Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium defect in Ras-induced hypertrophic cardiomyopathy heart

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology 2004-01, Vol.286 (1), p.H424-H433
• Main Authors: Zheng, Meizi, Dilly, Keith, Dos Santos Cruz, Jader, Li, Manxiang, Gu, Yusu, Ursitti, Jeanine A, Chen, Ju, Ross, John, Jr, Chien, Kenneth R, Lederer, Jonathan W, Wang, Yibin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Calcium - metabolism; Calcium Channels, L-Type - genetics; Calcium Channels, L-Type - metabolism; Calcium-Binding Proteins - genetics; Calcium-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Calcium-Transporting ATPases - genetics; Calcium-Transporting ATPases - metabolism; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic - etiology; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic - metabolism; Genes, Switch; Heart - physiopathology; Hemodynamics; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Myocardium - cytology; Myocardium - metabolism; Papillary Muscles - cytology; Papillary Muscles - physiopathology; ras Proteins - metabolism; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum - metabolism; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Signal Transduction; Ventricular Function; Ventricular Remodeling
• ISSN: 0363-6135; 1522-1539
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00110.2003

1 Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and 2 Medical and Biotechnology Center, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21201; 3 Department of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla 92093; and 4 Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 Submitted 3 February 2003 ; accepted in final form 28 August 2003 The small G protein Ras-mediated signaling pathway has been implicated in the development of hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in the heart. Earlier cellular studies have suggested that the Ras pathway is responsible for reduced L-type calcium channel current and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium uptake associated with sarcomere disorganization in neonatal cardiomyocytes. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo effects of Ras activation on cellular calcium handling and sarcomere organization in adult ventricular myocytes using a newly established transgenic mouse model with targeted expression of the H-Ras-v12 mutant. The transgenic hearts expressing activated Ras developed significant hypertrophy and postnatal lethal heart failure. In adult ventricular myocytes isolated from the transgenic hearts, the calcium transient was significantly depressed but membrane L-type calcium current was unchanged compared with control littermates. The expressions of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA)2a and phospholamban (PLB) were significantly reduced at mRNA levels. The amount of SERCA2a protein was also modestly reduced. However, the expression of PLB protein and gross sarcomere organization remained unchanged in the hypertrophic Ras hearts, whereas Ser 16 phosphorylation of PLB was dramatically inhibited in the Ras transgenic hearts compared with controls. Hypophosphorylation of PLB was also associated with a significant induction of protein phosphatase 1 expression. Therefore, our results from this in vivo model system suggest that Ras-induced contractile defects do not involve decreased L-type calcium channel activities or disruption of sarcomere structure. Rather, suppressed SR calcium uptake due to reduced SERCA2a expression and hypophosphorylation of PLB due to changes in protein phosphatase expression may play important roles in the diastolic dysfunction of Ras-mediated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. diastolic dysfunction; calcium regulation; protein phosphorylation; phosphat