact fibers, [fura-2T] must exceed 6 mM to produce an effect comparable to that reported by Jacquemond et al. in cut fibers. Our clear experimental result that 2-3 mM [fura-2T] enhances SR Ca2+ release supports the proposal that delta [Ca2+] triggered by an action potential normally feeds back to inhibit further release of Ca2+ from the SR (Baylor, S.M., and S. Hollingworth. 1988. J. Physiol. [Lond.]. 403:151-192). Our results provide no support for the hypothesis that Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release plays a significant role in excitation-contraction coupling in amphibian skeletal muscle.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1991

Discrimination of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum from actomyosin-type ATPase activity of myofibrils in skinned mammalian skeletal muscle fibres: distinct effects of cyclopiazonic acid on the two ATPase activities.

We have developed a procedure to discriminate actomyosin-type ATPase activity from Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in mechanically skinned fibres, determining simultaneously their Ca(2+)-induced tension and accompanying ATPase activity. When they were treated with an alkaline CyDTA-containing solution of low ionic strength which was reported to remove troponin C, the fibres showed a considerable amount of Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity, in spite of having little or no Ca(2+)-induced isometric tension. The residual ATPase activity is ascribed to the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of SR, because it is completely abolished by 1% CHAPS treatment for 10 min. This conclusion is also supported by the finding that the Ca(2+)-dependence of the ATPase activity is very similar to that of Ca(2+)-ATPase of SR isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle, and that the estimated activity is consistent with the reported values of direct determinations. On the other hand, treatment with a detergent such as CHAPS or Triton X-100 removes SR activities (ATPase and Ca-uptake), leaving Ca(2+)-induced tension and actomyosin-type ATPase activity unchanged. This procedure indicated that the contribution of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of SR may be minimal in total steady-state ATPase activity of mechanically skinned mammalian skeletal muscle fibres. Successive CyDTA and CHAPS treatments eliminated both Ca(2+)-induced tension and ATPase activity, which were recovered by the addition of troponin C. Using these procedures, we also examined the effect of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) which was reported to be a specific inhibitor of Ca(2+)-ATPase of SR. Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of SR in skinned fibres was inhibited completely by 10 microM CPA and held to one-half by about 0.2 microM. This effect was only partially reversible. CPA at 10 microM or higher concentrations showed Ca(2+)-sensitizing action on myofibrils, which was readily reversible. CPA at 3 microM inhibited almost completely the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of SR, while it had no effect on either actomyosin-type ATPase or isometric tension of myofibrils.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Increase by trifluoperazine in calcium sensitivity of myofibrils in a skinned fibre from frog skeletal muscle.

1. Since it has been demonstrated that trifluoperazine (TFP) increases the affinity for Ca2+ of troponin C as well as calmodulin, the effect of TFP was examined on the Ca2+-induced tension in mechanically skinned fibres isolated from frog skeletal muscle and on Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity of myofibrils from similar frog skeletal muscle. 2. Lower concentrations of TFP increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of myofibrils without a change in the maximum tension, giving rise to a less steep tension-pCa relationship. This effect was reversible although thorough washes were necessary. The drug also enhanced myofibrillar ATPase activity, not only at low Ca2+ concentrations but also at saturating high Ca2+ concentrations. The increased affinity of troponin C for Ca2+ is difficult to accept as the sole explanation for the stimulatory effect of TFP. 3. Half of the maximum stimulating effect was obtained between 10 and 30 microM-TFP, which is similar to the reported apparent inhibition constant (Ki) for calmodulin-dependent enzyme reactions. However, the stimulating effect of TFP cannot be attributed to its inhibition of calmodulin because of the finding that this effect was independent of Ca2+. Earlier published results (e.g. Klee & Vanaman, 1982) also support this conclusion. 4. Studies on myofibrillar ATPase activity suggest that the stimulating effect of TFP is not identical in its underlying action with those of caffeine and quercetin, which are also known as Ca2+-sensitizing drugs, having a similar eventual effect on tension development. 5. Higher concentrations of TFP decreased the maximum tension induced by high concentrations of Ca2+, while enhancing the tension in the presence of low concentrations of Ca2+. Analogous findings for ATPase activity were also made. TFP concentration for half the maximum depression was about 10 times higher than that for half the maximum stimulation. This suggests that different site(s) are involved in the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of TFP, although there may be some sites in common. 6. Discussion favours the stimulating effects of TFP as being caused considerably by the affected molecular interactions among myosin, actin, tropomyosin and troponin.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1986

Characterization of increased Ca2+ efflux by quercetin from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in frog skinned skeletal muscle fibres.

To clarify further the characteristics of the Ca-releasing action of quercetin, we examined the effect of quercetin on Ca2+ efflux from the sarcoplasmic reticulum without Ca uptake activity by omission of ATP in the presence of a high concentration (10 mM EGTA) of Ca2+ buffer, using mechanically skinned fibres from frog skeletal muscles. Quercetin increases the rate of Ca release in the presence of Ca2+ and shifts the relationship between Ca2+ concentration and the rate of Ca release to a lower range of Ca2+ concentrations. AMP potentiates the effect of quercetin. Mg2+ and procaine decrease the rate of Ca release in the presence of quercetin. These findings indicate that quercetin is very similar to caffeine; in fact, experiments confirmed that quercetin shares the site(s) of action with caffeine. Subsequent findings, however, suggest that the mechanism of the drug-induced Ca release is not as simple as expected with caffeine which may increase the affinity for Ca2+ of the 'Ca2+-induced Ca-release' mechanism, and that drugs, Ca2+ and nucleotide interact with one another in a more complex way to open the gate for Ca release. In the presence of 10 mM EGTA quercetin also causes Ca release in the virtual absence of Ca2+ if a sufficient amount of AMP is present, and the rate of Ca release in the presence of 1.55 micron Ca2+ showed different dependence on AMP concentration with and without quercetin. A higher concentration of Mg2+ is required in the presence of AMP than in the absence of AMP in order to eliminate Ca release by quercetin.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗