Differences in the protein-kinase-A-dependent regulation of CFTR Cl- channels and Na+-K+ pumps in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.

Protein-kinase-A- (PKA-) dependent regulation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- current (I(CFTR)) and Na+-K+ pump current (Ip) was studied in single guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. Both currents were measured simultaneously by means of whole-cell recording at 30 degrees C. The adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin was used to stimulate PKA activity. At -20 mV, forskolin (4 microM) induced a fast activation of I(CFTR) and a delayed stimulation of Ip. Despite the strikingly different time courses, however, the potency of the drug to regulate both currents was identical. Half-maximal activation of I(CFTR) and stimulation of Ip, respectively, were observed at 9.6 x 10(-8) M and 9.9 x 10(-8) M forskolin. Inclusion of a specific peptide inhibitor of PKA in the pipette solution (PKI, 20 microM) blocked forskolin's effect on Ip. However, regardless of the time allowed for cell dialysis, there still was a marked, transient activation of I(CFTR), which could be prevented by: (1) a short pre-activation of I(CFTR) with forskolin or (2) the additional inclusion in the pipette solution of a synthetic peptide (Ht31 peptide, 60 microM) that interferes with PKA binding to its anchoring proteins. Thus, there is a tight functional coupling between PKA and CFTR Cl- channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. The coupling is probably due to the close physical proximity of channels and kinases mediated by PKA anchoring proteins. Na+-K+ pumps, on the other hand, though also regulated by PKA, appear to be loosely coupled to the kinases.

Activation of the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway facilitates Na+ translocation by the Na+-K+ pump in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.

1. The effects of the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin on steady-state and transient currents generated by the Na+-K+ pump were studied in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes by means of whole-cell voltage clamp at 30 C. 2. In external solution containing 144 mM Na+ (Na+o) and 10 mM K+ (K+o), steady-state Na+-K+ pump current (Ip) activated by 5 mM pipette Na+ (Na+pip) at -20 mV was reversibly augmented by forskolin (4 microM) to 133 +/- 4 % of the control current (n = 15). The forskolin analogue 1, 9-dideoxyforskolin (10 microM), which does not activate adenylyl cyclases, did not increase Ip (n = 2). Application of the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H-89 (10 microM) in the continued presence of forskolin reversed the forskolin-induced elevation of Ip (n = 3). 3. The forskolin effect on Ip persisted in the presence of 50 mM Na+pip which ensured that the internal Na+-binding sites of the Na+-K+ pump were nearly saturated. Under these conditions, the drug increased Ip to 142 +/- 3 % of the control Ip when the pipette free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]pip) was 0.013 nM (n = 5) and to 138 +/- 4 % of the control Ip when free [Ca2+]pip was 15 nM (n = 9). 4. In Na+-free external solution, Ip activated by 50 mM Na+pip and 1.5 mM K+o was likewise increased by forskolin but to a lesser extent than in Na+-containing medium (116 +/- 3 % of control, n = 10). 5. In order to investigate exclusively partial reactions in the Na+ limb of the pump cycle, transient pump currents under conditions of electroneutral Na+-Na+ exchange were studied. Transient pump currents elicited by voltage jumps displayed an initial peak and then decayed monoexponentially. Moved charge (Q) and the rate constant of current decay varied with membrane potential (V). The Q-V relationship followed a Boltzmann distribution characterized by the midpoint voltage (V0.5) and the maximum amount of movable charge (DeltaQmax). Forskolin (2-10 microM) shifted V0.5 to more negative values while DeltaQmax was not affected (n = 11). The effects of forskolin on transient pump currents were mimicked by 8-bromo-cAMP (500 microM; n = 2) and abolished by a peptide inhibitor of PKA (PKI, 10 microM; n = 5). 6. We conclude that activation of the cAMP-PKA pathway in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes increases Na+-K+ pump current at least in part by modulating partial reactions in the Na+ limb of the pump cycle. Under physiological conditions, the observed stimulation of the cardiac Na+-K+ pump may serve to shorten the action potential duration and to counteract the increased passive sarcolemmal Na+ and K+ fluxes during sympathetic stimulation of the heart.

High affinity regulation of cardiac Cl- and Ca2+ conductances by (13R)-spiroforskolin.

The effects of a new forskolin derivative, (13R)-spiroforskolin, on the ventricular cAMP-activated chloride current (I(Cl(cAMP))) and the atrial L-type calcium current (I(Ca,L)) were measured by means of whole-cell recording from isolated guinea-pig cardiac myocytes at 30 degrees C and 20-22 degrees C, respectively. In contrast to forskolin, the derivative contains a tetrahydrofuran rather than a tetrahydropyran moiety. (13R)-spiroforskolin activated I(Cl(CAMP)) in 58% of the ventricular myocytes studied. The concentration required for the half maximal effect (EC50 value) amounted to 9.6x10(-11) M and was lower than the EC50 value for forskolin (2.4x10(-8) M). (13R)-spiroforskolin evoked a smaller maximal I(Cl(cAMP)) amplitude than forskolin. The rundown of the (13R)-spiroforskolin-activated I(Cl(cAMP)) was faster than that of the forskolin-induced current. Neither forskolin nor (13R)-spiroforskolin in maximally effective concentrations increased I(Cl(cAMP)) in cells containing high concentrations of cAMP. Furthermore, as an activator of atrial I(Ca,L) (13R)-spiroforskolin displayed a smaller activation and a lower EC50 value (5.8x10(-10) M) than forskolin (EC50 value: 3.7x10(-7) M). The effect of (13R)-spiroforskolin was observed in only 30% of the atrial cells studied. None of the drugs exerted a stimulatory effect in atrial cells containing a high [cAMP]. The washout of the drug effect was significantly faster in (13R)-spiroforskolin- than in forskolin-treated atrial myocytes. We conclude that (13R)-spiroforskolin as a forskolin derivative displays unique characteristics. It is a more potent but less efficacious activator of cardiac ionic conductances than the parent compound. The results suggest that (13R)-spiroforskolin, like forskolin, most probably exerts its effects via stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase.

Na+/K+ pump inhibition and positive inotropic effect of digitoxigenin and some C-22-substituted derivatives in sheep cardiac preparations.

Affinity labeling might be used to localize the binding site(s) of the lactone ring of cardioactive steroids on the Na+/K+-ATPase. The aim of the experiments described below was to identify C-22-substituted derivatives of digitoxigenin suitable for this purpose. The positive inotropic effect of digitoxigenin, 22-benzoyloxy-digitoxigenin, 22-acetoxy-digitoxigenin, 22-allyl-digitoxigenin, and 22-hydroxy-digitoxigenin was studied in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres. In addition, the inhibition of the Na+/K+ pump by these drugs was investigated by means of simultaneous measurements of membrane current and intracellular Na+ concentration in voltage-clamped Purkinje fibres and by means of whole-cell recording in isolated sheep Purkinje cells. The experiments were performed at 5.4 mM K+ and 30 to 33 degrees C. All compounds exerted a reversible positive inotropic effect. The concentrations required for the half maximal effect (EC50 value) amounted to approximately 5 x 10(-7) M digitoxigenin, 22-acetoxy-digitoxigenin or 22-hydroxy-digitoxigenin. The EC50 values for 22-benzoyloxy-digitoxigenin and 22-allyl-digitoxigenin were estimated to be 1.3 x 10(-6) M and 1.1 x 10(-5) M, respectively. From measurements on voltage-clamped Purkinje fibres the concentrations required for half maximal Na+/K+ pump inhibition (K'D value) were calculated to be approximately 10(-6) M for digitoxigenin, 22-acetoxy-digitoxigenin or 22-hydroxy-digitoxigenin. The K'D value for 22-benzoyloxy-digitoxigenin was 10 times larger. The K'D value for 22-allyl-digitoxigenin was even larger and amounted to approximately 4 x 10(-5) M. The K'D values of the drugs derived from whole-cell recording on single Purkinje cells tended to be smaller by a factor 2 to 8. Measurements of drug binding and unbinding revealed that the apparent association rate constant of 22-benzoyloxy-digitoxigenin (approximately 9 x 10(2) s(-1) M[-1]) was smaller than the association rate constant of digitoxigenin (approximately 2 x 10(4) s(-1) M[-1]), whereas the apparent dissociation rate constants of both compounds were similar (approximately 4 x 10(-3) s[-1]). Compared to digitoxigenin 22-allyl-digitoxigenin displayed a lower association rate constant (approximately 3 x 10(3) s(-1) M[-1]) and a larger dissociation rate constant (approximately 8 x 10(-2) M[-1]). The structure-activity relationships of the drugs are discussed. We conclude that esters derived from 22-hydroxy-digitoxigenin might be suitable to localize the binding site(s) of the lactone moiety on the Na+/K+ pump by affinity labeling.