SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM-RELATED CHANGES IN CYTOSOLIC CALCIUM IN PRESSURE-OVERLOAD-INDUCED FELINE LV HYPERTROPHY

Alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis that involve the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were studied in feline left ventricular (LV) myocytes isolated from hearts with LV hypertrophy induced by slow, progressive pressure overload. At death, severe hypertrophy was evidenced by increased heart weight-to-body weight ratio (8.4 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.2 +/- 0.2 g/kg in controls). Steady-state Ca2+ transients (measured as indo 1 fluorescence at 410 nm/480 nm; I410/I480) in LV hypertrophy (LVH) myocytes had diminished peak amplitudes (I410/I480 2.28 +/- 0.07 vs. 2.53 +/- 0.07 in controls) and prolonged durations (0.75 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.59 +/- 0.02 s in controls). The magnitude of shortening was reduced and the contractile duration was prolonged in LVH myocytes. The idea that changes in SR function are responsible for these alterations in the Ca2+ transient was tested by studying two aspects of SR-related Ca2+ homeostasis. Restitution of releasable SR Ca2+ was studied by measuring indo 1 transients and contractions during premature beats. The time course of restitution of both the indo 1 transient and contraction of hypertrophy myocytes was significantly slower than in controls. These data suggest that restitution of releasable SR Ca2+ is slowed in hypertrophy myocytes. The reduction of the indo 1 transient and contraction in beats following long rest periods (rest decay) was measured to determine the rate of Ca2+ loss from the SR. Rest decay was significantly (P < 0.05) more pronounced in hypertrophy myocytes, suggesting that Ca2+ loss from the SR is accelerated in these myocytes. These studies support the idea that changes in the function of the SR alters the Ca2+ transient and may produce the contractile disturbances of the hypertrophied feline myocyte.