Phospholipid N-methylation as a Signal Transduction Mechanism in Normal and Failing Hearts

The phospholipid N-methylation pathway comprises of three successive N-terminal methylations of phosphatidylethanolamine where S-adenosyl-L-methionine acts as the physiological donor. Under optimal conditions in cardiac membranes, the catalytic sites I, II, and III of methyltransferase have been identified which are responsible for the synthesis of the major product, phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine, phosphatidyl-N,N-dimethylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine, respectively. The characterization of the phosphatidylethanolamineN-methyltransferase system has shown that each of the catalytic sites exhibits different biochemical properties. The phospholipid N-methylation pathway has also been observed to regulate heart function by inducing localized structural, compositional, and functional changes in cardiac membranes under different pathological conditions of chronic nature. This review deals with the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation–mediated signal transduction mechanism involving modification of the Ca2+-transporting activities of the sarcolemmal and sarcoplasmic reticular membranes of the cardiomyocyte. In this regard, special attention is given to the status of this pathway and its relevance for the functioning of membrane-related Ca2+-transport systems in heart dysfunction due to different cardiac pathologies, such as diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy, catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy, genetically linked cardiomyopathy, and adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy. In addition, changes in phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation in heart dysfunction due to cardiac hypertrophy, Ca2+-paradox hearts, and ischemic-reperfused hearts have been described. It is suggested that an increase in phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation activity may play an adaptive role, whereas a depression may contribute towards contractile dysfunction. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

H5N1亚型禽流感病毒NSl蛋白表达影响因素分析

目的 优化高表达禽流感病毒NS1蛋白的实验方法。方法将基因工程菌接种LB培养基,设定IPTG终浓度为0.3mmol／L,诱导温度为37℃,诱导表达6．0h,SDS-PAGE分析融合蛋白表达情况,确定最佳诱导时间。以o．1mm01／L为梯度,设置不同IPTG诱导浓度,37℃诱导4.0h,分析融合蛋白表达,确定最佳IPTG诱导浓度。设定IPTG至终浓度为0。6mmo1／L,分别于24℃、28℃、32℃、37℃和42℃下诱导表达4．0h,分析融合蛋白表达,确定最适诱导温度。采用最优表达条件,超声裂菌后SDS-PAGE分析融合蛋白,Westernblotting对融合蛋白进行鉴定。结果当培养温度为37℃,IPTG浓度为0。3mmol／L时,融合蛋白GST-NSl在IPTG诱导5．0h时的表达量最高,达28．5％;当IPTG诱导浓度为0。6ram01／L,在37℃诱导表达4。0h时,融合蛋白的表达量可达27．9％。选用优化的表达条件,IPTG0．6mmo1／L,37℃诱导表达4．0h,融合蛋白的表达量最高可达33．2％。进一步分析显示,融合蛋白大部分以可溶形式表达,其表达量可占菌体总蛋白的25．1％。经SDS-PAGE电泳、电转移后,用小鼠抗GST单克隆抗体进行免疫印迹分析,出现一条阳性反应带。结论通过实验优化了工程菌诱导表达的最佳IPTG浓度、最适时间和培养温度,实现了融合蛋白的可溶性高表达。     

Musculoskeletal modelling in determining the effect of botulinum toxin on the hamstrings of patients with crouch gait

This study aimed to determine the effect of hamstring botulinum toxin A (Btx-A) injection in 10 children with crouch gait in terms of changes in muscle length and lower-limb kinematics. Before Btx-A injection limb kinematics were recorded. Maximum hamstring lengths and excursions were calculated by computer modelling of the lower limb. Data were compared with the averaged hamstring lengths of 10 control children. Hamstrings were denned as short if their length was shorter than the average maximum length minus one standard deviation. Gait analysis was repeated 2 weeks after isolated hamstring Btx-A injection. Pre- and postinjection kinematic data and muscle lengths were then compared. Four of 18 injected limbs in three subjects had short medial hamstring before injection, none of the subjects had short lateral hamstrings. Muscle excursion was significantly reduced in the short and adequate maximum muscle length groups. A significant increase in the semimembranosus and semitendinosus length in all of the injected limbs was noted. Only in the short muscle group was a significant increase in muscle excursion observed. Knee extension improved by 13° in the adequate muscle length group and by 15.6° in the short muscle length group. Pelvic tilt and hip flexion increased in both groups non-significantly. Average walking speed postinjection increased from 0.60 ms^-1 to 0.71 ms^-1. Short hamstrings are over-diagnosed in crouch gait. Hamstring Btx-A injection in patients with crouch gait produces significant, repeatable muscle lengthening and improved ambulatory function.     

Heart sarcolemmal ATPase and calcium binding activities in rats fed a high cholesterol diet

ATPase and calcium binding activities were studied in sarcolemmal membranes from hearts of male rats fed either a control or 2% cholesterol diet for different time periods. Studies with isolated membrane revealed a significant increase in Na+-K+ ATPase activity, sialic acid content and ATP-independent calcium binding capacity in the presence of 1.25 mM CaCl2 in the 6 week cholesterol fed group. By 12 weeks, Na+-K+ ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities as well as ATP-independent calcium binding in the presence of 0.05 mM CaCl2 were increased in membranes from cholesterol fed rats. A significant increase (P less than 0.05) in the sarcolemmal cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, which is an indicator of a decrease in membrane fluidity, was also noted in the 12 week cholesterol fed group. Concanavalin A, which is believed to decrease membrane fluidity, stimulated both Mg2+ and Ca2+-dependent ATPase activities and increased ATP-independent calcium binding in control sarcolemmal preparations and these changes resembled those observed in the sarcolemma from cholesterol fed rats. Since concanavalin A did not alter the activity of Na+-K+ ATPase, it appears that some of the observed differences in sarcolemmal activities upon cholesterol feeding did not correlate well with changes in membrane order. At 24 weeks, there was a generalized depression in the sarcolemmal ATPase activities of the cholesterol group; both Mg2+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase were significantly less than in control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Modification of cardiac sarcolemmal Na+-Ca2+ exchange by diltiazem and verapamil

Cardiac sarcolemmal membranes were isolated from the rat heart and their ability for Na+-Ca2+ exchange in the absence or presence of diltiazem and verapamil was examined. Maximal Ca2+ influx activity of membranes due to Na+-dependent reaction occurred within 3 min and was about 5 nmol Ca2+/mg protein. Diltiazem (0.1 to 10 microM) depressed the Ca2+ influx activity significantly whereas verapamil (0.1 to 10 microM) had no effect at initial stages of the reaction (10 to 20 sec). The inhibitory effect of diltiazem on Ca2+ influx was found to be of an uncompetitive nature. Sodium was found to cause a rapid Ca2+ efflux from the calcium loaded membrane vesicles; about 70% of the Ca2+ efflux activity was increased by 0.1 to 10 microM of verapamil and 10 microM of diltiazem significantly. The stimulatory effect of these agents on Ca2+ efflux was associated with a change in Ka value from 16 to 5 mM Na+. Both diltiazem (0.1-3 microM) and verapamil (0.1-10 microM) did not affect the membrane Na+-K+ ATPase activity, but diltiazem in high concentrations (10-30 microM) had an inhibitory action. Specific calcium channel blocking agents, nitrendipine and nifedipine, depressed sodium-dependent Ca2+-efflux activity. A beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist, propranolol, unlike acebutolol, increased sodium-induced Ca2+-influx at high concentrations (10-100 microM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Alterations of sarcolemmal Na+-Ca2+ exchange in catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy

Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 40 mg/kg body weight isoproterenol and the heart sarcolemma was isolated 3, 9 and 24 hours later. The heart/body weight ratio increased and varying degrees of change in cardiac ultrastructure were apparent at 9 and 24 hours after isoproterenol injection. Na+-dependent Ca2+ uptake activities of heart sarcolemma were depressed at 3, 9 and 24 hours; such alterations in 24 hour preparations were evident at different times of incubation and at different concentrations of Ca2+. No differences in Na+-induced Ca2+ release or Na+-K+ ATPase activities were observed between the control and experimental membranes. The control and isoproterenol-treated heart sarcolemmal preparations were minimally but equally contaminated by other subcellular organelles. Although there was no significant change in the phospholipid composition, the protein pattern as determined by gel electrophoresis was altered in sarcolemma at 24 hours of isoproterenol treatment. These results indicate an abnormality of heart sarcolemmal Na+-dependent Ca+ uptake during the development of catecholamine-induced cardiotoxicity. It is suggested that a depression in the ability of the cell to remove Ca2+ through the Na+-Ca2+ exchange in sarcolemma may contribute to the development of intracellular Ca2+ overload in catecholamine induced cardiomyopathy.     

Myocardial cell damage and cardiovascular changes due to i.v. infusion of adrenochrome in rats.

In vivo effects of adrenochrome (1-32 mg/kg), an oxidation product of catecholamines, on the heart ultrastructure, ECG and blood pressure were studied in rats over a period of 60 min following a single i.v. injection of the drug. One milligram of the drug had no influence on the myocardium or the cardiovascular system, whereas maximum changes in these parameters were recorded at 32 mg/kg of adrenochrome. The maximum structural damage, reached within 5-10 min, included marked swelling of mitochondria and sarcotubular system, intracellular and perinuclear oedema, hypercontraction of myofibrils and partial separation of the intercalated disc. Ultrastructural changes in the myocardium due to 4 and 8 mg of adrenochrome were not accompanied by any cardiovascular effects and the changes were fully reversed within 60 min of the injection of the drug. However, at 16 and 32 mg/kg of adrenochrome both heart rate and blood pressure were depressed within 5 min of drug administration. At these concentrations of adrenochrome arrhythmias, mainly due to premature ventricular contractions, were also noticed. Ultrastructural and cardiovascular changes seen at these higher concentrations of adrenochrome showed only a partial recovery. The data indicates that adrenochrome-induced ultrastructural changes in the heart are due to a direct myocardial effect of the drug which may not involve haemodynamic changes and the latter are most probably a consequence of this effect. However, the present study has not been able to rule out direct vascular effects at higher concentrations of adrenochrome.     

Alterations of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation in rat heart by quinidine

To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the adverse depression of myocardial contractility observed during antiarrhythmic therapy of quinidine, we investigated its action on the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.17) activities of cardiac subcellular membranes. Rat heart sarcolemma, mitochondria, and microsomes (sarcoplasmic reticular fragments) were isolated, and the three catalytic sites for N-methylation activities were examined with 0.055 (site I), 10 (site II), and 150 (site III) microM concentrations of S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-3H]methionine as a methyl donor. Total methyl group incorporation into sarcolemmal phosphatidylethanolamine was depressed by 10(-6)-10(-3) M quinidine at sites II and III. The activity of site I was stimulated at low (10(-9) M) concentrations and inhibited at high concentrations of the drug. A similar behaviour was observed with procainamide, although the inhibitory effect was less pronounced and was not additive with quinidine. Quinidine-induced inhibition was associated with a depression of Vmax, while the apparent affinity for S-adenosyl-L-methionine was unaltered. Analysis of individual methylated phospholipids confirmed inhibition by quinidine at sites II and III in sarcolemma. Microsomal phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation was affected by 10(-6) M quinidine only at site II, whereas no changes were noted in mitochondria. Quinidine also inhibited both the positive inotropic response and concomitant increase in tissue N-methylated phospholipids observed upon L-methionine perfusion of rat heart. These results suggest that quinidine alters the intramembranal level of N-methylated phospholipids, and this may serve as a biochemical mechanism contributing to its negative inotropic effect.