β-adrenergic effects on cardiac myofilaments and contraction in an integrated rabbit ventricular myocyte model

JA Negroni, S Morotti, EC Lascano, AV Gomes… - Journal of molecular and …, 2015 - Elsevier
JA Negroni, S Morotti, EC Lascano, AV Gomes, E Grandi, JL Puglisi, DM Bers
Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology, 2015Elsevier
A five-state model of myofilament contraction was integrated into a well-established rabbit
ventricular myocyte model of ion channels, Ca 2+ transporters and kinase signaling to
analyze the relative contribution of different phosphorylation targets to the overall
mechanical response driven by β-adrenergic stimulation (β-AS). β-AS effect on sarcoplasmic
reticulum Ca 2+ handling, Ca 2+, K+ and Cl− currents, and Na+/K+-ATPase properties was
included based on experimental data. The inotropic effect on the myofilaments was …
Abstract
A five-state model of myofilament contraction was integrated into a well-established rabbit ventricular myocyte model of ion channels, Ca2+ transporters and kinase signaling to analyze the relative contribution of different phosphorylation targets to the overall mechanical response driven by β-adrenergic stimulation (β-AS). β-AS effect on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ handling, Ca2+, K+ and Cl currents, and Na+/K+-ATPase properties was included based on experimental data. The inotropic effect on the myofilaments was represented as reduced myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity (XBCa) and titin stiffness, and increased cross-bridge (XB) cycling rate (XBcy). Assuming independent roles of XBCa and XBcy, the model reproduced experimental β-AS responses on action potentials and Ca2+ transient amplitude and kinetics. It also replicated the behavior of force–Ca2+, release–restretch, length–step, stiffness–frequency and force–velocity relationships, and increased force and shortening in isometric and isotonic twitch contractions. The β-AS effect was then switched off from individual targets to analyze their relative impact on contractility. Preventing β-AS effects on L-type Ca2+ channels or phospholamban limited Ca2+ transients and contractile responses in parallel, while blocking phospholemman and K+ channel (IKs) effects enhanced Ca2+ and inotropy. Removal of β-AS effects from XBCa enhanced contractile force while decreasing peak Ca2+ (due to greater Ca2+ buffering), but had less effect on shortening. Conversely, preventing β-AS effects on XBcy preserved Ca2+ transient effects, but blunted inotropy (both isometric force and especially shortening). Removal of titin effects had little impact on contraction. Finally, exclusion of β-AS from XBCa and XBcy while preserving effects on other targets resulted in preserved peak isometric force response (with slower kinetics) but nearly abolished enhanced shortening. β-AS effects on XBCa and XBcy have greater impact on isometric and isotonic contraction, respectively.
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