Reversal of changes in myocardial beta-receptors and inotropic responsiveness with regression of cardiac hypertrophy in renal hypertensive rats (RHR)

Our previous studies, in vivo and in vitro, have shown reduced inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol of hypertrophied hearts in renovascular hypertensive rats. In the present study, we have investigated, in the same model, the effects of treatment either by nephrectomy or captopril on the inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol and on the number and affinity of ventricular beta-receptors. Isoproterenol infusion of isolated hearts from renovascular hypertensive rats 12-18 weeks post-clipping produced lower inotropic responses (delta peak dP/dt) than age-matched sham-operated normotensive rats (P less than 0.001). Quantitative assessment of beta-adrenergic receptors in the same hearts showed a significant decrease in renovascular hypertensive rats ventricular receptor numbers, whether calculated per milligram membrane protein (22.3 +/- 2.66 fmol/mg vs. 37.9 +/- 4.34, P less than 0.005) or per gram wet ventricular weight (1.43 +/- 0.14 pmol/g vs. 2.2 +/- 0.21, P less than 0.005), with no significant change in Kd. Control of hypertension by either nephrectomy or captopril led to regression of hypertrophy 6 weeks after stabilization of blood pressure (12-18 weeks post-clipping) and returned both the ventricular receptor density and inotropic responsiveness toward normal. The improvement in inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol in regressed hearts correlated with both the reduction in ventricular weight and the decrease of blood pressure. Regression of hypertrophy did not alter the relationship between inotropic response, receptor density, and ventricular weight. These results indicate that the increase in cardiac mass associated with renovascular hypertension may interfere with adrenergic support to the heart, and that proper control of hypertension and regression of hypertrophy could reverse that impairment and restore its responsiveness to adrenergic stimulation.     

Augmented age-associated innate immune responses contribute to negative inotropic and lusitropic effects of lipopolysaccharide and interferon gamma

Innate immunity not only mediates early host defenses to infection, but also contributes to septic hemodynamic compromise through nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) induction and inhibition of cardiovascular adrenergic responses. Because of increased age-related susceptibility to sepsis, we hypothesized that hearts from old (28-29 months) adult rats would exhibit greater beta-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness than young (6-8 months) following lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 6 mg/kg) with and without interferon gamma (INF-gamma, 5000 units). LPS/INF-gamma depressed baseline +dP/dt and isoproterenol-stimulated inotropy in both old and young hearts. beta-adrenergic inotropic (+dP/dt) and lusitropic responses were more depressed in old v young LPS/INF-gamma hearts. Additionally isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP elaboration was less in old (1950+/-160 fmol/min/g) v young (2440+/-170 fmol/min/g, P=0.05) LPS/INF-gamma hearts. LPS alone also depressed basal +dP/dt and prolonged myocardial relaxation in old and young hearts, but suppressed isoproterenol +dP/dt responses only in old hearts. Depressed beta-adrenergic inotropic responses were augmented with the selective NOS2 inhibitor N-iminoethyl-L-lysine. To establish biochemical mechanisms for this, we tested whether induction of NOS2 and innate immune system receptors (CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4, TLR4) were enhanced in old v young hearts. Induction of myocardial NOS2 and CD14 (not present in control) by LPS/INF-gamma was approximately 2-3-fold greater in old compared to young animals. TLR4 was constitutively expressed in old and young hearts and was unaffected by LPS/INF-gamma. These findings indicate that advanced age is associated with augmented cardiac beta-adrenergic depression and enhanced CD14-NOS2 signaling in response to cytokines. Upregulation of cardiovascular innate immunity may have clinical implications for increased mortality in older individuals with systemic inflammatory response syndromes.     

Inotropic responses to isoproterenol and phosphodiesterase inhibitors in intact guinea pig hearts: comparison of cyclic AMP levels and phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrillar proteins

The influence of selective (milrinone: 10, 50, 100 microM) and nonselective phosphodiesterase (isobutylmethylxanthine: 0.1, 10, 100 microM) inhibitors and beta-adrenergic stimulation (isoproterenol: 0.01, 0.1 microM) on phospholamban and myofibrillar protein phosphorylation was studied in guinea pig hearts perfused with [32P]orthophosphate. Changes in protein phosphorylation were compared to alterations in tissue cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and positive inotropic effects induced by these agents. Isoproterenol (0.01 microM), milrinone (50 microM), and isobutylmethylxanthine (100 microM) all produced similar, twofold increases in dP/dt and -dP/dt but only stimulation with isobutylmethylxanthine and isoproterenol was associated with significant increases in phospholamban phosphorylation. At these equipotent doses, the effects of isobutylmethylxanthine were associated with higher increases (3.1-fold) in cAMP than those observed with isoproterenol (twofold). Milrinone (50 microM) produced a 2.5-fold increase in cAMP levels but failed to change phospholamban phosphorylation. Higher doses of milrinone (100 microM) resulted in relatively high (4.1-fold) cAMP levels, and this was associated with increased (1.5-fold) phosphorylation of phospholamban. Phosphorylation of troponin I was significantly increased at 0.01 microM and 0.1 microM isoproterenol, while phosphorylation of C protein was observed only at 0.1 microM isoproterenol. Isobutylmethylxanthine and milrinone did not significantly increase phosphorylation of either troponin I or C protein at any of the doses studied. These findings indicate that cardiotonic agents acting via the cAMP pathway may produce similar inotropic responses at different levels of cAMP and phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrillar proteins.     

Effects of neonatal hypoxia in the rat on inotropic stimulation of the adult heart

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether transient hypoxia in neonatal rats has long-lasting effects on inotropic stimulation of the adult heart. METHODS: The hearts of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (89+/-1 (S.E.M.) days, 432+/-5 g) were studied. Half the animals had been subjected to neonatal hypoxia (FiO(2)=0.12, days 1-10) while the others had not. The peak response of left ventricular pressure (LVP) and the maximum rate of pressure increase (+dP/dtmax) were measured in isolated and perfused hearts during application of dobutamine, isoproterenol, milrinone and betaxolol. Left ventricular myocyte membranes were analyzed for beta receptor density, adenylyl cyclase activity and content. RESULTS: LVP and +dP/dtmax responses to stimulation with dobutamine and isoproterenol were significantly impaired in adult hearts of neonatally hypoxic rats. The inotropic effect of dobutamine was abolished by blockade with the beta(1)-selective antagonist betaxolol. The inotropic effects of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor milrinone were also significantly decreased in neonatally hypoxic adult hearts. There was no difference in left ventricular myocyte membrane beta receptor density of adult hearts whether they were hypoxic neonatally or not. However, left ventricular adenylyl cyclase activity on isoproterenol or forskolin stimulation and adenylyl cyclase levels (type V/VI) were significantly reduced in neonatally hypoxic adult hearts. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal hypoxia in the rat has long-lasting effects on the left ventricular response to inotropic stimulation at maturity likely at least in part due to diminished left ventricular adenylyl cyclase levels.     

Cyclic AMP in myocytes isolated from hypertrophied rat hearts.

Impaired inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol stimulation has been reported in the hypertrophied hearts of spontaneously hypertensive rats and renal hypertensive rats. This study was carried out in order to investigate the possibility that a defect in cyclic AMP production by cardiac myocytes is responsible for the impaired inotropic responsiveness of these hearts. Basal and isoproterenol stimulated cyclic AMP levels were measured in ventricular myocytes isolated from hypertrophied rat hearts. Cyclic AMP accumulation was also measured in the presence of isobutyl-methyl-xanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and the results were compared to the appropriate controls. In the spontaneously hypertensive rat, no changes were detected in the basal or isoproterenol stimulated cyclic AMP formation. This suggests that the biochemical alterations leading to a diminished inotropic response in this model of cardiac hypertrophy involve abnormalities in mechanisms other than cyclic AMP production. In the renal hypertensive rat, basal and isoproterenol stimulated cyclic AMP levels were significantly depressed as compared to controls. This suggests that abnormalities in the signal transduction mechanism and formation of cyclic AMP are, at least in part, responsible for the impaired inotropic responsiveness seen in this model. These results confirm that cardiac hypertrophy is a heterogeneous process. Reduced inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol stimulation in the hypertrophied hearts of the SHR and the RHR, both models of pressure overload hypertrophy, involve different biochemical alterations. Results of this study suggest that the physiologic response of cardiac hypertrophy may not be as important as the underlying cause of hypertrophic stimuli in determining the pathophysiological consequences.     

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy in rats: inotropic responses to phenylephrine, glucagon, ouabain, and dobutamine

The inotropic responses of chronic alcoholic and control rat hearts to phenylephrine, glucagon, ouabain, and dobutamine were studied to determine if the reported beta-adrenergic subsensitivity of alcoholic rat hearts was a specific defect. Male Long-Evans rats were maintained on nutritionally-complete liquid diets for 10 to 12 months; alcoholic rats received 38% of their calories from ethanol. Dry heart weight/body weight ratios indicated an average 15% hypertrophy of the alcoholic rat hearts. The function of isolated working hearts from these animals was studied at a constant heart rate and afterload. Ventricular function curves indicated significantly lower basal function of alcoholic rat hearts, as evident from their lower peak left ventricular relaxation rate, lower isovolumic relaxation rate, and lower peak power compared to controls. The alcoholic rat hearts had significantly lower inotropic (stroke work and peak power) responses to phenylephrine, glucagon, and dobutamine compared to controls, whereas the response of the alcoholics to ouabain was not significantly different from that of controls. Oxygen supply-to-utilization ratios decreased similarly in alcoholics and controls during treatment with the inotropic agents, as a result of increases in myocardial oxygen consumption and effects on coronary flow that were similar in both groups of animals. Thus the differences in inotropic responses observed with the alcoholic rat hearts were not primarily the result of compromised oxygen supply. Rather, the decreased stroke work response of the alcoholic hearts which occurred despite an increase in oxygen consumption suggested that the alcoholic rat hearts did not utilize oxygen as efficiently as did control hearts to perform external work. This was reflected in the significant differences between alcoholics and controls in the response of calculated external work efficiency to phenylephrine, glucagon, and dobutamine. Thus, alcohol-induced cardiac hypertrophy was associated with depressed basal left ventricular contractile function and decreased responsiveness to alpha 1-adrenergic, beta 1-adrenergic, and glucagon stimulation, but the responsiveness to ouabain was not significantly affected. These characteristics are similar to those of hearts hypertrophied by other causes.     

Altered function and structure of the heart in dogs with chronic elevation in plasma norepinephrine.

BACKGROUND. We have previously shown that chronic elevation of plasma norepinephrine leads to a functional independent increase in left ventricular weight. The goals of the present study were to determine quantitatively the component of the myocardium that accounted for the observed structural changes and to determine the function of the hypertrophied myocardium. METHODS AND RESULTS. Mongrel dogs were chronically instrumented for measurement of arterial and left ventricular pressures, left ventricular internal diameter, and left ventricular wall thickness. Subcutaneous osmotic pumps were implanted to release norepinephrine continuously for 28 days. Hemodynamics were measured with dogs in the quietly resting state and during infusions of isoproterenol at 0.1 and 0.5 micrograms/kg/min before and on days 14 and 28 during the infusion of norepinephrine. The hemodynamic response to 10 micrograms/kg phenylephrine, given as a bolus, was also assessed before norepinephrine and 28 days during the infusion of norepinephrine, and the end-systolic pressure-diameter or wall-stress-diameter relations were calculated. On day 28, hearts were arrested in diastole and perfusion fixed in situ. Tissue samples were prepared for electron microscopy and morphometry. Hemodynamic studies showed that isoproterenol (0.5 micrograms/kg/min) reduced mean arterial pressure (MAP) to the same point on each experimental day, and the increases in indexes of contractility were reduced during norepinephrine infusion. Left ventricular dP/dtmax increased 131 +/- 24% on control day, only 67 +/- 20% on day 14, and 55 +/- 18% on day 28. Similar changes were observed in dP/dt/DP40 and dP/dt/end-diastolic circumference. However, Emax, the slope of the end-systolic pressure-diameter or wall stress diameter relations, was unchanged, suggesting that inotropic state was not altered. Morphometric studies showed that the cross-sectional area of myocytes increased by 55%, but myocyte and capillary densities decreased by 34% and 29%, respectively (p less than 0.05) in dogs with high norepinephrine levels. There were no differences in volume fractions of myocytes, capillary lumen, or interstitium or capillary-to-myocyte ratio. CONCLUSIONS. The myocardium of dogs with high norepinephrine levels shows reduced inotropic response to beta-adrenergic stimulation despite the increases in left ventricular mass and left ventricular wall thickness, which are a result of growth of the cardiac myocytes and characteristic of concentric hypertrophy. These data suggest that chronic adrenergic stimulation of the heart reduces the beta-receptor coupling to the contractile response without importantly compromising left ventricular function.     

Increased myocardial adenosine production and reduction of beta-adrenergic contractile response in aged hearts

The contractile response of the aged adult heart to beta-adrenergic stimulation is known to be reduced compared with the young adult heart. Since endogenous adenosine exerts an antiadrenergic action in the heart, this study was undertaken to determine if the basal endogenous level of myocardial adenosine increases with age and whether this increase mediates the reduced responsiveness of aged heart to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Young (3-5 months) and aged (12-22 months) Sprague-Dawley adult rat hearts of CD and SD stock were perfused at constant pressure and paced at 270 contractions/min. The two age groups had a similar level of +dP/dtmax (index of contractility) under control conditions. Adenosine release into the coronary effluent was 30 +/- 3 nmol/min/g dry wt from young and 54 +/- 9 nmol/min/g dry wt from aged hearts. Inosine release was also greater from the aged hearts. Isoproterenol (10(-8) M) stimulation increased contractile state by 113% in young hearts and only 69% in aged hearts. Isoproterenol further increased the adenosine and inosine release from both age groups. Theophylline (5 x 10(-5) M), an adenosine antagonist, prevented the difference in the contractile response to isoproterenol stimulation between the young and aged hearts. Elevation of external calcium from 2 to 4 mM increased contractility equally in both age groups without influencing adenosine release. Myocardial oxygen consumption, coronary effluent PO2, oxygen supply-demand ratio, and lactate release were similar for both age groups, indicating that under the conditions studied the elevated release of adenosine by the aged hearts was not due to hypoxia. Aged (10-14 months) adult guinea pig hearts also displayed a reduced responsiveness to the isoproterenol stimulation and released more adenosine compared with young (3-4 months) adult guinea pig hearts. These findings suggest that enhanced adenosine levels that are present in the aged myocardium are responsible, in part, for the reduced contractile responsiveness of the older adult heart to beta-adrenergic stimulation.     

Deficient production of cyclic AMP: pharmacologic evidence of an important cause of contractile dysfunction in patients with end-stage heart failure

We studied the effects of different classes of inotropic drugs on human working myocardium in vitro that was isolated from the hearts of patients with end-stage heart failure, and compared the responses to these drugs with those noted in muscles from nonfailing control hearts. Although peak isometric force generated in response to increased extracellular calcium reached control levels in the muscles from patients with heart failure, the time course of contraction and rate of relaxation were greatly prolonged. The inotropic effectiveness of the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol and the phosphodiesterase inhibitors milrinone, caffeine, and isobutylmethylxanthine was markedly reduced in muscles from the patients with heart failure. In contrast, the effectiveness of inotropic stimulation with acetylstrophanthidin and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin was preserved. After a minimally effective dose of forskolin was given to elevate intracellular cyclic AMP levels, the inotropic responses of muscles from the failing hearts to phosphodiesterase inhibitors were markedly potentiated. These data indicate that an abnormality in cyclic AMP production may be a fundamental defect present in patients with end-stage heart failure that can markedly diminish the effectiveness of agents that depend on generation of this nucleotide for production of a positive inotropic effect.     

Catecholamine induced cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in adult female Wistar rats by daily subcutaneous injections of isoproterenol (0.3 mg/kg body weight). Heart weight increased 39% after eight days of treatment. Left ventricular pressure development (positive dP/dt) in hearts four days after hypertrophy induction was significantly increased, while negative dP/dt remained unchanged. RNA polymerase activity in isolated myocyte and nonmyocyte nuclei was stimulated 29 and 23%, respectively 24 h after a single isoproterenol injection. In the myocyte fraction, RNA polymerase activation progressively increased up to four days of treatment and then returned to control values after eight days. In the nonmyocyte nuclear subset, RNA polymerase activity showed no further stimulation and gradually returned to control values after eight days of treatment. Chromatin template function was substantially stimulated in the early stage (one to four days) of hypertrophy in both myocyte and nonmyocyte fractions. Titration of chromatin against a fixed amount of RNA polymerase (5 micrograms) in the presence of rifampicin and heparin showed that less chromatin from hypertrophied hearts was required to saturate the enzyme. These results indicate that both myocyte and nonmyocte chromatin from hypertrophied hearts can support greater enzyme binding than normal chromatin. The alkaline sucrose density centrifugation profile of DNA in myocyte and nonmyocyte chromatin from day 4 hypertrophied hearts was less fragmented. These observations suggest that during the early phase of isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy, enhanced RNA polymerase activity and chromatin template function play a coordinated role in RNA synthesis. The increased template activity could be due to alterations in chromatin composition which was indicated by the change in their enzyme binding capacity and DNA fragmentation profile.     

Alterations in the inotropic responses to forskolin and Ca2+ and reduced gene expressions of Ca2+-signaling proteins induced by chronic volume overload in rabbits

Volume overload results in eccentric cardiac hypertrophy, but it is still unknown how this mechanical overload modulates the inotropic response to exogenous Ca2+ or adenylyl cyclase stimulation. Inotropic responsiveness in vivo and the levels of gene expression of Ca2+ signaling proteins were studied in rabbit hearts hypertrophied as a result of volume overload at 4 and 12 weeks after arteriovenous shunt formation. In sham-operated control rabbits, left ventricular (LV)+dP/dt was augmented in response to graded doses of CaCl2. Dose-related changes of LV+dP/dt to CaCl2 were attenuated significantly in shunt rabbits with volume overload. Forskolin dose-dependently augmented LV+dP/dt in sham rabbits, which was also attenuated significantly in rabbits with volume overload. The mRNA levels of dihydropyridine receptor, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, and ryanodine receptor decreased significantly at 4 and 12 weeks in the volume-overload rabbits compared with the sham rabbits, but the mRNA levels of phospholamban and calsequestrin remained unchanged. Chronic volume overload alters contractile responsiveness to Ca2+ or adenylyl cyclase stimulation, and downregulation of steady state mRNA levels of Ca2+ signaling proteins might be, at least in part, related to this pathologic process.     

Preserved cardiac beta-adrenergic sensitivity in early renovascular hypertension

To determine the mechanism of blunted sympathetic reflex responses in early renovascular hypertension, we measured inotropic and chronotropic responses of the heart to beta-adrenergic stimulation in vivo and myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor number and adenylate cyclase activity in 10 dogs during an early stage of one-kidney renal hypertension. Mean aortic pressure was higher in the hypertensive dogs (152 +/- 4 mm Hg) than in eight sham-operated dogs (122 +/- 1 mm Hg; p less than 0.001), but heart rate, cardiac output, and left atrial pressure did not differ between the two groups. Blood pressure reduction with a direct-acting vasodilator, pinacidil, resulted in marked increases in heart rate (+97 +/- 12 beats/min) and rate of change of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt; +1447 +/- 367 mm Hg/sec) in normotensive dogs but only blunted heart rate (+54 +/- 12 beats/min) and minimal left ventricular dP/dt (+376 +/- 264 mm Hg/sec) responses in hypertensive dogs. In contrast, intravenously administered isoproterenol produced similar increases in heart rate and left ventricular dP/dt in the two groups. These two groups also did not differ in either left ventricular beta-adrenergic receptor number and affinity or basal, isoproterenol-stimulated, and fluoride-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. Thus, despite blunted reflex responses to blood pressure reduction, hypertensive dogs showed neither reduction in chronotropic and inotropic responses to direct beta-adrenergic stimulation nor beta-adrenergic desensitization of the myocardium, as assessed by beta-adrenergic receptor number and adenylate cyclase activity. Blunted reflex responses in this model of early hypertension must be due to factors operating at some locus other than the beta-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase complex.     

Depressed inotropic response to beta-adrenoceptor agonists in the presence of advanced cardiac hypertrophy in hearts from rats with induced aortic stenosis and from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

OBJECTIVE: To study the inotropic response to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in isolated hypertrophied hearts from hypertensive rats. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in Wistar rats by stenosing the abdominal aorta. Functional responses to isoprenaline, dobutamine, terbutaline and salbutamol were measured in paced (5 Hz), aortically stenosed hearts (18-20 and 32-34 weeks of age) and compared with those of sham-operated spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. RESULTS: Following aortic stenosis, which was accompanied by less hypertension than that sustained by SHR, the Wistar rat hearts showed more pronounced cardiac hypertrophy. An initially equal inotropic response to the beta-adrenoceptor agonists (18-20 weeks) was reduced to 45% at 32-34 weeks in SHR but not in WKY rat hearts. The response to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in the hypertrophied Wistar rat hearts was reduced at 18-20 weeks to 30% and at 32-34 weeks to 10% of controls, respectively. The response by all hypertrophied hearts to forskolin and N,2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3':5' monophosphate was also diminished. CONCLUSIONS: The impaired contractile response to beta-adrenoceptor agonism is more clearly related to cardiac hypertrophy than to hypertension.     

Dysfunction of the beta- and alpha-adrenergic systems in a model of congestive heart failure. The pacing-overdrive dog.

The functional integrity of the beta- and alpha-adrenergic stimulatory pathways in a rapid ventricular pacing model of congestive heart failure in dogs was investigated; normal dogs served as controls. Total beta-adrenergic receptor density was 35% lower (p less than 0.01) in the pacing-overdrive dogs, and the beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase (Vmax) was found to be 68% and 72% lower (p less than 0.01) in the left and right ventricles of the paced dogs. In addition, the basal adenylate cyclase activity was found to be 56% and 68% lower (p less than 0.01) in the left and right ventricles of the failing heart. Similarly, the Vmax of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp) and forskolin stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity was significantly lower, 70% and 55%, respectively (p less than 0.01), in both ventricles of the paced dogs. However, although the concentration yielding half-maximal velocity for beta-agonist and GppNHp stimulation of adenylate cyclase was similar in both groups, that for forskolin stimulation of the enzyme was significantly increased (p less than 0.01). Pertussis toxin-mediated ADP-ribosylation of membranes from control and failing hearts revealed a significant decrease in the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein content (48 +/- 9%, p less than 0.01) in the hearts of the paced dogs. Moreover, although the pertussis toxin treatment increased the basal and the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in both normal and failing heart membranes, the adenylate cyclase activity remained significantly depressed in the failing heart after pertussis toxin treatment (p less than 0.01). Consistent with the depressed adenylate cyclase activity, mechanical studies on isolated papillary muscles and trabeculae revealed a decrease in baseline total tension (from 7.0 +/- 0.7 to 3.8 +/- 0.4 g/mm2, p less than 0.01) and dT/dt (from 26 +/- 8 to 13 +/- 1 g/mm2/sec, p less than 0.01) in the pacing-overdrive model. Tension generation and dT/dt observed in the paced dogs in response to increasing concentrations of forskolin demonstrated a rightward shift in the dose-response curve and a decrease in maximal forskolin stimulation (p less than 0.01). Similarly, maximal tension and dT/dt in the presence of isoproterenol was significantly lower than in the normal dogs (p less than 0.01). The decrease in beta-adrenergic responsiveness was accompanied by a decrease and rightward shift in alpha 1-adrenergic responsiveness (increase in tension was 1.1 +/- 0.1 g/mm2 in paced dogs versus 2.1 +/- 0.1 g/mm2 in controls, p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Adenylate cyclase activity during development and reversal of cardiac hypertrophy

Inotropic responses to isoproterenol of hypertrophied hearts have been shown to be decreased. We have previously reported that in 13-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) this decrease is probably due to decreased beta-adrenergic receptor number, while in hearts from two kidney-one clip renal hypertensive rats (2K-1C RHR), this is due to a decreased nucleotide regulatory protein activity. We now show that changes in 2K-1C RHR are time dependent. One week after instituting development of hypertension the heart is already hypertrophied. Biochemical changes consistent with decreased glucagon receptors are seen, as well as beginning changes consistent with decreases in the nucleotide regulatory protein activity. By two weeks this is more evident. Hypertrophy and biochemical changes can be reversed up to six weeks, but by ten weeks the activity of the catalytic subunit of the adenylate cyclase system is decreased. In 1K-1C RHR, biochemical changes in the cyclase system are accelerated as compared with the 2K-1C model. In SHR, changes in 24-week-old rats are the same as in the 13-week-old rats. It is concluded that in cardiac hypertrophy associated with different models of hypertension the decreased inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol is associated with different biochemical defects in the beta-adrenergic receptor response coupling pathway, and that reversal in function occurs only when there is no apparent change in the catalytic subunit of the adenylate cyclase complex.     

Effect of anesthesia on cardiac function and response in the perfused rat heart

In the present study we have examined the effect of the general anesthetic agent sodium pentobarbital (given i.p. to the intact animal) on the hemodynamic function of the isolated perfused heart and its response to treatments which affect calcium transsarcolemmal influx: extracellular calcium concentration and thyroid hormone. Perfused hearts (modified Langendorff system) isolated from anesthetized rats were found to respond differently to the two aforementioned effectors than hearts excised from non-anesthetized animals. Hearts of the two groups demonstrated a gradual increase in inotropic activity in response to step-wise increase in calcium concentration in the perfusion medium. However, cardiac contractility and the pattern of the response to the gradual increase in calcium concentration were different. At the lower Ca2+ concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 mM, inotropic activity (left ventricular systolic pressure (LVP) and +dP/dt values) of hearts from anesthetized animals was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than that of hearts from non-anesthetized animals: LVP values (mmHg, mean +/- S.E.M.) in hearts from anesthetized an non-anesthetized rats were: at 0.5 mM Ca2+, 19 +/- 3 and 9 +/- 2; and at 1.0 mM, 103 +/- 12 and 76 +/- 6, respectively. At the higher Ca2+ concentrations, hearts from anesthetized animals demonstrated maximal LVP at 1.75 mM calcium (139 +/- 9 mmHg), whereas the LVP values in hearts from non-anesthetized animals continued to increase throughout all the Ca2+ concentrations employed. A similar pattern of response was observed for +dP/dt values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Troponin I phosphorylation plays an important role in the relaxant effect of beta-adrenergic stimulation in mouse hearts

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to address the question of the contribution of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) phosphorylation to the enhanced rate of relaxation during beta-adrenergic stimulation in hearts in situ. METHODS: In situ hemodynamic measurements were performed in mouse hearts that (1) express normal level of phospholamban (PLB) and either express cTnI (PLB/cTnI) or the slow skeletal isoform of TnI (PLB/ssTnI) that cannot be phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) or (2) do not express PLB and either express cTnI (PLBKO/cTnI) or ssTnI (PLBKO/ssTnI). RESULTS: In the basal state, there was no difference in heart rate (HR), developed pressure (DP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) or rate of contraction (+dP/dt) between PLB/cTnI and PLB/ssTnI groups. However, hearts expressing ssTnI (PLB/ssTnI) showed a significantly decreased rate of relaxation (-dP/dt) when compared with hearts expressing cTnI (PLB/cTnI). In response to beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol (ISO), HR increased similarly in both groups. At the two highest doses of ISO, the rate of relaxation (-dP/dt) was significantly smaller in PLB/ssTnI than in PLB/cTnI hearts. In the basal state, there was no difference in HR, DP, LVEDP,+dP/dt and -dP/dt between PLBKO/cTnI and PLBKO/ssTnI hearts. In response to ISO, HR increased similarly in both groups and was only slightly smaller in PLBKO/ssTnI group at the lowest dose of ISO. However, during ISO perfusion, when cTnI was phosphorylated, the rate of relaxation was significantly slower in PLBKO/ssTnI compared to PLBKO/cTnI hearts. CONCLUSION: Our data support the hypothesis that phosphorylation of cTnI significantly contributes to the enhanced rate of relaxation during beta-adrenergic stimulation.     

G proteins, beta-adrenoreceptors and beta-adrenergic responsiveness in immature and adult rat ventricular myocardium: influence of neonatal hypo- and hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid hormones influence a wide range of physiological responses and the heart is considered a major target organ for triiodothyronine action. In the present study we examined closely the presumed relationship between altered thyroid status in the newborn rat and maturation of the regulatory components of the myocardial hormone-sensitive adenylyl cyclase signaling system. Beta -adrenoceptors and the alpha subunits of the stimulatory (Gs) as well as inhibitory (Gi) G proteins were determined in ventricular myocardium of immature (21-day-old) hypo- or hyperthyroid rats and in adult (84-day-old) previously hypo- or hyperthyroid rats. The changes in receptor and G protein levels were correlated with basic parameters of cardiac function and inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol. All results were compared with those obtained in age-matched controls. Hypothyroidism in immature rats was associated with markedly reduced myocardial beta-adrenoceptor density, lower content of the long isoform (Gsalpha-L) of the stimulatory G protein and increased amounts of Gialpha2 and Gialpha3. These changes were accompanied by substantially diminished sensitivity to the inotropic effect of isoproterenol. On the other hand, no change in beta-adrenoceptor number, an increased level of Gsalpha-L and decreased levels of Gialpha2 were found in hyperthyroid myocardium. Cardiac inotropic responsiveness to isoproterenol in immature hyperthyroid rats was not significantly altered. In adult hearts of previously hyper- or hypothyroid rats, beta-adrenoceptor density was decreased but G protein levels as well as functional response were comparable to those determined in control animals. It may be concluded that physiological level of thyroid hormones is an important modulator of the normal maturation of the beta-adrenergic system in the developing rat ventricular myocardium. In adult rats previously affected by altered thyroid status, the function of their myocardial beta-adrenergic signaling appears to be compensated despite a lower number of the receptors.