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Biomedical subjects

S E Harding

Publications and source records attributed to S E Harding.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Coexistence of functioning beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors in single myocytes from human ventricle.

BACKGROUND: Both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors (beta 1 AR and beta 2 AR) are present in human ventricle. This study was designed to determine whether the two subtypes contribute to contraction in single myocytes from human heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: (-)-Epinephrine increased the contraction amplitude and velocity of single myocytes isolated from the ventricles of failing and nonfailing human hearts. Concentration-response curves to (-)-epinephrine were constructed in the presence and absence of selective antagonists for beta 1 AR (CGP 20712A) and beta 2 AR (ICI 118,551). Responses to (-)-epinephrine were antagonized to a variable degree by the blockers, suggesting heterogeneous contribution of beta 1AR and beta 2AR among cells. The most common response in single myocytes was that ICI 118,551 (50 nmol/L) shifted the concentration-response curve less than 10-fold: this was lower than the 100-fold shift expected for a pure beta 2AR effect. Inclusion of CGP 20712A (300 nmol/L) with ICI 118,551 shifted the (-)-epinephrine curve still further. These observations suggest that both beta 1AR and beta 2AR contribute to the increase in contraction amplitude with (-)-epinephrine in this group of myocytes. When 300 nmol/L CGP 20712A was present as the sole antagonist, only a marginal shift of the concentration-response curve for (-)-epinephrine was usually observed, indicating that beta 1AR were not mediating the effect of these low concentrations of (-)-epinephrine. Both beta 1AR and beta 2AR mediated a considerable abbreviation of the time to peak contraction and time to 50% relaxation in the single cells. CONCLUSIONS: beta 1AR and beta 2AR coexist and function on human ventricular myocytes. At low (-)-epinephrine concentrations, contractile responses are predominantly mediated by beta 2AR rather than beta 1AR in myocytes from failing hearts.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Subcellular mechanism of the species difference in the contractile response of ventricular myocytes to endothelin-1.

The aim of the experiments was to compare the effects of endothelin and alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation on the contraction and inositol phosphate turnover of cardiomyocytes enzymatically isolated from rat and guinea-pig hearts. The effects of agonists on the contraction amplitude of warmed (32 degrees C), electrically stimulated (0.5 Hz) myocytes was recorded using a video-edge detection system. Phosphoinositide hydrolysis was measured in suspensions of myocytes prelabelled with myo-[2(-3)H]-inositol. A doubling of contraction amplitude was observed in rat ventricular myocytes in response to maximally effective concentrations of either endothelin-1 (10 nM) or phenylephrine (1 mM). In rat myocytes, prazosin prevented the effect of phenylephrine but not the effect of endothelin-1. Reversal of the maximal inotropic effect of endothelin was slow (halftime for reversal 11.5 +/- 4.5 min) compared with phenylephrine (3.4 +/- 1.1 min). Endothelin (10 nM) added at the peak effect of phenylephrine produced no further increase in contraction amplitude. The half-time for the reversal of the effect of phenylephrine plus endothelin in these experiments was not significantly different from that with endothelin alone (12.8 +/- 4.0 min). This indicates that phenylephrine did not interact with endothelin binding. Phosphoinositide hydrolysis was increased in rat myocytes by either endothelin or phenylephrine. In guinea-pig myocytes, endothelin-1 stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis but did not induce an inotropic response, whereas phenylephrine gave neither an increase in phosphoinositide hydrolysis nor an inotropic effect. We conclude that the observations in rat myocytes are consistent with different receptors for endothelin-1 and phenylephrine, but a common final pathway through the inositol phosphate system for the inotropic effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Reduced contractile responses to forskolin and a cyclic AMP analogue in myocytes from failing human ventricle.

Myocytes were isolated from the right or left ventricles of failing and non-failing human hearts. Contractile responses to increasing concentrations of Ca2+, isoprenaline, forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (a lipophilic analogue of cyclic AMP) were determined. Responses were correlated with the age of the patient, and the severity of failure as defined by New York Heart Association class of symptoms (NYHA), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and dose of diuretics prescribed (diuretic class). The maximum contraction amplitude in high Ca2+ did not change with either age or severity of failure (n = 31-40 patients). Responses to isoprenaline (relative to Ca2+ in the same cell, isoprenaline/calcium ratio) decreased with increasing age (P < 0.001, n = 38), and increasing severity of disease (NYHA, P < 0.001, n = 38; LVEF, P < 0.001, n = 34; LVEDP, P < 0.001, n = 30; diuretic class, P < 0.01, n = 36). The decrease in forskolin/calcium ratio also correlated with age (n = 17, P < 0.005) and increasing severity (NYHA, P < 0.002, n = 17; LVEF, P < 0.05, n = 15; LVEDP, P < 0.02, n = 14; diuretic class, P < 0.05, n = 15). Multiple regression indicated that the contribution of age was greater than that of disease severity for both isoprenaline and forskolin responses. The dibutyryl cyclic AMP/calcium ratio did not change significantly with the age of the patient (P > 0.1, n = 13), or severity as defined by LVEDP (P = 0.05-0.1, n = 12) but did decrease with increasing NYHA class (P < 0.01, n = 13) or diuretics (P < 0.02, n = 12) or with low LVEF (P < 0.002, n = 12). Overall, neither forskolin nor dibutyryl cyclic AMP produced maximum responses greater than isoprenaline in myocytes from failing hearts. Where the response to isoprenaline was not limited by the appearance of arrhythmias, forskolin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP could give a significant (but small) increase in contraction over that with isoprenaline alone. These results provide evidence for a post-receptor defect in addition to beta-adrenoceptor desensitisation in myocytes from failing human heart.

Adult↗

A comparison of the enzymological and biophysical properties of two distinct classes of dehydroquinase enzymes.

This paper compares the biophysical and mechanistic properties of a typical type I dehydroquinase (DHQase), from the biosynthetic shikimate pathway of Escherichia coli, and a typical type II DHQase, from the quinate pathway of Aspergillus nidulans. C.d. shows that the two proteins have different secondary-structure compositions; the type I enzyme contains approx. 50% alpha-helix while the type II enzyme contains approx. 75% alpha-helix. The stability of the two types of DHQase was compared by denaturant-induced unfolding, as monitored by c.d., and by differential scanning calorimetry. The type II enzyme unfolds at concentrations of denaturant 4-fold greater than the type I and through a series of discrete transitions, while the type I enzyme unfolds in a single transition. These differences in conformational stability were also evident from the calorimetric experiments which show that type I DHQase unfolds as a single co-operative dimer at 57 degrees C whereas the type II enzyme unfolds above 82 degrees C and through a series of transitions suggesting higher orders of structure than that seen for the type I enzyme. Sedimentation and Mr analysis of both proteins by analytical ultracentrifugation is consistent with the unfolding data. The type I DHQase exists predominantly as a dimer with Mr = 46,000 +/- 2000 (a weighted average affected by the presence of monomer) and has a sedimentation coefficient s0(20,w) = 4.12 (+/- 0.08) S whereas the type II enzyme is a dodecamer, weight-average Mr = 190,000 +/- 10,000 and has a sedimentation coefficient, s0(20,w) = 9.96 (+/- 0.21) S. Although both enzymes have reactive histidine residues in the active site and can be inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate, the possibility that these structurally dissimilar enzymes catalyse the same dehydration reaction by the same catalytic mechanism is deemed unlikely by three criteria: (1) they have very different pH/log kcat. profiles and pH optima; (2) imine intermediates, which are known to play a central role in the mechanism of type I enzymes, could not be detected (by borohydride reduction) in the type II enzyme; (3) unlike Schiff's base-forming type I enzymes, there are no conserved lysine residues in type II amino acid sequences.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Isolated ventricular myocytes from failing and non-failing human heart; the relation of age and clinical status of patients to isoproterenol response.

Single cardiac myocytes were isolated from the ventricles of failing and non-failing human hearts. The contraction amplitude, time-to-peak shortening and time to 50% and 90% relaxation were measured in cells stimulated at 0.2 Hz at 32 degrees C. The effects of increasing extracellular calcium and isoproterenol were investigated using cumulative concentration/response curves. Maximum contraction amplitude in high calcium or velocities of contraction or relaxation were not impaired in cells from failing hearts. Beta-adrenoceptor function in a single cell was assessed by the maximum contraction amplitude in the presence of isoproterenol relative to that with high calcium in the same cell (isoproterenol/calcium ratio). A decrease in the isoproterenol/calcium ratio correlated positively with an increase in the isoproterenol EC50 (concentration for half-maximal effect) for a cell (P less than 0.02, n = 39). The isoproterenol/calcium ratio in left ventricular myocytes decreased with increasing severity of disease, correlating with failure as defined by New York Heart Association class (P less than 0.001, n = 26 patients), left ventricular ejection fraction (P less than 0.001, n = 24), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (P less than 0.05, n = 21) and amount of diuretics prescribed (P less than 0.001, n = 26). In right ventricular myocytes, only increasing NYHA class correlated with decreasing isoproterenol/calcium ratios. There was a correlation of the isoproterenol/calcium ratio between right and left ventricular cells from patients with ischemic heart disease (P less than 0.05), n = 11). Beta-adrenoceptor subsensitivity occurred in mitral valve disease, ischemic heart disease, congenital abnormalities and congestive cardiomyopathy, but not in the right ventricle of patients with myocarditis. The isoproterenol/calcium ratio correlated negatively with the age of the patient (P less than 0.001, n = 26, left ventricle). Multiple regression indicated that the maximum contraction amplitudes in either high isoproterenol or high calcium declined significantly with age only, but that both age and severity of disease contributed to the decrease in isoproterenol/calcium ratio. Time-to-peak tension in isoproterenol, as well as relaxation times in high calcium also decreased with the age of the patient. Analysis of variance showed that between-patient variation was significantly greater than between-cell for most of the parameters measured. Beta-adrenoceptor desensitisation may be detected in individual myocytes from failing hearts, and this relates more to the severity of disease and the age of the patient rather than the etiology of heart failure. A decline in absolute contractility of muscle cells with age was detected.

Adolescent↗

The effect of pertussis toxin on beta-adrenoceptor responses in isolated cardiac myocytes from noradrenaline-treated guinea-pigs and patients with cardiac failure.

1. A decreased responsiveness to the positive inotropic effects of beta-adrenoceptor agonists is a characteristic of human heart failure. We have investigated the involvement of inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) in this process using pertussis toxin treatment of isolated cardiac myocytes. 2. Myocytes isolated from failing human myocardium had a reduced maximum contractile response to isoprenaline relative to that for maximally stimulating concentrations of calcium, giving an isoprenaline/calcium ratio of 0.71 +/- 0.06 (n = 7 patients). This was significantly lower than in myocytes from non-failing myocardium, where the isoprenaline/calcium ratio was 1.16 +/- 0.07 (n = 6, P less than 0.001). Responses to high calcium were unchanged. 3. Myocytes were treated with pertussis toxin for 3-5 h at 35 degrees C. Successful inactivation of inhibitory G-proteins by pertussis toxin treatment was indicated by a loss of responsiveness to 10 microM adenosine (in the presence of submaximal isoprenaline). 4. Following pertussis toxin treatment of the myocytes from failing human heart the isoprenaline/calcium ratio increased to 1.43 +/- 0.27 (n = 7, P less than 0.05). Pertussis toxin treatment had no effect upon the maximum calcium contraction. The isoprenaline/calcium ratio in myocytes from non-failing human ventricle was not affected by the toxin treatment (n = 3). These observations support the hypothesis that increased inhibitory G-protein levels or activities contribute to beta-adrenoceptor desensitization in human heart failure. 5. beta-Adrenoceptor desensitization in human heart failure is thought to be secondary to raised noradrenaline levels in these patients. Experiments were repeated on myocytes isolated from hearts of guinea-pigs which had been chronically infused with noradrenaline. The isoprenaline/calcium ratio of these myocytes was reduced below that of myocytes from sham-operated animals (0.65 0.04, n = 6 compared with 0.88 +/- 0.02, n = 7, P<0.001).6. Pertussis toxin treatment (2 h at 35 degrees C) increased the isoprenaline/calcium ratio to 1.02 0.02 (n = 6,P<0.01) in myocytes from noradrenaline-treated guinea-pigs. This effect of pertussis toxin treatment was not seen in myocytes from sham-operated guinea-pig hearts.7. Incubation at 35 degrees C for similar periods in the absence of pertussis toxin also restored the isoprenaline/calcium ratio towards normal in the myocytes from both failing human and noradrenaline-treated guinea-pig hearts, although the effect was significantly smaller than that produced by the toxin. Myocytes kept at room temperature (22 degrees C) showed no such evidence of resensitization over periods up to 6h.8. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that raised catecholamine levels result in increased inhibitory G-protein levels and functional P-adrenoceptor desensitization in heart failure.

Adult↗

Role of basal release of nitric oxide on coronary flow and mechanical performance of the isolated rat heart.

1. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of coronary flow and mechanical function was studied in isolated working rat hearts. 2. The inhibition of basal release of NO by L-Ng-monomethylarginine (L-NMMA; 500 microM), a specific inhibitor of its synthesis, induced a reduction of coronary flow to 39.1% (+/- 3.4) of its basal level. 3. Associated with this was a drop of cardiac output to 58.10% (+/- 5.42) of control values. 4. This mechanical dysfunction, which was more pronounced in hypertrophied hearts, appears to be related to ischaemia, as it was prevented by simultaneously administered glyceryl trinitrate. Furthermore, L-NMMA did not alter the contractile activity of isolated cardiac myocytes, thereby excluding a direct toxic effect. 5. These findings provide evidence that NO plays a crucial role in the maintenance of basal coronary flow and appears to be essential for sustaining mechanical activity.

Animals↗

Nitric oxide production within cardiac myocytes reduces their contractility in endotoxemia.

We investigated whether increased nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity within cardiac myocytes contributes to the depressed cardiac contractility observed in endotoxic shock. Isolated ventricular myocytes were studied to examine the effects of substrates and inhibitors of NO synthase on myocyte contractility. When stimulated electrically, the resting length of myocytes from control animals shortened by 5.3 +/- 0.3% (means +/- SE, n = 32). Baseline contraction of myocytes from endotoxin-treated animals was reduced to 3.0 +/- 0.3% (n = 17, P < 0.001). The NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10(-4) M) had no effect on myocytes from control animals, but it increased the contraction of myocytes from endotoxin-treated animals by 40% (fractional shortening increased to 4.3 +/- 0.4%, P < 0.01). Similar results were obtained with NG-methyl-L-arginine. The effect of L-NAME could be reversed by excess L-arginine, but not D-arginine. The effect of endotoxin was abolished by dexamethasone pretreatment. Methylene blue also reversed the effects of endotoxin but had toxic effects on myocytes. Agents that either prevent synthesis or the effects of NO reverse the depression of myocyte contraction seen following endotoxin treatment.

Animals↗

Solution behaviour of Chromobacter viscosum and Pseudomonas sp. lipases. No evidence of self-association.

1. The size of two bacterial lipases was studied by SDS/PAGE, sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium to test for possible self-association behaviour. 2. Mr values of selected lipases were obtained from SDS/PAGE and sedimentation-velocity measurements, together with an absolute determination by sedimentation equilibrium 3. The Mr values obtained in a variety of aqueous solvents indicate that lipases do not self-associate in solution, suggesting the absence of surface hydrophobic patches.

Chromobacterium↗

Cardiovascular and hormonal effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide in congestive heart failure.

The effects of infusing human alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide were studied in eight patients with congestive heart failure, five normal rabbits and five rabbits with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy. In patients with heart failure, calcitonin gene-related peptide caused a dose-dependent increase in cardiac output and decrease in pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary artery pressure. The systemic blood pressure and right atrial and pulmonary wedge pressures decreased only at the highest infusion rate (16 ng/kg per min). Heart rate remained unchanged. Plasma epinephrine increased (p less than 0.05), whereas aldosterone, atrial natriuretic peptide and prolactin concentrations decreased (p less than 0.05). Plasma norepinephrine, renin activity, cortisol and growth hormone concentrations remained unchanged. In both groups of rabbits, the drug decreased blood pressure and increased cardiac output and heart rate. There was a significant increase in renal blood flow (p less than 0.05). The peptide did not affect the contraction amplitude of human and rabbit ventricular myocytes. These findings suggest that calcitonin gene-related peptide is a vasodilator in the rabbit and humans with little direct effect on ventricular myocardium. This peptide may be useful in some forms of heart failure.

Adult↗

Contractile responses of myocytes isolated from patients with cardiomyopathy.

Single cardiac myocytes isolated from failing and non-failing human ventricles were superfused at 32 degrees C and electrically stimulated at 0.2 Hz. Their contraction amplitude and velocities of contraction and relaxation were continuously during challenge with isoprenaline or high extracellular calcium. Action potentials were monitored with intracellular microelectrodes, and calcium transients followed using the fluorescent dye fura-2. Changes in contractility were correlated with severity of disease, as defined by New York Heart Association class, dose of diuretics, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Beta-adrenoceptor desensitization was detected in these cells as a decreased response to isoprenaline relative to that of calcium in the same cell. Significant correlations were obtained between reduction of beta-adrenoceptor sensitivity and all four indicators of disease severity. No correlation between the maximum contraction amplitude in high extracellular calcium and severity of disease was observed, the same was true for contraction and relaxation velocity in high calcium. Some significant decline in contractility with age of the patient was noted. Analysis with respect to aetiology of disease showed a subpopulation with dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where relaxation of the single cells was impaired. This was related to a prolonged calcium transient and action potential. Isoprenaline accentuated the lengthened second phase of relaxation, whereas high extracellular calcium reduced it. These interventions had similar effects on action potential duration. The actions of isoprenaline and calcium were similar on cells from failing and non-failing human hearts and on normal guinea-pig myocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Action Potentials↗

Effects of phorbol ester on contraction, intracellular pH and intracellular Ca2+ in isolated mammalian ventricular myocytes.

1. We have investigated the actions of certain phorbol esters on the intracellular pH, intracellular Ca2+ and contractility of isolated rat and guinea-pig cardiac myocytes. Intracellular pH was measured using 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) and intracellular Ca2+ was measured using Fura-2. 2. Application of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (also called phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) (TPA) (which activates protein kinase C) to rat cardiac myocytes significantly increased cell shortening by 116 +/- 34% (n = 8) (p less than 0.02). The rate of change of cell length during contraction (i.e. +dL/dt) increased from 67.2 +/- 8.7 microns/s to 127.7 +/- 14.1 microns/s (n = 7). The rate of change of cell length during relaxation (-dL/dt) increased from 55.8 +/- 7.4 microns/s to 118.9 +/- 12.1 microns/s (n = 7). Time to peak shortening was unchanged. 3. Application of 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, which does not activate protein kinase C, did not affect rat myocyte contractility. An insignificant decrease in contractility (by 7.5 +/- 7.5%) was observed (n = 5). The positive inotropic effect of TPA may therefore be evoked through an activation of protein kinase C. 4. In rat myocytes we have measured the changes of pHi and contractility (cell shortening) during an alkalosis and acidosis induced by exposure to and subsequent removal of NH4Cl both in the presence and absence of TPA. Recovery times from an acid load were significantly (p less than 0.05) enhanced by 15.1 +/- 6.9% (n = 13) in the presence of TPA. Recovery times of cell shortening were also more rapid (p less than 0.05) by an average of 59.1 +/- 10.6% (n = 5) in the presence of TPA. Recovery times were unchanged in the presence of 4-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (which does not activate protein kinase C). 5. Since pHi recovery of an isolated myocyte from an acid load is partially inhibited by the presence of 1 mM-amiloride and inhibited by removing extracellular Na+ then it is suggested that, like pHi regulation in sheep heart Purkinje fibres, pHi recovery in rat cardiac ventricular myocytes is mainly through sarcolemmal Na(+)-H+ exchange. We suggest that in the presence of TPA the Na(+)-H+ exchange is stimulated. 6. The relationship between pHi and cell shortening is non-linear as has been observed by others in whole tissue preparations. The presence of TPA shifts the relationship upwards such that at any one pHi, cell shortening is greater.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

A comparison of contractile function between papillary muscles and isolated myocytes from the same human hearts.

The contractile function in response to increasing extracellular calcium and isoprenaline has been investigated using papillary muscles from seven human hearts (failing and non-failing) obtained at the time of transplant. Myocytes have been enzymatically isolated from adjacent myocardium, and their contractile characteristics measured in parallel to those of the intact papillary muscle. Similar experiments were performed on rabbit hearts, but in this case separate animals were used for the papillary muscles and cells. For human myocardium, the EC50 (concentration for half-maximal effect) for calcium, and the percentage increase in amplitude between basal (1.3mM) and maximally activating calcium, was similar between papillary muscle and cells. Variability of absolute responses was 4-5 times greater for papillary muscle than for myocytes. Isoprenaline accelerated the time to peak tension, time to 50% relaxation and time to 90% relaxation in papillary muscle; a similar effect on shortening was seen for time to peak tension and time to 50% relaxation in cells. Time to peak tension and time to 50% relaxation were not significantly different between the human preparations with isoprenaline, but the time to 50% relaxation with high calcium was faster for myocytes than for papillary muscle (p less than 0.05). Isoprenaline induced after-contractions in some cells, prolonging the time to 90% relaxation. This was not observed in papillary muscle preparations. Papillary muscles were less sensitive to the stimulatory effects of isoprenaline than cells taken from the same hearts. EC50 values were higher (p less than 0.05) and increases in contraction were lower (p less than 0.05) in whole tissue. This difference between cells and papillary muscle was not seen in rabbit hearts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Contraction of cardiac myocytes from noradrenaline-treated rats in response to isoprenaline, forskolin and dibutyryl cAMP.

Rats were treated with noradrenaline at either 300 micrograms/kg per h for 1 week (Group 1) or 600 micrograms/kg per h for 2 weeks (Group 2) using subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps. Control rats were sham-operated. Ventricular myocytes were isolated and contraction amplitude and rats of shortening and relaxation measured using a video and edge-detection device. Maximum contraction amplitude achieved in high calcium was similar for all groups, indicating that there was little change in the basic contractility of cells from noradrenaline-treated animals. Cells from Group 1 treated rats showed a depressed concentration-response curve to isoprenaline but maximum contraction amplitudes in forskolin and dbcAMP were unchanged. In cells from Group 2 treated rats the concentration for half-maximal effect (EC50) of isoprenaline was increased and the maximum contraction amplitude was depressed (P less than 0.001). The ratio between maximum response to calcium and that to isoprenaline in the same cell was also significantly reduced (P less than 0.001). There were significant decreases in response to forskolin, with both the maximum contraction amplitude (P less than 0.01) and forskolin/calcium ratio (P less than 0.001) being attenuated in myocytes from noradrenaline-treated rats. The dbcAMP/calcium ratio was also depressed after noradrenaline treatment (P less than 0.02). The extent of the reduction in response was greatest for isoprenaline and least for dbcAMP. These results suggest that desensitisation progresses from a homologous to a heterologous form with increased dose and time of exposure to circulating catecholamines and that, in the latter, lesions occur at several stages of the adenylate cyclase cascade.

Animals↗