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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 277: H74-H79, 1999;
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Vol. 277, Issue 1, H74-H79, July 1999

Energy expenditure by Ba2+ contracture in rat ventricular slices derives from cross-bridge cycling

Hisaharu Kohzuki1, Hiromi Misawa1, Susumu Sakata1, Yoshimi Ohga1, Hiroyuki Suga2, and Miyako Takaki1

1 Department of Physiology II, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-852; and 2 Department of Physiology II, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama 700-8558, Japan


    ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

To clarify the energy-expenditure mechanism during Ba2+ contracture of mechanically unloaded rat left ventricular (LV) slices, we measured myocardial O2 consumption (VO2) of quiescent slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution and VO2 during Ba2+ contracture by substituting Ca2+ with Ba2+. We then investigated the effects of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) on the Ba2+ contracture VO2. The Ca2+-free VO2 corresponds to that of basal metabolism (2.32 ± 0.53 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1). Ba2+ increased the VO2 in a dose-dependent manner (from 0.3 to 3.0 mmol/l) from 110 to 150% of basal metabolic VO2. Blockade of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump by CPA (10 µmol/l) did not at all decrease the Ba2+-activated VO2. BDM (5 mmol/l), which specifically inhibits cross-bridge cycling, reduced the Ba2+activated VO2 almost to basal metabolic VO2. These energetic results revealed that the Ba2+-activated VO2 was used for the cross-bridge cycling but not for the Ca2+ handling by the SR Ca2+ pump.

oxygen consumption; excitation-contraction coupling; sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine 5'-triphosphatase; cyclopiazonic acid; 2,3-butanedione monoxime


    INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

WE HAVE INSTITUTED rat left ventricular (LV) slices (300 µm thick) in a perfusion and electrical stimulation chamber as an appropriate preparation to analyze myocardial O2 consumption (VO2) under mechanically unloaded conditions (29, 31, 36). We expected that these myocardial slices would be virtually free from the mechanical constraints that they had in situ. Using this new preparation, we have revealed that an increment in VO2 by 1-Hz stimulation consists of VO2 for Ca2+ handling in the excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling (E-C coupling VO2) but not for residual cross-bridge cycling. We also have revealed that VO2 without stimulation represents a constant basal metabolism (basal metabolic VO2) in both normal and Ca2+-free Tyrode solution (29, 36). However, the energy expenditure due to the increase in cross-bridge cycling of these myocardial slices remains to be analyzed.

The aim of the present study was, first, to detect an increase in energy expenditure or VO2 due to the increase in cross-bridge cycling by Ba2+ contracture of myocardial slices from the rat LV. Our second goal was to analyze the mechanism of the increased VO2 by using a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-pump blocker, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) (2, 29), and a cross-bridge cycling inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione monoxime (29, 36).

There is no direct evidence indicating whether Ba2+ exclusively activates the contractile system (4, 13, 17, 22, 23). Because Ba2+ contracture is induced by displacing Ca2+ with Ba2+, an incomplete washout of Ca2+ during the superfusion with nominally Ca2+-free Tyrode solution may be one possibility. Although we have previously reported that E-C coupling VO2 is not detected in nominally Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, even when electrical stimulation is performed (36), the possibility that Ba2+ releases residual Ca2+ from the SR via a mechanism similar to the Ca2+-induced Ca2+-release mechanism (5, 6) should be considered. However, there is little supporting evidence for this possibility (13, 25). To the contrary, there is evidence that Ba2+ blocks SR Ca2+ release in triadic SR preparations, even though these preparations are isolated from skeletal muscle (19, 20). Although there is another possibility that Ba2+ is sequestered and released (i.e., cycled) by the SR, just as Ca2+ and Sr2+ are (26), many studies have suggested that Ba2+ is not cycled (1, 9, 14, 15, 19, 32). Displacing Ca2+ with Ba2+ can activate contractile protein interactions, but it does not support E-C coupling in skeletal muscle (9). Furthermore, Ba2+ has no effect on SR Ca2+ ATPase activity in skeletal muscle SR (14) and myocardial SR (1) and on Ca2+ uptake by skeletal muscle SR (15, 19, 32). In agreement with these studies suggesting the lack of Ba2+ cycling in SR, we obtained results of the energetics to reveal that the VO2 of Ba2+-activated myocardial slices was mainly used for the cross-bridge cycling but not for the residual Ca2+ handling by the SR Ca2+ pump.


    METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

LV Myocardial Slice Preparation

Forty-one adult male crj:Wistar rats weighing 300-420 g (mean weight 358 ± 29 g) were purchased from Charles River Japan (Yokohama, Japan) and anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (50 mg/kg ip). All experimental procedures were described previously in detail (29, 36). Briefly, the whole heart was excised after perfusion with Tyrode solution at 12°C gassed with 100% O2 for 5-10 min. The composition of Tyrode solution (in mmol/l) was 136.0 NaCl, 5.4 KCl, 1.0 MgCl2 · 6H2O, 0.33 NaH2PO4 · 2H2O, 0.9 CaCl2 · 2H2O, 10.0 glucose, and 5.0 HEPES, with pH corrected to 7.4 with NaOH at 30°C. Each myocardial slice was cut into 300-µm-thick slices in parallel with the epicardium with a microslicer (DTK-3000; Dosaka EM, Kyoto, Japan). We obtained 17-24 slices from each heart. The slices were stored for 30 min in 18°C Tyrode and then for at least 30-60 min in 25°C Ca2+-free Tyrode solution gassed with 100% O2. Ca2+-free Tyrode solution was made by excluding CaCl2 · 2H2O in normal Tyrode solution. Ba2+ Tyrode solution was made by displacing CaCl2 · 2H2O with BaCl2.

Ba2+-Activated VO2 of Myocardial Slices

To obtain a steady contracture with no spontaneous twitch (23), the myocardial slices were incubated for 10 min with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. VO2 for these quiescent slices was measured for 6 min in an oximetric chamber at 30°C. The subsequent superfusion with Ba2+ Tyrode solution was employed to induce Ba2+ contracture of the slices without electrical stimulation. We observed Ba2+ contracture under an inverted microscope.

VO2 of a set of six myocardial slices on average was measured polarographically with an O2 electrode (1T-125; Instech Laboratories, Plymouth Meeting, PA), the head of which faced the solution in the air-tight (oximetric) chamber. The electrode was connected to a current amplifier (model 102; Instech Laboratories), and its output was recorded with a flatbed recorder (model FBR-252A; TOA Electronic, Tokyo, Japan). This oximetric system was calibrated at three different O2 concentrations [0 mg/l (5% Na2SO3 solution), 7.3 mg/l (Tyrode solution saturated with air), and 35.1 mg/l (Tyrode solution saturated with 100% O2)] at 30°C in each experiment.

Assessment of VO2 of Myocardial Slices

We first examined the background VO2 with no myocardial slices in the Tyrode-filled chamber at the beginning and end [0.42 ± 0.15 and 0.39 ± 0.15 ml O2/min, respectively; n = 52 sets of 4-6 slices; P > 0.05] of each measurement of the same slices at 30°C. Myocardial VO2 was obtained by subtracting the background VO2 (A; in scales/min) from the measured VO2 (B; in scales/min) with myocardial slices present in the oximetric chamber. Myocardial VO2 (in ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1) was calculated as [(B - A) × 0.399/slice wet weight (in grams)] × volume of Tyrode solution in the chamber (in liters) × [22.4 liters/32 g] × 100 g (1 scale of the reading of the trace = 0.399 mg/l in the present study). We determined the wet weight of each set of slices [58.7 ± 13.5 mg; n =52 sets of slices] so that the ratio of B to A became higher than 2.0. The maximum sensitivity of the O2 measurement was obtained when B/A was 2.0, i.e., 0.92 µl O2/min in this chamber. We have previously confirmed that the myocardial slice VO2 was reproducible in three repeated measurements in the same protocol without stimulation at 30°C (29).

Experimental Protocol

Any Tyrode solutions were gassed with 100% O2 and preheated to 30°C in a water bath. Six slices on average were placed in the air-tight chamber filled with the prepared 2.62 ± 0.04 ml (n = 52 sets of slices) Tyrode solution gassed with 100% O2. These slices were preincubated and then incubated in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution without and with Ba2+ throughout the experiment. E-C coupling VO2 was not detected under these conditions, even when electrical stimulation was performed (36). Myocardial VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices without electrical stimulation was not different from that with stimulation. Therefore, we measured the VO2 of all slices without stimulation. We used the following protocols in four different groups of slices.

Protocol 1. There were 31 sets of slices from 20 rats in protocol 1. After 10-min incubation of a set of slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, the first VO2 measurement was performed for 6 min. This value was used as a control value. After the first washout of the slices with Ba2+ Tyrode solution for 10 min, the second VO2 measurement of Ba2+-activated slices in this solution was performed for 6 min. The concentration of Ba2+ was increased from 0.3 (n = 6), 0.5 (n = 10), and 1 (n = 6) mmol/l to 3 mmol/l (n = 9). After the VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices was measured, the slices were washed out with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution for 10 min and the VO2 of the noncontracted slices was measured for 6 min. These values were used as back control values.

Protocol 2. Eight sets of slices from eight rats were used in protocol 2. To confirm the stability of VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices, the VO2 was repeatedly measured in the same set of slices after the measurement of VO2 of the slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. After 10-min incubation of a set of slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, the first VO2 measurement was performed for 6 min. This value was used as a control value. After the washout of the slices with Ba2+ Tyrode solution for 10 min, the second VO2 measurement of Ba2+-activated slices in this solution was performed for 6 min. The concentration of Ba2+ was 1 mmol/l. After the VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices was measured, the activated slices were again superfused with Ba2+ Tyrode solution for 5 or 10 min and the third VO2 measurement was performed for 6 min. Total time of treatment with Ba2+ was at least 27-32 min.

Protocol 3. Seven sets of slices from seven rats were used in protocol 3, and CPA (10 µmol/l) in 1.3% dimethyl sulfoxide was used as a vehicle. Control values were obtained as in protocol 1. After washout of the slices with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution for 10 min, the second VO2 measurement of Ba2+-activated slices was performed for 6 min. This value was used as the Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) VO2 value. Pretreatment of CPA (10 µmol/l) in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution for 5 min completely blocked Ba2+ contracture by Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution in the presence of CPA (10 µmol/l) for 10 min (unpublished observation). Therefore, we added CPA (10 µmol/l) after the second VO2 measurement of Ba2+-activated slices as follows: after washout of the slices with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution containing CPA (10 µmol/l) for 5 min, the third VO2 measurement in this solution was performed for 6 min. This value was used as the CPA VO2 value. To confirm the recovery from activation with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution containing CPA (10 µmol/l) after the third measurement, four of the seven sets of slices were washed out with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution for 10 min and the VO2 of the same slices was measured for 6 min. These values were used as back control values.

Protocol 4. Six sets of slices from six rats were in protocol 4 and treated with 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM; 5 mmol/l). The control value was obtained as in protocol 1. After washout of the slices with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution for 10 min, the second VO2 measurement of Ba2+-activated slices was performed for 6 min. These values were used as Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) VO2 values. After washout of the slices with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution containing BDM (5 mmol/l) for 10 min, the third VO2 measurement in this solution was performed for 6 min. This VO2 value was used as the BDM VO2 value.

Statistics

All data are presented as means ± SD. Data were analyzed by one-way and repeated-measures ANOVA and followed, as necessary, by multiple comparisons using Bonferroni t-tests. In all statistical tests, P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.


    RESULTS
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ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

VO2 for Ca2+-Free Quiescent Slices and Ba2+-Activated Slices

The VO2 in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution was 2.32 ± 0.53 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1 (basal metabolism) and was expressed as 100%. The VO2 during Ba2+ (1 mmol/l; n = 6) contracture significantly increased to 140% of basal metabolism (P < 0.05). The VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices minus the basal metabolic VO2 (Delta VO2) was 42.5 ± 12.7% of basal metabolism. After washout of Ba2+, VO2 of the same slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution returned to the basal metabolic VO2. The present basal metabolic VO2 corresponded to our previously measured constant basal metabolism in Ca2+-free or normal Tyrode solution without stimulation (29, 36). The observed full recovery from Ba2+-induced increase in VO2 of myocardial slices was in accordance with the results obtained in the superfused papillary muscle and Langendorff-perfused heart; the Ba2+ contracture was attenuated as the Ba2+ was washed out of the cardiac cells when Ba2+ Tyrode solution was displaced by normal Tyrode solution (17, 23).

Concentration Dependence of Ba2+ Activation of Slice VO2

The pooled control VO2 values of quiescent slices and back control of the same slices in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution were almost constant at 2.25 ± 0.54 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1 in all series of protocol 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the VO2 values of the slices activated by Ba2+ increased in a dose-dependent manner from 110% of control at 0.3 mmol/l Ba2+ (n = 6) to 150% of control at 3 mmol/l Ba2+ (n = 9). The VO2 significantly increased from that at 0.5 mmol/l Ba2+ (P < 0.05) and gradually increased up to that at 3 mmol/l Ba2+. However, the VO2 at 3 mmol/l Ba2+ did not significantly increase from that at 1 mmol/l Ba2+ (P > 0.05). Therefore, we used 1 mmol/l Ba2+ in protocols 2-4.


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Fig. 1.   Relationship between Ba2+ concentration in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution and myocardial slice O2 consumption (VO2). Ba2+ increased VO2 in a dose-dependent manner. VO2 data were obtained from 31 sets of slices. VO2 is expressed as a percentage of VO2 under superfusion with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. Each bar expresses mean ± SD. # Significantly different from Ca2+-free VO2 (P < 0.05).

Constancy of Repeated Measurement of VO2 Value in Ba2+-Activated Slices

In protocol 2, after the VO2 of the quiescent slices was measured in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution (2.55 ± 0.55 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1), we repeatedly measured the VO2 of the same Ba2+-activated slices. The respective second and third VO2 values in 1 mmol/l Ba2+ were almost constant (3.34 ± 0.57 vs. 3.41 ± 0.47 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1). The constancy of repeatedly measured VO2 during Ba2+ contracture enabled us to compare the second VO2 with the third VO2 following treatment with CPA (protocol 3) or BDM (protocol 4).

Effects of CPA on VO2 of Ba2+-Activated Slices

The control VO2 in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution was 2.30 ± 0.61 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1. The VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices significantly increased to 141.5 ± 12.1% of the control VO2 (P < 0.05) (Fig. 2). The VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices treated with CPA was 142.1 ± 14.1% of the control VO2 (Fig. 2). Thus CPA did not decrease the VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices (P > 0.05). To confirm the recovery of Ba2+-activated slices treated with CPA, the slices were washed out with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution and the fourth VO2 of the same slices in the absence of extracellular Ba2+ was measured (n = 4). The fourth VO2 of the slices was 2.13 ± 0.60 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1 (n = 4). The first VO2 of basal metabolism was 1.95 ± 0.59 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1. These values were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.05).


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Fig. 2.   Effect of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA; 10 µmol/l) on myocardial VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices. VO2 was first measured under superfusion with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, then under superfusion with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution, and then under superfusion with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution containing CPA (10 µmol/l) and 1.3% dimethyl sulfoxide. VO2 is expressed as a percentage of VO2 measured under superfusion with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. VO2 data were obtained by repeated measurements from 7 sets of slices. Each bar expresses mean ± SD. # Significantly different from Ca2+-free VO2 (P < 0.05).

Effects of BDM on VO2 of Ba2+-Activated Slices

The VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced from 141.8 ± 21.3 to 110.1 ± 6.7% of the control VO2 value (2.23 ± 0.56 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1) by treatment with BDM (Fig. 3).


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Fig. 3.   Effect of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM; 5 mmol/l) on myocardial VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices. VO2 was first measured under superfusion with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, then under superfusion with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution, and then under superfusion with Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) Tyrode solution containing BDM (5 mmol/l). VO2 is expressed as a percentage of VO2 measured under Ca2+-free VO2. VO2 data were obtained by repeated measurements from 6 sets of slices. Each bar expresses mean ± SD. # Significantly different from Ca2+-free VO2 and BDM VO2 (P < 0.05).


    DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

The most important results are 1) our method for measurement of myocardial VO2 using mechanically unloaded myocardial slices from rat LV (29, 36) showed a stable and reversible increase in VO2 due to Ba2+ contracture similar to that in Langendorff-perfused hearts and superfused papillary muscle (17, 23, 24); 2) the increase in VO2 by Ba2+ was dose dependent between 0.3 and 3 mmol/l; 3) the increased VO2 was not reduced by the SR Ca2+ pump inhibitor CPA (10 µmol/l); and 4) the increased VO2 was, however, reduced by the cross-bridge cycling inhibitor BDM (5 mmol/l). Therefore, an increase in VO2 by Ba2+ contracture was due to increased cross-bridge cycling but not due to increased Ca2+ handling in E-C coupling mainly used for the SR Ca2+ pump (29).

A New Approach of LV Mechanoenergetics Using Mechanically Unloaded Myocardial Slices

We and others have already reported a linear myocardial VO2 systolic pressure-volume area (a total mechanical energy) from the curved end-systolic pressure-volume relation in the rat LV in the blood-perfused whole heart preparation (10, 11, 31, 33), similar to that in canine and rabbit hearts (8, 18, 27, 28, 30). The VO2 intercept of this relation (minimally loaded VO2, not mechanically unloaded VO2) is mainly composed of the E-C coupling VO2 and basal metabolic VO2 (10, 11, 31). However, the VO2-intercept may include the VO2 residual cross-bridge cycling (12, 34). Therefore, we have proposed a new approach for evaluating the mechanically unloaded VO2 using myocardial slices.

Recently, we have reported that BDM (5 mmol/l) markedly attenuated the 1-Hz twitch-free shortening of mechanically unloaded myocardial slices by 78% of control but did not decrease E-C coupling VO2 (29, 34, 36). This indicates that the VO2 for the residual cross-bridge cycling during mechanically unloaded twitches was negligibly small (29, 36). However, when cross-bridge cycling is enhanced, the VO2 for its cycling could be detected. Actually, we obtained the expected results in the present study; the VO2 during Ba2+ contracture of myocardial slices increased with Ba2+ concentration in a dose-dependent manner. This increase is due to the increase in VO2 for cross-bridge cycling, because E-C coupling VO2 is almost completely abolished in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution (36). From these results, we conclude that the energy expenditure of myocardial slices during 1-Hz twitch-free shortening is composed of the E-C coupling and basal metabolic VO2 but is not composed of the detectable VO2 for the cross-bridge cycling.

Basal metabolism after KCl arrest is ~20 µl O2 · min-1 · g-1 (0.02 ml O2 · min-1 · g-1) in an intact rat heart (11). On the other hand, basal metabolic VO2 (in Ca2+-free medium) of rat myocardial slices (mechanically unloaded) was ~2.3 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g-1 (0.023 ml O2 · min-1 · g-1) in the present study. Therefore, the basal metabolic VO2 in rat myocardial slices (29, 36) is nearly equal to that in an intact heart (11). This value is greater than that in dogs and rabbits (11, 18, 29, 36). We have previously reported a lack of suppression of basal metabolism by SR Ca2+-ATPase inhibitors (29). From these results, we have already suggested energy-consuming (wasting) processes, such as protein synthesis, other than those at the SR as the possible underlying mechanism for the greater basal metabolism in the rat myocardium (29).

VO2 of Ba2+-Activated Slices

The present results revealed for the first time that Ba2+ increased the VO2 of myocardial slices in a dose-dependent manner. These findings are reasonable considering the mechanism of Ba2+ contracture; Ba2+ interacts with troponin C binding site like Ca2+, in a dose-dependent manner, and allows cross-bridge formation (21-24), i.e., an increase in energy expenditure due to an enhanced number of cross-bridge cycles of attachment and detachment (35).

In the present experiment, the VO2 began to increase by 10% (0.2 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1) of the control VO2 of quiescent slices at 0.3 mmol/l of Ba2+, and it gradually increased up to that at 3 mmol/l Ba2+. The Ba2+ contracture of the slice was also confirmed by the microscopic observation in the present experiment. Although the steady isometric tension increased as Ba2+ increased from ~1 µmol/l to 0.1 mmol/l in the glycerinated skinned papillary muscle (22), the effective Ba2+ concentration on LV pressure in Ba2+-perfused rabbit hearts (17) is similar to that on VO2 due to Ba2+ contracture of myocardial slices. Furthermore, the muscle tension developed by Ba2+ of rabbit papillary muscle bathed in Tyrode solution reached the maximum above 4 mmol/l Ba2+ (24).

The VO2 of 1 mmol/l Ba2+-activated slices pooled from all experiments corresponds to ~140% of the control VO2 in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. However, in the rabbit LV preloaded at its end-diastolic pressure of 10 mmHg, mean LV VO2 during the first 30 min of Ba2+ contracture increased to 3.63 ml O2 · min-1 · 100 g LV-1 (~300% of basal metabolic VO2 of rabbit cardiac muscle) (24). Furthermore, Munch et al. (17) have reported a linear increase in LV pressure due to the increase in LV volume during Ba2+ contracture of rabbit hearts. These results suggest that an increase in VO2 under a preloaded condition would be higher than that under a mechanically unloaded condition even in the myocardium during Ba2+ contracture.

Reversibility and Stability of VO2 of Slice During Ba2+ Contracture

In the present study, basal metabolic VO2 of myocardial slices under Ca2+-free conditions corresponded to that under normal Tyrode conditions without stimulation (7, 29, 36) and that under KCl arrest in the rat heart (11). The VO2 after washout of 1 mmol/l Ba2+ with Ca2+-free Tyrode solution returned to the pre-Ba2+ level of VO2 obtained by the first measurement in Ca2+-free Tyrode solution. Thus the Ba2+ that enters the cell (16) can be extruded from the myocardium (3, 4).

From the measurements of ATP and phosphocreatine during Ba2+ contracture, Shibata et al. (24) supported the notion that Ba2+ induces a form of contracture that is quite stable but associated with a minimal energy demand, perhaps primarily for the cross-bridge cycling. In fact, the VO2 of Ba2+ contracture of mechanically unloaded slices continued for at least 32 min in the present experiment, and the value was constant, corresponding to 130-140% of basal metabolic VO2.

Effects of CPA and BDM

Saeki et al. (22, 23) claimed that there is no direct evidence that Ba2+ exclusively activates the contractile system; in fact, they observed that Ba2+ depolarized the membrane potential independently of activating the contractile system. We have already reported that CPA inhibits the VO2 of the myocardial slices during 1-Hz mechanically unloaded contraction in a dose-dependent manner (1-10 µmol/l); at 10 µmol/l CPA the E-C coupling VO2 was reduced by 70% (2, 29, 31). The present results showing no decreases in VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices by 10 µmol/l CPA support the postulate that the VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices is not primarily consumed by the SR Ca2+-ATPase. These results, in agreement with many studies on skeletal muscle SR (9, 14, 15, 19, 20, 32), suggest that Ba2+ is not cycled in SR of the rat myocardium and does not induce the release of residual Ca2+ from SR of the rat myocardium.

In the present study, we used BDM (5 mmol/l) to inhibit cross-bridge cycling. We have already confirmed that this concentration of BDM did not affect either the E-C coupling or basal metabolic VO2 of the myocardial slices (36). BDM (5 mmol/l) decreased VO2 during Ba2+ contracture approximately to the basal metabolic VO2 level, suggesting the possibility that the increase in VO2 by Ba2+ contracture exclusively derived from the increased cross-bridge cycling. Taking the CPA and BDM data together, we conclude that the increase in VO2 of Ba2+-activated slices is not due to SR Ca2+-ATPase but is primarily due to cross-bridge cycling.


    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We greatly thank Yukishige Akagi, a representative of the Okayama Rail Road Model Shop, for generously custom-making our oximetric chamber system.


    FOOTNOTES

This study was partly supported by Grants-in-Aid 09670053, 09307029, 09470009, 10770307, 10558136, and 10877006 for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture and a 1997-1998 Frontier Research Grant for Cardiovascular System Dynamics from the Science and Technology Agency.

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: H. Kohzuki, Department of Physiology II, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan (E-mail: hkohzuki{at}naramed-u.ac.jp).

Received 2 November 1998; accepted in final form 26 February 1999.


    REFERENCES
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 277(1):H74-H79
0002-9513/99 $5.00 Copyright © 1999 the American Physiological Society



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