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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 284: H2100-H2105, 2003. First published January 30, 2003; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00888.2002
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Vol. 284, Issue 6, H2100-H2105, June 2003

Increased myocardial oxygen consumption by TNF-alpha is mediated by a sphingosine signaling pathway

Ulrich Hofmann1, Erik Domeier2, Stefan Frantz1, Martin Laser1, Barbara Weckler1, Peter Kuhlencordt1, Stefan Heuer1, Boris Keweloh2, Georg Ertl1, and Andreas W. Bonz1

1 Department of Medicine/Cardiology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg; and 2 Department of Cardiology/Pulmonology, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany


    ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

The present study investigated the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on myocardial energy metabolism as estimated by myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2). MVO2 of electrically stimulated isolated trabeculae of right ventricular Wistar rat myocardium was analyzed using a Clark-type oxygen probe. After the initial data collection in the absence of TNF-alpha , measurements were repeated after TNF-alpha stimulation. In separate experiments, pretreatment with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or the ceramidase inhibitor n-oleoylethanolamine (NOE) was done to investigate NO/sphingosine-related effects. TNF-alpha impaired myocardial economy at increasing stimulation frequencies without altering baseline MVO2. Incubation with TNF-alpha in the presence of L-NAME further impaired myocardial economy. NOE preincubation abrogated the TNF-alpha effect on myocardial economy. Moreover, the negative inotropic effect of TNF-alpha was observed in NOE-pretreated but not L-NAME-pretreated muscle fibers. Exogenous sphingosine mimicked the TNF-alpha effect on mechanics and energetics. We conclude that TNF-alpha impairs the economy of chemomechanical energy transduction primarily through a sphingosine-mediated pathway.

cytokines; nitric oxide; myocardial energy metabolism; tumor necrosis factor-alpha


    INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF)-alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine important in the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, cardiac allocraft rejection, myocardial reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and remodeling. Several studies have revealed negative inotropic effects of TNF-alpha in the isolated heart model, in isolated myocardial muscle strips, and cultured cardiac myocytes as well as in in situ animal hearts. Cardiac myocytes have been identified as the source and target of TNF-alpha . TNF-alpha binds to TNF receptors I and II, cell surface receptors that mediate virtually all known effects on myocytes (for a review, see Ref. 11).

Sphingolipids are structural elements of membranes, and there is a growing amount of knowledge about their role in regulating numerous cell functions (for a review, see Ref. 9). Previously, it has been reported that the TNF-alpha -mediated negative inotropic effect is dependent on a sphingosine-signaling pathway (15). Cytokines can regulate sphingolipid metabolism by modulating sphingomyelinase and ceramidase activity. TNF-alpha leads to degradation of cellular sphingomyelin with the formation of ceramide and its base sphingosine. Both have been demonstrated to be able to deteriorate myocardial force generation, at least in part due to alterations of cellular calcium handling (9).

TNF-alpha also seems to play a role in deteriorating mechanical function through nitric oxide (NO) signaling (3). However, it is unclear which NO synthase (NOS) isoform is responsible for these rapid TNF-alpha effects on force generation. Although TNF-alpha is known to induce NOS II expression, the rapid effect on force generation does not imply transcriptional regulation of NOS. On the other hand, TNF-alpha was demonstrated to impact on myocyte calcium handling, raising the possibility that its NO-dependent effects are mediated through constitutive NOS isoforms (NOS I and NOS III).

Experiments using isolated blood-perfused canine heart preparations demonstrate an increase in oxygen consumption in the presence of high concentrations of human TNF-alpha (14). These authors report an early moderate negative inotropic effect and a significant coronary vasodilatation after TNF-alpha administration.

Given the recognition that 1) TNF-alpha alters Ca2+ handling, 2) myocardium and endothelium expresses constitutive NOS, 3) NO plays a role in the regulation of myocardial oxygen consumption (19), and 4) sphingolipid signaling controls endothelial NOS (eNOS) activity and mitochondrial function (2, 4), the present study investigated TNF-alpha -mediated myocardial contraction economy and its candidate regulatory pathways.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Chemicals. n-Oleoylethanolamine (NOE), NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), D-sphingosine, and 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Deisenhofen, Germany). Recombinant rat TNF-alpha was purchased from R&D Systems (Wiesbaden, Germany).

Muscle preparation and measurement of mechanical parameters and oxygen consumption. The animals used in this study were handled in accordance with the guidelines of the animal care committee of the University of Wuerzburg and adhere to the American Physiological Society "Guiding Principles in the Care and Use of Animals." Immediately after the anesthesic was administered to male Wistar rats, a cardiectomy was performed, and the heart was submerged in oxygenated cardioplegic solution (modified Krebs buffer), which contained (in mmol/l) 152 Na+, 3.6 K+, 135 Cl-, 25 HCO<UP><SUB>3</SUB><SUP>−</SUP></UP>, 1.3 HPO<UP><SUB>4</SUB><SUP>2−</SUP></UP>, 0.6 SO<UP><SUB>4</SUB><SUP>2−</SUP></UP>, 0.6 Mg2+, 2.5 Ca2+, 11.2 glucose, and 30 BDM. Muscle strips were excised from the right ventricle (average muscle strip cross-ectional area was 0.13 ± 0.06 mm2). The muscle preparations were transferred to a chamber containing oxygenated [95% O2-5% CO2; this equilibration is used to oxygenate buffer solutions with a constant physiological pH (13)] Krebs solution at 37°C. Muscle strips were fixed between steel clamps and a force transducer (Scientific Instruments; Heidelberg, Germany). After washout of the protective solution containing BDM, the muscle strip was stimulated 25% over threshold voltage with 2 Hz. After the equilibration period, the muscle was carefully stretched to optimal length (defined as steady-state twitch force under isometric conditions). Meyer et al. (13) have previously published this technique and provided evidence that the method is suited for simultaneous determination of mechanical parameters and oxygen consumption.

The oxygen measurement setup (Fig. 1; Scientific Instruments) consists of a metal cylinder with a heating unit and a closed Plexiglas block containing the muscle chamber. The muscle strip is suspended between two steel clamps, providing means for fixation and electrical stimulation. Of these clamps, one is connected with a force transducer. An inlet and outlet are used for perfusion. The Clark-type oxygen electrode is located perpendicular to the long axis of the muscle strip, providing direct access to the perfusate. For the measurements, perfusion with oxygenated solution was stopped, and the decrease of oxygen partial pressure at a defined distance from the muscle surface was recorded for 25 s. Simultaneously, the force-time integral (FTI; in N · s · min-1 · mm-2) was recorded. Calculation of the myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) was done by a computer program (for details, see Ref. 13).


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Fig. 1.   Experimental design. The muscle fiber is fixed between a force transducer and a servomotor, prestretched to optimal length, electrically stimulated (1-5 Hz), and constantly perfused with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit solution (37°C). A Clark-type oxygen probe is placed near the surface of the muscle fiber to measure the oxygen consumption of the working muscle strip while perfusion is stopped.

Experimental protocols. Muscle strips were stimulated with 1-5 Hz (60-300 beats/min). After a steady state was reached, MVO2 and mechanical data were recorded for each stimulation frequency (for original registration, see Fig. 2). Muscle fibers that showed a significant loss in force development compared with the initial 1-Hz value were excluded.


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Fig. 2.   Original registration. The oxygen signal (Clark-type oxygen probe) and force trace are shown. Bar represents 1 mN. Stimulation frequencies were 1-5 Hz.

For all experiments, recombinant rat TNF-alpha was used. TNF-alpha was dissolved in PBS and added to the Krebs buffer perfusate. The final concentration of 5 ng/ml, in perfusate, was chosen as stable, and a significant effect was found in preliminary experiments (see RESULTS). After baseline data were collected, TNF-alpha was added, and the measurements were repeated after 10 min of incubation.

In second set of experiments, muscle strips were incubated with either L-NAME (500 µM) or NOE (5 µM) for at least 1 h to inhibit NOS enzymes or ceramidase activity, respectively. After baseline data of the L-NAME- and NOE-treated muscle strips were collected, TNF-alpha was added, and the measurements were repeated after 10 min of incubation.

In a third set of experiments, exogenous D-sphingosine (1 µM) was added, and its effects were studied after a period of 15 min. NOE and L-NAME were dissolved in DMSO. The DMSO concentration in the perfusate was under 0.1% and showed no significant effect (data not shown).

Calculations. FTI (in N · s · min-1 · mm-2) is defined as the area between peak systolic force and diastolic force during the stimulation interval. It represents an equivalent of work in isometrically contracting myocardium and is a major determinant of MVO2 (13). FTI was plotted against MVO2. The MVO2-axis intercept of the MVO2-FTI relation (i.e., extrapolation to zero FTI) represents oxygen consumption for excitation-contraction coupling and basal metabolism. The slope of the MVO2-FTI regression line reflects chemomechanical force transduction by cross-bridge cycling and relates mechanical output to chemical energy input (17). Its reciprocal indicates the contractile economy.

Data were collected with the data-acquisition program Twitch (Scientific Instruments). From twitch contractions, the following parameters were analyzed: developed force (in mN/mm2) and FTI (in N · s · min-1 · mm-2). Analysis of oxygen data (ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1) was performed using Muscle Research System software from Scientific Instruments.

Statistical analysis. Statistics were done using WinSTAT (Beneke & Schwippert), implying Excel spreadsheets. The regression line was calculated from all data points. Values for slope and y-axis intercepts were compared between groups and tested for significant differences. Statistical significance was determined for paired data by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. For unpaired data, a Mann-Whitney U-test was applied. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. Data are expressed as means ± SE.


    RESULTS
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ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Effect of TNF-alpha perfusion. Muscle strips treated with TNF-alpha developed an immediate (<10 min) reduction in systolic force development (Fig. 3). Hereby, the force-frequency relation was not altered. Five picograms per milliliter of TNF-alpha was the lowest concentration able to exhibit a depressant effect on force development. For 5 ng/ml, the TNF-alpha -induced force reduction was 39 ± 3% of the initial value (n = 11). Concerning the mechanical effect, no significant dose dependency could be demonstrated.


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Fig. 3.   Values are means ± SE of developed force (in mN/mm2; stimulation frequency was 3 Hz). TNF-alpha , NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME), n-oleoylethanolamine (NOE), and spingosine reduced force development vs. control (* P < 0.05 vs. control). Addition of NOE but not of L-NAME to TNF-alpha -pretreated muscle strips further decreased systolic force development (§ P < 0.05 vs. TNF-alpha ).

The MVO2-FTI regression was highly linear, both before and after TNF-alpha . TNF-alpha showed a dose-dependent effect on the specific oxygen demand, expressed as MVO2/FTI (Fig. 4). This was paralleled by a significant increase in the slope of the MVO2-FTI regression line. A significant deterioration of myocardial economy was first observed for 50 pg/ml TNF-alpha . TNF-alpha (5 ng/ml) impaired the economy of active force generation, as expressed by the slope of the MVO2-FTI regression line (0.050 vs. 0.082 ml [O2] · N-1 · s-1 · m-1, n = 11, P < 0.05), whereas the basal MVO2 remained stable (0.045 vs. 0.044 ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1, n = 11, P < 0.05; Fig. 5).


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Fig. 4.   Specific myocardial oxygen consumption [MVO2/force-time integral (FTI)] of TNF-alpha -stimulated muscle strips. In independent experiments, muscle strips were stimulated with 5 pg/ml, 50 pg/ml, or 5 ng/ml TNF-alpha . Specific oxygen consumption showed dose-response behavior (*P < 0.05 vs. control).



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Fig. 5.   MVO2-FTI relationship in control and TNF-alpha -stimulated (5 ng/ml) muscle strips (n = 11). Data points reflect measurements of FTI and MVO2 (stimulation frequencies of 1-5 Hz). TNF-alpha significantly (P < 0.05) increased the slope of the regression line vs. control. Basal MVO2 (y-axis intercept) was not altered.

Effect of L-NAME preincubation. L-NAME reduced systolic force development by 31 ± 6%. Simultaneously, the basal MVO2 increased from 0.047 to 0.056 ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1 (n = 10, P < 0.05; Fig. 6). Comparable to control conditions, TNF-alpha exhibited a negative effect on the economy of force generation (0.057 vs. 0.083 ml [O2] · N-1 · s-1 · m-1, n = 12, P < 0.05) of L-NAME-incubated muscle strips, whereas the basal MVO2 remained unchanged (0.045 vs. 0.045 ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1; Fig. 7). TNF-alpha had no additional significant effect on the force development of L-NAME-incubated muscle fibers (Fig. 3).


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Fig. 6.   MVO2-FTI relationship in control (n = 10) and L-NAME-stimulated (500 µM, n = 10) muscle strips. Data points reflect measurements of FTI and MVO2 (stimulation frequencies of 1-5 Hz). L-NAME did not alter the slope of the regression line vs. control conditions. Basal MVO2 (y-axis intercept) was significantly altered by L-NAME.



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Fig. 7.   MVO2-FTI relationship in L-NAME-preincubated (n = 11) and additionally TNF-alpha -stimulated (n = 11) muscle strips. Data points reflect measurements of FTI and MVO2 (stimulation frequencies of 1-5 Hz). TNF-alpha significantly (P < 0.05) increased the slope of the regression line vs. L-NAME. Basal MVO2 (y-axis intercept) was not altered by TNF-alpha .

Effect of NOE preincubation. Throughout the stimulation rate, pretreatment with NOE led to a mean reduction of 45 ± 4% in developed force. TNF-alpha produced an additional significant systolic force reduction (31 ± 5%) compared with NOE values (Fig. 3). After TNF-alpha administration, the basal MVO2 was not different from control conditions (0.042 ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1, n = 11, P < 0.05). Simultaneously, the slope of the MVO2-FTI regression line (0.093 ml [O2] · N-1 · s-1 · m-1, r2 = 0.90, n = 11) increased but was not significantly different from control conditions (Fig. 8).


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Fig. 8.   MVO2-FTI relationship in control (n =21) and NOE (5 µM) + TNF-alpha -stimulated (n = 11) muscle strips. Data points reflect measurements of FTI and MVO2 (stimulation frequencies of 1-5 Hz). TNF-alpha did not significantly increase the slope of the regression line vs. control conditions. Basal MVO2 (y-axis intercept) was not significantly altered by TNF-alpha .

Effect of exogenous sphingosine. D-Sphingosine exhibited a negative effect on force generation. Administration of 1 µM D-sphingosine led to a significant reduction of systolic force, whereas the force-frequency relation was not altered (Fig. 3). Furthermore, sphingosine induced a significant negative effect on the economy of force generation (0.059 vs. 0.157 ml[O2] · N-1 · s-1 · m-1, n = 8, P < 0.05), whereas the basal MVO2 remained unchanged (0.046 vs. 0.039 ml [O2] · mm-3 · min-1; Fig. 9).


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Fig. 9.   MVO2-FTI relationship in control (n = 8) and sphingosine-stimulated (1 µM, n = 8) muscle strips. Data points reflect measurements of FTI and MVO2 (stimulation frequencies of 1-5 Hz). Sphingosine significantly (P < 0.05) increased the slope of the regression line vs. control studies. Basal MVO2 (y-axis intercept) was not significantly altered by exogenous sphingosine.


    DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

In the present study, TNF-alpha altered the myocardial economy of chemomechanical energy transduction by a sphingosine-dependent mechanism. This effect could be inhibited by pretreatment of muscle fibers with the ceramidase inhibitor NOE and was mimicked by exogenous sphingosine.

Impaired myocardial economy and reduction of force development by TNF-alpha . Characteristic hemodynamic effects of TNF-alpha are a decrease of contractile efficiency and reduced ejection fraction, hypotension, decreased systemic vascular resistance, and biventricular dilatation (11). Reduction of myocardial force development can be attributed to an altered calcium metabolism of myocytes. TNF-alpha disrupts L-type Ca2+ channel-induced calcium influx and thereby depresses the calcium transient and systolic function (8). These effects are due to sphingosine- and/or NO-mediated signaling. Calcium regulatory proteins such as sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase or sarcoplasmatic reticulum Ca2+- ATPase show energy dependency. Their impairment can cause a decrease in contractile performance (12). Alterations of myocardial energy-dependent processes after administration of TNF-alpha might therefore contribute to impaired force development.

In our study, perfusion with TNF-alpha immediately (<5 min) impaired myocardial function: a reduction of systolic force generation was accompanied by an altered energy status. The results demonstrate that the elevation of oxygen demand by TNF-alpha , previously reported by Miyano et al. (14), is due to an impaired economy of active force generation. The slope of the MVO2-FTI regression line significantly increased compared with control conditions, indicating a higher specific oxygen demand of the contracting myocardium after TNF administration, indicating a deterioration in chemomechanical conversion.

NO-mediated action. NO derived from the endothelial and cardiac NOS is able to modulate both cardiac contractility (5, 18) and oxygen consumption (19). In vivo experiments showed that oxygen consumption was increased after inhibition of NOS. Furthermore, several in vitro studies found an inhibitory effect of NO on oxygen consumption by a direct action on mitochondrial metabolism. This is at least partly due to the inhibitory effect of NO on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (19). On the other hand, studies concerning NO and cardiac respiration found contradictory results. Both in vitro and in vivo studies are connected with confounding effects: NO regulates regional and systemic vascular tone. Systemic blood pressure alters cardiac workload and provokes feedback answers by the autonomous nervous system, capable of NO signaling. Changes of local myocardial perfusion can alter energy supply and myocardial metabolism (6, 7). Furthermore, studies on single myocytes or isolated mitochondria have their own restrictions that might have lead to some contradictory findings: studies on single myocytes cannot asses the load dependency of myocardial energetics, as myocardial energy metabolism is regulated by the energy demand in different contractile status. Isolated mitochondria are no longer subjected to exogenous NO or the modulating changes of the cellular high-energy phosphate demand and metabolism. Therefore, some of the discrepancies should be related to the different models used.

In our experiments, blocking NOS resulted in an elevated basal MVO2. Thus we are in line with those investigators who found an attenuating effect of endogenous NO on cardiac mitochondrial respiration that is paralleled by a reduced mechanical performance (18, 19).

On L-NAME-pretreated muscle strips, TNF-alpha still exhibited similar energetic effects but displayed no additional reduction in systolic force. This could implicate that the negative inotropic effect of TNF-alpha is at least in part NO mediated. Evidence for a fast TNF-alpha -induced NO-dependent reduction in force development was provided by Finkel et al. (3). Cain et al. (1) reported abrogation of TNF-alpha effects on contractility by inhibiting both NOS and ceramidase.

The data presented here suggest that deterioration in myocardial economy is not NO dependent, because L-NAME pretreatment did not alter the TNF-alpha effect on chemomechanical conversion. We argue that if the energetic effect was mediated by NO formation, it would rather influence basal MVO2 by an interference with mitochondrial respiration, creatine kinase reaction, or changes in substrate utilization, which were not observed in our study.

Sphingolipid-mediated effects. TNF-alpha generates elevated intracellular sphingosine levels through TNF receptor I signaling (15, 20). The mechanical effect of TNF-alpha could be mimicked by exogenous sphingosine (15), a potent inhibitor of sarcoplasmatic calcium release (10, 21). The ceramidase inhibitor NOE has been previously shown to abrogate the negative inotropic effect after TNF-alpha administration. In line with the findings in our study, NOE itself exhibits dose-dependent attenuating effects on myocardial force generation (15). Furthermore, NOE leads to an increase in ceramide content due to its inhibited conversion to sphingosine (15). TNF-alpha should further increase ceramide levels by its stimulating effect on sphingomyelinase. The observed persistence of the TNF-alpha -mediated decrease in systolic force development after NOE treatment in our study could be explained if the reduced mechanical performance was due to increased ceramide levels. Therefore, the results would be in line with the previous notion: that TNF-alpha reduces force development by sphingosine.

The results of the present study demonstrate that sphingosine formation is necessary for the energetic effect and that exogenous sphingosine is able to mimic this result. The exogenous sphingosine concentration used in this study is within the calculated range that is expected after TNF-alpha stimulation of cardiac myocytes (16). Thus we conclude that the energetic effect of TNF-alpha is sphingosine related. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the impaired economy of active force generation remains unclear.

Unaltered oxygen consumption at basal conditions, in contrast to an overproportional increase in oxygen consumption at increasing mechanical work, indicates that production of energy-rich phosphates is preserved and that the problem lies in uneconomic energy utilization.

TNF-alpha effects on mechanics and energetics are based on alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis. Proposed mechanisms include a direct influence of TNF-alpha on calcium channels and/or calcium desensitization of the myofilaments (3, 5). Our results raise the possibility that TNF-alpha could also lead to reduced force generation by an impaired economy of chemomechanical energy transduction and an increased energy cost for calcium cycling. It is conceivable, given that ceramide is capable of a calcium-independent immediate activation of eNOS (4), and ceramide among other sphingolipids can induce alterations in intracellular calcium handling, that calcium-sensitive NOS activation is linked to sphingosine pathways.

Limitations. The concentration of 5 ng/ml TNF-alpha used for most experiments was almost 10 times higher than plasma levels observed in pathophysiological relevant states. However, the fact that cardiac myocytes themselves generate TNF-alpha suggests that tissue concentrations are much higher than those in plasma. Furthermore, in vivo TNF-alpha binds to soluble receptors that modulate free TNF-alpha concentrations as well as its action on cell surface receptors. Our results demonstrate that even lower concentrations of 50 pg/ml have a significant influence on myocardial economy.

Although fatty acids play a pivotal role in aerobic metabolism, we did not use perfusion buffers containing different substrates to exclude that changes in oxygen consumption are possibly due to alterations in substrate utilization.

In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrate that besides the known negative inotropic effect, TNF-alpha leads to a fast deterioration in myocardial economy. This impairment in energy metabolism is associated with no change in basal MVO2, but a reduced economy of chemomechanical energy transduction, indicating an uneffective energy utilization. The observed effect is sphingosine dependent as the ceramidase inhibitor NOE is able to abrogate and exogenous sphingosine is able to mimic the energetic effect.


    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Verena Popp and Helga Wagner for perfect technical assistance and R. D. Sigrid Kuhlencordt for critically reviewing the manuscript.


    FOOTNOTES

The study was supported by grants from the Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung (to A. W. Bonz) and by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant SFB-355 (to A. W. Bonz and G. Ertl).

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: A. W. Bonz, Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany (E-mail: bonz_a{at}klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de).

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. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

First published January 30, 2003;10.1152/ajpheart.00888.2002

Received 15 October 2002; accepted in final form 24 January 2003.


    REFERENCES
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 284(6):H2100-H2105
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