Junctional Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Research Articles

Subcellular Calcium (Ca2+) Redistribution During Cardiac Muscle Contraction by Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA)

Substantial evidence suggests that the increase in cytosolic Ca2+which occurs upon stimulation of cardiac muscle originates from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and that its release is triggered by a transient rise in cytosolic Ca2+. The junctional SR has been proposed as a Ca2+release site, based on a number of observations, e.g. measurements by EPMA have demonstrated significant Ca2+stores in the junctional SR in resting cardiac muscle; the ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+release channels are associated with junctional SR membrane and the low affinity Ca2+binding protein, calsequestrin, is localized to the junctional SR. Although considerable evidence implicates the junctional SR as an intracellular Ca2+store in cardiac muscle,releaseof Ca2+from the junctional SR, upon muscle stimulation, hasnotbeen directly demonstrated. We therefore propose to use EPMA to directly measure the Ca2+content of junctional SR in both relaxed and contracted cardiac muscle to determine whether Ca2+is released from the junctional SR during contraction.

Digestion of cardiac and skeletal muscle junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles with calpain II. Effects on the Ca2+ release channel.

The Ca2+ release channel and ryanodine receptor are activities copurifying with the 400,000-450,000 Da high molecular weight protein of cardiac and skeletal junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum. Calpain II, an endogenous cytosolic protease, was used to selectively degrade the high molecular weight protein in cardiac and skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, and its effects on the activity of the Ca2+ release channel and [3H]ryanodine binding sites were analyzed. Degradation of the high molecular weight protein was associated with appearance of 315,000 and 150,000 Da proteolytic fragments and with a change in the ultrastructure of the "feet," extravesicular projections that protrude from the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. The maximal number of [3H]ryanodine binding sites and the affinities of the sites for ryanodine were not remarkably affected by calpain II. Ca2+ release channels recorded from nondegraded cardiac and skeletal membrane vesicle preparations had slope conductances of 85 and 110 pS, respectively, measured with 1 microM cis-Ca2+ and 50 mM trans-Ba2+. Proteolysis did not alter the unitary channel conductances but did increase the percentage of channel open times from 36% to more than 90%. After proteolysis, channel opening remained dependent on micromolar cis-Ca2+, and high concentrations of ryanodine (300 microM) still blocked the channel. Our results suggest that proteolysis of the Ca2+ release channel with calpain II selectively impairs its inactivation, leaving its unitary conductance and the requirement for micromolar Ca2+ intact.

High molecular weight proteins purified from cardiac junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles are ryanodine-sensitive calcium channels.

The cardiac high molecular weight proteins/ryanodine receptors were purified to homogeneity from junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes and shown to exhibit large conductance calcium channel activity. High molecular weight proteins were solubilized from junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum in zwitterionic detergent and purified by size-exclusion chromatography followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The purified proteins exhibited an apparent Mr = 400,000-350,000, and bound [3H]ryanodine with a Kd of 4.6 nM and a Bmax of 140-280 pmol/mg protein. High molecular weight proteins demonstrated divalent cation channel activity after incorporation into planar lipid bilayers. Two channel types were identified. Large conductance channels had a slope conductance of 96 +/- 13 pS and a Erev of 42 +/- 9 mV (n = 5); small conductance channels had a slope conductance of 5.5 +/- 1 pS [1.0 microM cis CaCl2; 50 mM trans Ba(OH)2]. Reducing cis calcium from 1 microM to 1 nM reduced the large conductance channel open time from 7 +/- 1% to 0.1% (holding potential, -100 mV). Adding ATP (1 mM) to the cis chamber increased channel open time from 6 +/- 1% to 52 +/- 4% (holding potential, -100 mV); 10 nM ryanodine increased and 100 microM ryanodine decreased percent of open time of the 96 pS channel, without altering unitary channel conductance. The large conductance channel was similar to the calcium release channel detected in native canine cardiac junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Our data suggest that the ryanodine receptor, the calcium-release channel, and the high molecular weight proteins are all identical proteins containing allosteric regulatory sites for calcium, ATP, and ryanodine.

Structural evidence for direct interaction between the molecular components of the transverse tubule/sarcoplasmic reticulum junction in skeletal muscle.

The architecture of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and transverse tubule (T tubule) membranes and the morphology of the two major proteins isolated from these membranes, the ryanodine receptor (or foot protein) and the dihydropyridine receptor, have been examined in detail. Evidence for a direct interaction between the foot protein and a protein component of the junctional T tubule membrane is presented. Comparisons between freeze-fracture images of the junctional SR and rotary-shadowed images of isolated triads and of the isolated foot protein, show that the foot protein has two domains. One is the large hydrophilic foot which spans the junctional gap and is composed of four subunits. The other is a hydrophobic domain which presumably forms the SR Ca2+-release channel and which also has a fourfold symmetry. Freeze-fracture images of the junctional T tubule membranes demonstrate the presence of diamond-shaped clusters of particles that correspond exactly in position to the subunits of the feet protein. These results suggest the presence of a large junctional complex spanning the two junctional membranes and intervening gap. This junctional complex is an ideal candidate for a mechanical coupling hypothesis of excitation-contraction coupling at the triadic junction.

Trypsin destruction of the high affinity ryanodine binding sites of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Tryptic digestion of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes in sucrose but not NaCl buffer leads to complete loss of ryanodine binding capacity. The presence of MgCl2 in the sucrose buffer prevents the loss of ryanodine binding by the trypsin treatment. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the treated membranes reveal that the 400-kDa protein band disappeared under all the different digestion conditions. However, the presence of 135-kDa tryptic fragment is observed only when ryanodine binding is retained. Quantitative analysis of the gels shows that the loss of ryanodine binding is well correlated with the cleavage of the 135-kDa tryptic fragment. This correlation is obtained when the cleavage was controlled either by the digestion time or by NaCl or MgCl2 concentrations. The same concentrations of MgCl2 and NaCl affect the ryanodine binding activity, the cleavage of the 135-kDa tryptic fragment, and the solubility and stability of the [3H]ryanodine-receptor complex in a detergent-containing medium. Tryptic digestion of the ryanodine receptor/junctional Ca2+ release channel, which leads to complete loss of ryanodine binding capacity, has no effect or slightly stimulates the Ca2+ accumulation activity of these membranes.

Evidence for the association of dystrophin with the transverse tubular system in skeletal muscle.

Polyclonal antibodies to dystrophin (the protein product of the human Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene) were used to identify and characterize dystrophin in isolated triads from rabbit skeletal muscle. Anti-dystrophin antibodies recognize an approximately 400,000-Da protein in isolated triads or heavy microsomes from skeletal muscle. Treatment of heavy microsomes with buffers containing high salt or EDTA to remove peripheral or extrinsic membrane proteins does not remove dystrophin; however, treatment of intact triads with trypsin shows that dystrophin is extremely sensitive to mild proteolytic digestion. Isolation of junctional complexes from skeletal muscle triads indicates that dystrophin is tightly associated with the triadic junction. Fractionation of the triadic junction into junctional transverse tubular membranes and junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes has shown that dystrophin is enriched in junctional transverse tubular membranes. Thus, our results suggest that dystrophin is a component of the triad junction which is exposed to the cytoplasm and embedded in or attached to the transverse tubular membrane.

Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide interaction with sarcoplasmic reticulum. Inhibition of Ca2+ efflux.

Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), a hydrophobic carboxyl reagent, inhibited Ca2+ release from Ca2+-loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, induced by elevated pH, tetraphenylboron, ATP + Pi, or membrane modification with acetic anhydride. Under the conditions used, the same concentrations of DCCD were required for inhibition of Ca2+ release, Ca2+-ATPase activity, and Ca2+ uptake. On the other hand, free Ca2+ or alkaline pH prevented the inhibition by DCCD of Ca2+-ATPase and coupled Ca2+ transport but not that of Ca2+ release. Moreover, several hydrophilic carboxyl reagents inhibited Ca2+-ATPase but not Ca2+ release. We suggest that a carboxyl residue(s), located in a hydrophobic region of a protein(s), is involved in the control of Ca2+ release, where DCCD interaction with this group blocks Ca2+ release. This group is distinct from the one involved in the inhibition of Ca2+-ATPase. DCCD also inhibited [3H]ryanodine binding to junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. The presence of Ca2+ or an alkaline pH only slightly affects the degree of inhibition of ryanodine binding by DCCD. Incubation of the membranes with [14C]DCCD resulted in labeling of 350-, 170-, 140-, 53-, and 30-kDa proteins in addition to the Ca2+-ATPase. The involvement of one or all of the DCCD-labeled proteins in Ca2+ release and ryanodine binding is discussed.

The effects of ryanodine on passive calcium fluxes across sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes.

Ryanodine at concentrations of 0.01-10 microM increased, while greater concentrations of 10-300 microM decreased the calcium permeability of both rabbit fast twitch skeletal muscle junctional and canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. Ryanodine did not alter calcium binding by either sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes or the calcium binding protein, calsequestrin. Therefore, the effects by this agent appear to involve only changes in membrane permeability, and the characteristics of the calcium permeability pathway affected by ryanodine were those of the calcium release channel. Consistent with this, the actions by ryanodine were localized to junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes and were not observed with either longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum or transverse tubular membranes. In addition, passage of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes through a French press did not diminish the effects of ryanodine indicating that intact triads were not required. Under the conditions used for the permeability studies, the binding of [3H]ryanodine to skeletal junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes was specific and saturable, and Scatchard analyses indicated the presence of a single binding site with a Kd of 150-200 nM and a maximum capacity of 10.1-18.9 pmol/mg protein. [3H]ryanodine binding to this site and the increase in membrane calcium permeability caused by low concentrations of ryanodine had similar characteristics suggesting that actions at this site produce this effect. Depending on the assay conditions used, ryanodine (100-300 microM) could either increase or decrease ATP-dependent calcium accumulation by skeletal muscle junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes indicating that the alterations of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane calcium permeability caused by this agent can be determined in part by the experimental environment.

Localization of Ca2+ + Mg2+-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in adult rat papillary muscle.

Localization of the Ca2+ + Mg2+-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in rat papillary muscle was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoferritin labeling of cryostat and ultracryotomy sections, respectively. The Ca2+ + Mg2+-ATPase was found to be rather uniformly distributed in the free sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane but to be absent from both peripheral and interior junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, transverse tubules, sarcolemma, and mitochondria. This suggests that the Ca2+ + Mg2+-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is antigenically unrelated to the Ca2+ + Mg2+-ATPase of the sarcolemma. These results are in agreement with the idea that the sites of interior and peripheral coupling between sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane and transverse tubules and between sarcoplasmic reticulum and sarcolemmal membranes play the same functional role in the excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle.

Further characterization of light and heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Identification of the ‘sarcoplasmic reticulum feet’ associated with heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

Light and heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles were isolated from rabbit leg muscle using a combination of differential centrifugation and isophycnic zonal ultracentrifugation. Light sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles obtained from the 30–32.5% and heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles obtained from the 38.5–42% sucrose regions of the linear sucrose gradient were determined to be free of surface and mitochondrial membrane contamination by marker enzyme analysis and electron microscopy. Thin sections of the light vesicles revealed empty vesicles of various sizes and shapes. Freeze-fracture replicas of the light vesicles showed an asymmetric distribution of intramembranous particles with the same orientation and distribution as the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum in vivo. Heavy vesicles appeared as rounded vesicles of uniform size filled with electron dense material, similar to that seen in the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The cytoplasmic surface of the membrane was decorated by membrane projections, closely resembling the ‘feet’ which join the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the transverse tubules in the intact muscle fiber. Freeze-fracture replicas of the heavy vesicles revealed an asymmetric distribution of particles which in some areas of the vesicle's surface are larger and less densely aggregated than those of the light vesicles. In the best quality replicas, some regions of the luminal leaflet were not smooth but showed evidence of pits. These structural details are characteristic of the area of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane which is covered by the ‘feet’ in the intact muscle. Heavy vesicles contained greater than six times the calcium content of light vesicles, 54 vs. 9 nmol Ca 2+/μl of water space. After KCl washing both contained less than 4 nmol Ca 2+/μl of water space. Although they transported at the same rate and the same total amount of calcium, the rate of passive Ca 2+ efflux from the heavy vesicles was double that of light vesicles. The higher rate of calcium efflux from the heavy vesicles was inhibited by dantrolene, an inhibitor of Ca 2+ release. High resolution sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis showed that the light vesicles contained predominantly Ca 2+-ATPase along with several approx. 55 000-dalton proteins and a 5000-dalton proteolipid, while the heavy vesicles contained Ca 2+-ATPase and calsequestrin along with several approx. 55 000-dalton proteins, extrinsic 34 000- and 38 000-dalton proteins, intrinsic 30 000- and 33 000-dalton proteins and two proteolipids of 5000 and 9000 daltons. KCl washing of the heavy vesicles removed both the approx. 34 000- and 38 000-dalton proteins, and the ‘sarcoplasmic reticulum feet’ were no longer seen on the heavy vesicles. The KCl supernatant was enriched in the 34 000- and 38 000-dalton proteins, indicating that these proteins are possible components of the sarcoplasmic reticulum feet. The biochemical and morphological data strongly support the view that the light vesicles are derived from the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum and that the heavy vesicles are derived from the terminal cisternae containing junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane with the intact ‘sarcoplasmic reticulum feet’.