Regional electrophysiological effects of hypokalaemia, hypomagnesaemia and hyponatraemia in isolated rabbit hearts in normal and ischaemic conditions. (41/16576)

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to establish an isolated working heart model for electrophysiological recordings from the epicardium and endocardium and to examine regional effects of changes in ion concentrations in normal and ischaemic conditions. METHODS: Monophasic action potential duration (MAPD90), effective refractory period (ERP) and conduction delay were measured simultaneously in the epicardium and endocardium of rabbit hearts paced at 3.3 Hz, subjected to 30 min of regional ischaemia and 15 min of reperfusion. The hearts were exposed before and throughout ischaemia and reperfusion to hypokalaemia (K+ = 2 mM), hypomagnesaemia (Mg2+ = 0.5 mM) or hyponatraemia (Na+ = 110 mM). RESULTS: In the control hearts, no regional electrophysiological differences were seen before ischaemia, but ischaemia-induced MAPD90 shortening and postrepolarisation refractoriness were greater in the epicardium than in the endocardium and conduction delay increased only in the epicardium. Hypokalaemia shortened ERP in the epicardium (but not endocardium) and increased conduction delay in all areas before ischaemia, but it had no effects during ischaemia. During reperfusion hypokalaemia increased the incidence of recurrent tachyarrhythmias. Hypomagnesaemia had no effect before ischaemia, increased epicardial (but not endocardial) MAPD90 shortening during ischaemia, although it had no pro-arrhythmic action. Hyponatraemia increased conduction delay in all areas before ischaemia and produced asystole or severe bradycardia in all hearts. During ischaemia, hyponatraemia decreased ERP shortening and inducibility of arrhythmias in the epicardium (but not endocardium). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the more pronounced effect of ischaemia upon the epicardium than the endocardium can be explained by the contact of the endocardium with intracavitary perfusate. We also conclude that changes in ion concentrations may have differential regional electrical effects in normal or ischaemic conditions.  (+info)

Effects of captopril and enalaprilat on intracellular Ca2+, Na+ contents and pH in hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiomyocytes. (42/16576)

AIM: To study the mechanisms of captopril (Cap) and enalaprilat (Ena) protective effects on hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiac myocytes. METHODS: Using fluorescent probes Fura 2-AM, BCECF/AM, SBFI/AM combined with computer image processing techniques to measure intracellular ion concentrations. RESULTS: [Ca2+]i (165 +/- 8 nmol.L-1) and [Na+]i (9.2 +/- 0.8 mmol.L-1) were higher but [pH]i (6.7 +/- 0.3) was lower in hypoxic and reoxygenated myocytes (196 +/- 14 nmol.L-1, 9.3 +/- 1.3 mmol.L-1, 6.61 +/- 0.19, respectively) than in normal ones. Cap and Ena reduced [Ca2+]i (149 +/- 11 and 152 +/- 10 nmol.L-1 respectively) and intracellular acidosis (7.11 +/- 0.22 and 7.2 +/- 0.4, respectively) during hypoxia. Cap also decreased [Na+]i in hypoxic myocytes (8.1 +/- 0.9 mmol.L-1). During reoxygenation, Cap decreased [Ca2+]i and [Na+]i but Ena had no significant effect on them. Cap or Ena had no additive effect when combined with verapamil (Ver). CONCLUSION: Cap and Ena protected hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiomyocytes, but the mechanisms were not the same.  (+info)

Mechanism of weight gain suppressing effect of ER-40133, an angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, in growing rats. (43/16576)

Effects of ER-40133, an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), on weight gain and sodium and potassium balance were studied in growing SD male rats. Thirty-two animals (seven weeks of age) were divided into two groups; one received a standard diet containing 0.227% sodium and the other a low (0.065%) sodium diet. They were divided into four subgroups; one control group and three treated groups receiving 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg of ER-40133, by gavage, once a day for five consecutive days. Body weight gain (average of the standard and low sodium diet groups) was -32% in the 3 mg/kg group,-74% in 10 mg/kg group and -99% in 30 mg/kg group, when compared with the control group. There was a highly linear correlation between suppression of body weight gain and reduction in sodium and potassium retention for both groups of animals given the standard and low sodium diet. The reduced sodium retention, the primary effect of ACE inhibitors, accounted for about 30% of suppressed weight gain, and the reduced potassium retention, the secondary effect of sodium deficiency, could account for the rest about 70% of weight suppression by ER-40133.  (+info)

cGMP-dependent and -independent inhibition of a K+ conductance by natriuretic peptides: molecular and functional studies in human proximal tubule cells. (44/16576)

In immortalized human kidney epithelial (IHKE-1) cells derived from proximal tubules, two natriuretic peptide receptors (NPR) were identified. In addition to NPR-A, which is bound by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and urodilatin (URO), a novel form of NPR-B that might be bound by C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) was identified using PCR. This novel splice variant of NPR-B (NPR-Bi) was also found in human kidney. Whereas ANP, BNP, and URO increased intracellular cGMP levels in IHKE-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, CNP had no effect on cGMP levels. To determine the physiologic responses to these agonists in IHKE-1 cells, the membrane voltage (Vm) was monitored using the slow whole-cell patch-clamp technique. ANP (10 nM), BNP (10 nM), and URO (16 nM) depolarized these cells by 3 to 4 mV (n = 47, 7, and 16, respectively), an effect that could be mimicked by 0.1 mM 8-Br-cGMP (n = 15). The effects of ANP and 8-Br-cGMP were not additive (n = 4). CNP (10 nM) also depolarized these cells, by 3+/-1 mV (n = 28), despite the absence of an increase in cellular cGMP levels, indicating a cGMP-independent mechanism. In the presence of CNP, 8-Br-cGMP further depolarized Vm significantly, by 1.6+/-0.3 mV (n = 5). The depolarizations by ANP were completely abolished in the presence of Ba2+ (1 mM, n = 4) and thus can be related to inhibition of a K+ conductance in the luminal membrane of IHKE-1 cells. The depolarizations attributable to CNP were completely blocked when genistein (10 microM, n = 6), an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, was present. These findings indicate that natriuretic peptides regulate electrogenic transport processes via cGMP-dependent and -independent pathways that influence the Vm of IHKE-1 cells.  (+info)

The polar flagellar motor of Vibrio cholerae is driven by an Na+ motive force. (45/16576)

Vibrio cholerae is a highly motile bacterium which possesses a single polar flagellum as a locomotion organelle. Motility is thought to be an important factor for the virulence of V. cholerae. The genome sequencing project of this organism is in progress, and the genes that are highly homologous to the essential genes of the Na+-driven polar flagellar motor of Vibrio alginolyticus were found in the genome database of V. cholerae. The energy source of its flagellar motor was investigated. We examined the Na+ dependence and the sensitivity to the Na+ motor-specific inhibitor of the motility of the V. cholerae strains and present the evidence that the polar flagellar motor of V. cholerae is driven by an Na+ motive force.  (+info)

Na+/H+ antiporter activity in hamster embryos is activated during fertilization. (46/16576)

This study characterized the activation of the regulatory activity of the Na+/H+ antiporter during fertilization of hamster embryos. Hamster oocytes appeared to lack any mechanism for the regulation of intracellular pH in the acid range. Similarly, no Na+/H+ antiporter activity could be detected in embryos that were collected from the reproductive tract between 1 and 5 h post-egg activation (PEA). Activity of the Na+/H+ antiporter was first detected in embryos collected at 5.5 h PEA and gradually increased to reach maximal activity in embryos collected at 7 h PEA. Parthenogenetically activated one-cell and two-cell embryos demonstrate Na+/H+ antiporter activity, indicating that antiporter activity is maternally derived and initiated by activation of the egg. The inability of cycloheximide, colchicine, or cytochalasin D to affect initiation of antiporter activity indicates that antiporter appearance is not dependent on the synthesis of new protein or recruitment of existing protein to the cell membrane. In contrast, incubation of one-cell embryos with sphingosine did inhibit the appearance of Na+/H+ antiporter activity, showing that inhibition of normal protein kinase C activity is detrimental to antiporter function. Furthermore, incubation of oocytes with a phorbol ester which stimulates protein kinase C activity induced Na+/H+ antiporter activity in oocytes in which the activity was previously absent. Incubation with an intracellular calcium chelator also reduced the appearance of antiporter activity. Taken together, these data indicate that the appearance of Na+/H+ antiporter activity following egg activation may be due, at least in part, to regulation by protein kinase C and intracellular calcium levels.  (+info)

Acute increase, stimulated by prostaglandin E2, in glucose absorption via the sodium dependent glucose transporter-1 in rat intestine. (47/16576)

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute stimulation by cAMP of the sodium dependent glucose cotransporter SGLT1 has previously been shown. As prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) increases intracellular cAMP concentrations via its receptor subtypes EP2R and EP4R, it was investigated whether PGE2 could enhance intestinal glucose absorption. METHODS: The action of PGE2 on carbohydrate absorption in the ex situ perfused rat small intestine and on 3-O-[14C]methylglucose uptake in isolated villus tip enterocytes was determined. Expression of mRNA for the PGE2 receptor subtypes 1-4 was assayed in enterocytes by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: In the perfused small intestine, PGE2 acutely increased absorption of glucose and galactose, but not fructose (which is not a substrate for SGLT1); in isolated enterocytes it stimulated 3-O-[14C]methylglucose uptake. The 3-O-[14C]methylglucose uptake could be inhibited by the cAMP antagonist RpcAMPS and the specific inhibitor of SGLT1, phlorizin. High levels of EP2R mRNA and EP4R mRNA were detected in villus tip enterocytes. CONCLUSION: PGE2 acutely increased glucose and galactose absorption by the small intestine via the SGLT1, with cAMP serving as the second messenger. PGE2 acted directly on the enterocytes, as the stimulation was still observed in isolated enterocytes and RT-PCR detected mRNA for the cAMP-increasing PGE2 receptors EP2R and EP4R.  (+info)

Stretch-independent activation of the mechanosensitive cation channel in oocytes of Xenopus laevis. (48/16576)

Oocytes of the South African clawed toad Xenopus laevis possess in their plasma membrane a so-called stretch-activated cation channel (SAC) which is activated by gently applying positive or negative pressure (stretch) to the membrane patch containing the channels. We show here that this mechanosensitive channel acted as a spontaneously opening, stretch-independent non-selective cation channel (NSCC) in more than half of the oocytes that we investigated. In 55% of cell-attached patches (total number of patches, 58) on 30 oocytes from several different donors, we found NSCC opening events. These currents were increased by elevating the membrane voltage or raising the temperature. NSCC and SAC currents shared some properties regarding the relative conductances of Na+>Li+>Ca2+, gating behaviour and amiloride sensitivity. Stretch-independent currents could be clearly distinguished from stretch induced SAC currents by their voltage and temperature dependence. Open events of NSCC increased strongly when temperature was raised from 21 to 27 degrees C. NSCC currents could be partly inhibited by high concentrations of extracellular Gd3+ and amiloride (100 and 500 microM, respectively). We further show exemplarily that NSCC can seriously hamper investigations when oocytes are used for the expression of foreign ion channels. In particular, NSCC complicated investigations on cation channels with small conductance as we demonstrate for a 4 pS epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) from guinea pig distal colon. Our studies on NSCCs suggest the involvement of these channels in oocyte temperature response and ion transport regulation. From our results we suggest that NSCC and SAC currents are carried by one protein operating in different modes.  (+info)