Assessment of Myofilament Ca2+ Sensitivity Underlying Cardiac Excitation-contraction Coupling

Summary

This paper describes a protocol that assesses the changes of myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity during contraction in isolated cardiac myocytes from rat heart. Together with cardiac electrophysiology, systolic/diastolic cytosol Ca²⁺ levels and contraction/relaxation, this measurement is imperative in underpinning the mechanisms mediating cardiac excitation-contraction coupling in healthy and diseased hearts.

Abstract

Heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the mechanism of pathogenesis and myocardial malfunction in the diseased heart remains to be fully clarified. Recent compelling evidence demonstrates that changes in the myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity affect intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and ion channel activities in cardiac myocytes, the essential mechanisms responsible for the cardiac action potential and contraction in healthy and diseased hearts. Indeed, activities of ion channels and transporters underlying cardiac action potentials (e.g., Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and K⁺ channels and the Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchanger) and intracellular Ca²⁺ handling proteins (e.g., ryanodine receptors and Ca²⁺-ATPase in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA2a) or phospholamban and its phosphorylation) are conventionally measured to evaluate the fundamental mechanisms of cardiac excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling. Both electrical activities in the membrane and intracellular Ca²⁺ changes are the trigger signals of E-C coupling, whereas myofilament is the functional unit of contraction and relaxation, and myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity is imperative in the implementation of myofibril performance. Nevertheless, few studies incorporate myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity into the functional analysis of the myocardium unless it is the focus of the study. Here, we describe a protocol that measures sarcomere shortening/re-lengthening and the intracellular Ca²⁺ level using Fura-2 AM (ratiometric detection) and evaluate the changes of myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity in cardiac myocytes from rat hearts. The main aim is to emphasize that myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity should be taken into consideration in E-C coupling for mechanistic analysis. Comprehensive investigation of ion channels, ion transporters, intracellular Ca²⁺ handling, and myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity that underlie myocyte contractility in healthy and diseased hearts will provide valuable information for designing more effective strategies of translational and therapeutic value.

Introduction

Cardiac excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling is the fundamental scheme for analyzing mechanical properties of the myocardium, i.e., the contractile function of the heart^1,2. E-C coupling is initiated by membrane depolarization secondary to the activities of sarcolemmal ion channels (e.g., the voltage-gated Na⁺ channel, which can be measured via patch-clamp techniques). Subsequent activation of voltage-gated L-type Ca²⁺ channels (LTCCs) and Ca²⁺ influx via LTCCs trigger the bulk of Ca²⁺ release through ryanodine receptors (RyRs), increasing the cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentr....

Protocol

The protocol is in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the UN National Institutes of Health (NIH Publication No. 85-23, revised 1996). It was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of Seoul National University (IACUC approval no.: SNU-101213-1).

1. Buffer Preparation (Table Materials and Equipment)

1. Prepare 300 ml of fresh isolation solution on the day of the experiment (in mM: NaCl, 135; KCl, 5.4; MgCl₂, 3.5; glucose, 5; HEPES, 5; Na₂HPO₄, 0.4; taurine, 20; pH 7.4 with NaOH).
2. Prepare 100 ml of fresh storage solut....

Results

LV myocytes are isolated from normal and hypertensive rat hearts. Rod-shaped myocytes with clear striations (representing sarcomeres) and stable contractions in response to field stimulation are considered to be the optimal myocytes and are selected for recordings (Figure 2A). In the example shown in Figure 2A, a Fura 2 AM -loaded LV myocyte is positioned horizontally and the aperture of the camera is adjusted so that the myocyte occupies most of the reco.......

Discussion

Here, we describe the protocols to assess changes of myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity in single isolated cardiac myocyte and emphasize the importance of measuring this parameter alongside electrophysiological properties, intracellular Ca²⁺ transients, and myofilament dynamics. This is because the recordings of one or two of the parameters may not explicate the mechanisms underlying cardiac contraction and relaxation. Unlike conventional methods that measure myocyte contraction and the intracellular Ca

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Sprague Dawley rat	Koatech		8-12 weeks
Pentobarbital Sodium	Hanlim Pharmaceutical (Korea)	AHN901	Insurance code:645301220
NaCl	Sigma	S9625
KCl	Sigma	P4504
NaH2PO4	Sigma	S8282
HEPES	Sigma	H3375
Glucose	Sigma	G8270
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002
MgCl2	Biosesang	M2001
Mannitol	Sigma	M4125
MgSO4	Sigma	M5921
Sodium Pyruvate	Sigma	P2256
Taurine	Merck	8.08616.1000
Na2HPO4	Sigma	71649
Bovine Fetal Albumin	Sigma	A7906
Collagenase Type 2	Worthington	LS004177
Protease	Sigma	P6911
Fura-2 (AM)	Molecular Probes	F1221
Pluronic F127 20% solution in DMSO	Invitrogen	P3000MP
Shaking Water Bath	Chang Shin Scientific	Model: C-108
IonWizard Softwae Suite	IonOptix Ltd	Experimental Builder	Acquisition and Analysis of EC Coupling Data in Myocytes
Myocyte Calcium & Contractility Recording System	IonOptix Ltd
Circulating Water Bath	BS-Tech	BW2-8
Myocyte Fluorescence Microscope	Nikon	DIATPHOTO 200
MyoCam-S Power	IonOptix
Fluorescence & Video Detection	IonOptix	MyoCam-S
CFA300
PMT400
Fluorescence & System Interface	IonOptix	FSI700
Excitation Light Source	IonOptix	mSTEP
High intensity ARC Lamp Power supply	Cairn Reseach
Filter wheel controller	IonOptix	GB/MUS200
Digital Stimulator	Medical Systems Corportion	S-98 Mutimode
Compositions of Experimental Solutions
Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Isolation Solution (pH: 7.4, NaOH)
NaCl	Sigma	S9625	Concentration (mmol) 135
KCl	Sigma	P4504	Concentration (mmol) 5.4
HEPES	Sigma	H3375	Concentration (mmol) 5
Glucose	Sigma	G8270	Concentration (mmol) 5
MgCl2	Biosesang	M2001	Concentration (mmol) 3.5
Taurine	Sigma	CB2742654	Concentration (mmol) 20
Na2HPO4	Sigma	71649	Concentration (mmol) 0.4
Storage Solution (pH: 7.4, NaOH)
NaCl	Sigma	S9625	Concentration (mmol) 120
KCl	Sigma	P4504	Concentration (mmol) 5.4
HEPES	Sigma	H3375	Concentration (mmol) 10
Glucose	Sigma	G8270	Concentration (mmol) 5.5
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002	Concentration (mmol) 0.2
Mannitol	Sigma	M4125	Concentration (mmol) 29
MgSO4	Sigma	M5921	Concentration (mmol) 5
Sodium Pyruvate	Sigma	P2256	Concentration (mmol) 5
Taurine	Sigma	CB2742654	Concentration (mmol) 20
Perfusion Solution (Tyrode solution, pH: 7.4, NaOH)
NaCl	Sigma	S9625	Concentration (mmol) 141.4
KCl	Sigma	P4504	Concentration (mmol) 4
NaH2PO4	Sigma	S8282	Concentration (mmol) 0.33
HEPES	Sigma	H3375	Concentration (mmol) 10
Glucose	Sigma	G8270	Concentration (mmol) 5.5
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002	Concentration (mmol) 1.8      For Fura 2AM loading, CaCl2 concentrations are 0.25 mM and 0.5 mM
MgCl2	Biosesang	M2001	Concentration (mmol) 1
Mannitol	Sigma	M4125	Concentration (mmol) 14.5
Collangenase Solution 1
Isolation Solution (30mL)
Bovine Fetal Albumin (BSA solution 5 ml)			Concentration (mmol) 1.67 mg/mL
Collagenase Type 2	Worthington	LS004177	Concentration (mmol) 1 mg/mL
Protease	Sigma	P6911	Concentration (mmol) 0.1 mg/mL
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002	Concentration (mmol) 0.05 mM
Collangenase Solution 2
Isolation Solution (20mL)
Bovine Fetal Albumin (BSA solution 3.3 mL)			Concentration (mmol) 1.67 mg/mL
Collagenase Type 2	Worthington	LS004177	Concentration (mmol) 1 mg/mL
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002	Concentration (mmol) 0.05 mM
BSA solution
Isolation Solution (40mL)
Bovine Fetal Albumin	Sigma	A7906	Concentration (mmol) 400 mg
CaCl2	Biosesang	C2002	Concentration (mmol) 1mM