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Biomedical subjects

C J Limas

Publications and source records attributed to C J Limas.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Effects of xamoterol on the reversible cycling of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors.

We have examined the effects of xamoterol, a partial beta 1-adrenoceptor agonist, on cardiac beta-adrenoceptors using isolated myocytes and cell-free preparations. Xamoterol was considerably less effective than isoproterenol in stimulating adenylate cyclase activity but the difference was narrowed by 1 microM forskolin, presumably by inducing more efficient coupling to the catalytic subunit of the enzyme. Xamoterol mediated a time- and concentration-dependent loss of beta-adrenoceptors from the cell surface of cardiac myocytes through a process of internalization sensitive to the cytoskeleton inhibitors, colchicine and cytochalasine. In cell-free preparations, loss of membrane-bound beta-adrenoceptors induced by xamoterol, but not that induced by 1 microM isoproterenol, was prevented by the inhibitor of protein kinase A. In contrast, 100 nM heparin (an inhibitor of beta-receptor kinase) prevented the isoproterenol-but not the xamoterol-mediated decline of beta-receptors. In addition, 1 microM xamoterol attenuated the isoproterenol-mediated internalization of beta-adrenoceptors in cardiac myocytes over a wide range of isoproterenol concentrations. This attenuation required activation of protein kinase A. These results suggest that the influence of xamoterol on the cycling of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors involves different pathways than those utilized by isoproterenol.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1989

Cytosolic factor(s) determines the impaired desensitization of beta-adrenoceptors in the myocardium of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Loss of membrane-bound beta-receptors in the myocardium of spontaneously hypertensive rats has been explained on the basis of enhanced agonist-induced desensitization. However, in both cardiac myocytes and cell-free preparations, isoproterenol and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase are less effective in desensitizing beta-receptors from hypertensive compared to normotensive animals. Reconstitution of cardiac membrances from hypertensive rats with cytosol from normotensive controls restores the ability of isoproterenol and protein kinase A to desensitize beta-receptors. Impaired desensitization in spontaneously hypertensive rats is, therefore, not due to intrinsic defects of the beta-receptor but, rather, to absence of regulatory cytosolic factor(s).

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Intracellular distribution of adrenoceptors in the failing human myocardium.

Although it is increasingly recognized that the density of cardiac membrane-bound beta adrenoceptors declines in heart failure, the mechanisms involved are unclear. Furthermore, it is not known whether cardiac alpha-1 adrenoceptors are similarly affected. Inasmuch as agonist-induced desensitization results in translocation of adrenoceptors from the plasma membrane to an intracellular vesicular fraction, we determined the intracellular distribution of cardiac adrenoceptors in two groups: group 1 (n = 9) consisted of papillary muscles from patients with mild-to-moderate heart failure undergoing valve replacement, and group 2 (n = 8) consisted of severely failing hearts removed during orthotopic cardiac transplantation. The density of cardiac beta adrenoceptors was lower in membranes from group 2 (17.8 +/- 3.3 fmol/mg protein vs 27.8 +/- 3.7 fmol/mg in group 1; (p less than 0.01), and the percentage of beta receptors recovered in the vesicular fraction was higher in group 2 (47.1 +/- 3.3% vs 36.8 +/- 5.0% in group 1; p less than 0.01). In group 1 but not group 2 there was a significant inverse correlation (r = -0.87; p less than 0.001) between the density of membrane-bound beta receptors and the percentage of beta receptors recovered in the vesicular fraction. Alpha-1 adrenoceptors were lower in both membrane and vesicular fraction of group 2 compared to group 1; in group 2 but not group 1 there was a significant negative correlation between the density of membrane-bound alpha-1 adrenoceptors and the percentage of alpha-1 receptors in the vesicular fraction (r = -0.8; p less than 0.01). These results suggest that the regulation of alpha-1 and beta adrenoceptors differs in the failing myocardium. Furthermore, agonist-induced desensitization may play a predominant role only in mild-to-moderate heart failure.

Cardiac Output↗
PubMed1989

HLA antigens in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Disturbances of humoral and cellular immunity are common in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and they may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of myocardial damage. HLA antigens were studied in 102 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and a control hospital population. HLA-DR4 was significantly more common in patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (41 patients, 40%) than in the control group (123 patients, 24%). The distribution of other antigens was not significantly different in the two groups. The distribution of blood group antigens, immunoglobulin concentrations, and disease severity was similar in patients with the HLA-DR4 antigen and those without it. These results suggest that HLA-DR4 antigen may be a genetic marker for susceptibility to dilated cardiomyopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Autoantibodies against beta-adrenoceptors in human idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Although it is recognized that the number of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors is reduced in human dilated cardiomyopathy, the mechanisms involved have not been defined. We examined the possible role of altered humoral immunity by comparing the effect of sera from patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 20), ischemic or valvular heart disease (n = 28), or controls with no known cardiac disease (n = 18) on the binding of radioligands to cardiac beta-receptors. The ability of sera from cardiomyopathic patients to inhibit the binding of [3H]dihydroalprenolol to rat cardiac membranes was significantly higher than that of the other two patient groups (40 +/- 5% at 50-fold serum dilution compared to 14 +/- 3% for the ischemic/valvular heart disease group, and 14 +/- 4% for the normal control group, p less than 0.001). A similar inhibition was exerted by IgG from cardiomyopathic patients. Only the number, not the affinity, of the beta-receptors was decreased by cardiomyopathic sera. This decrease could be prevented by preincubating the sera with anti-human IgG, indicating the presence of autoantibodies. Furthermore, the sera were ineffective against cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptors and considerably less effective against lung beta 2-receptors. In addition to ligand binding inhibition, sera from cardiomyopathic patients could immunoprecipitate beta-adrenoceptors quantitatively from solubilized cardiac membranes. Positive sera inhibited significantly isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase with no effect on basal or NaF-stimulated activities. These results document the presence in sera from patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy of autoantibodies directed against the cardiac beta 1-adrenoceptor which may play an important role in the regulation of inotropic responsiveness to beta-agonists.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1988

Impaired desensitization of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Reduced inotropic responsiveness by spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) to beta agonists is associated with, and may be secondary to, a decline in cardiac membrane-bound beta adrenoceptors. It is widely assumed that this decline reflects a desensitization of the receptor secondary to enhanced sympathetic drive, but direct evidence is lacking. We examined this issue in cell-free cardiac preparations from age-matched SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Isoproterenol induced a time- and concentration-dependent decline in membrane-bound beta receptors but was considerably more effective in WKY than in SHR (43% decline versus 29% in SHR, P less than 0.01). Since cyclic AMP-protein kinase inhibitor prevented only 15-20% of the isoproterenol-induced decline, this was probably mediated by the beta receptor kinase. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase induced a 38% desensitization in WKY rats but was completely ineffective in SHR. These results suggest that desensitization of the beta receptor is impaired in SHR, probably because the structural organization of the receptor in the cardiac membranes is altered.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Homologous regulation of prostaglandin E2 receptors in rat renal medulla.

Prostaglandin (PG) receptors are present on enzymatically dissociated cells from the rat renal medulla and are subject to homologous regulation both in vivo and in vitro. One hour after injection of 100 micrograms of 16,16'-dimethyl-PGE2, the number of PGE2 binding sites on renal cells declines to 40% of controls. In vitro exposure of renal cells to PGE2 or dimethyl-PGE2 also results in a time- and concentration-dependent "down" regulation of prostaglandin receptors. In the absence of indomethacin in the incubation medium, endogenously synthesized prostaglandins mediate a similar time-dependent loss of cell-associated receptors. This loss is reversible since, after agonist removal and reincubation of the cells at 37 degrees C, there is a rapid (within 15 min) reappearance of PGE2 receptors (to 60-93% of controls). Reappearance occurs whether down regulation is induced in vitro by endogenously synthesized prostaglandins, added PGE2 or dimethyl-PGE2, or in vivo after injection of dimethyl-PGE2. Cycloheximide does not affect down regulation but significantly prevents subsequent recovery of the receptors. In contrast, neither colchicine nor chloroquine influences homologous regulation of renal prostaglandin receptors. These results document an agonist-induced reversible cycling of renal prostaglandin receptors which may determine the effectiveness of prostaglandin action in normal and pathologic states.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Effect of a high carbohydrate diet on cardiac alpha-1 and beta adrenoceptors.

Short-term (2 weeks) administration of a high-fructose diet to euthyroid Sprague-Dawley rats results in a significant (18%) increase of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors without any change in their affinities or their distribution between the plasma membrane and a vesicular fraction. A much smaller increase occurs in the number of alpha 1-adrenoceptors (8% higher than in rats fed a regular diet). The high-carbohydrate diet induced a 39% increase in beta-adrenoceptor numbers/heart in hypothyroid animals and a 19% increase in the total number of alpha 1-adrenoceptors. These results strongly suggest that changes in cardiac performance after dietary manipulations may be mediated, in part, through enhancement of adrenergic pathways.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Calcium uptake by cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum in human dilated cardiomyopathy.

To determine the biochemical basis of abnormal diastolic properties in human dilated cardiomyopathy calcium uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum in ventricular homogenates of biopsy specimens from 21 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy was compared with that in nine normal controls. As a group, patients with cardiomyopathy had considerably lower calcium uptake rates (3.3(0.6) nmol.mg-1.min-1 vs 6.5(0.5) nmol.mg-1.min-1, p less than 0.01). Calcium uptake rates correlated modestly with resting haemodynamic values and significantly with plasma noradrenaline concentrations but not with plasma renin activity. These results show that sarcoplasmic reticulum function is impaired in human dilated cardiomyopathy and that this impairment is related both to the severity of haemodynamic dysfunction and to the extent of sympathetic nervous system activation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Altered intracellular adrenoceptor distribution in myocardium of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The number of membrane-bound beta-adrenoceptors is reduced in the myocardium of spontaneously hypertensive rats, and this decline may account for the decreased inotropic responsiveness to beta-agonists. It is not known, however, whether the total complement of cellular beta-receptors is lower in hypertensive animals. This issue was examined using two different approaches: acid elution of cell surface-bound beta-receptor ligands and comparison of the number of receptors in the plasma membrane and a postcytosolic vesicular fraction. Approximately 30% of the total beta-receptors were located intracellularly in Wistar-Kyoto rats compared with 42% for spontaneously hypertensive rats. Similarly, a decline in membrane-bound beta-receptors in hypertensive rats was balanced by a rise in receptors associated with the vesicular fraction. In contrast, alpha 1-adrenoceptors were higher in the membrane and lower in the vesicular fraction of hypertensive rats without a significant difference in total alpha-receptors compared with normotensive animals. Differences in adrenergic responsiveness in this, and perhaps other, models of cardiac hypertrophy reflect altered intracellular distribution of adrenoceptors, which may be under the control of the sympathetic nervous system.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1987

Influence of thyroid status on intracellular distribution of cardiac adrenoceptors.

Previous studies have suggested that thyroid hormones influence the number of membrane-bound cardiac adrenoceptors, but their effect on the intracellular distribution of adrenoceptors has not been examined. A plasma cell membrane and a vesicular fraction devoid of membrane markers were prepared from hearts of euthyroid and hyperthyroid rats and were used to compare beta- and alpha-adrenoceptors. During daily injection of l-thyroxine, cardiac hypertrophy developed within 4 days and remained unchanged thereafter. The number of membrane-bound beta-receptors increased progressively and plateaued within 2 weeks of thyroxine administration. Vesicular beta-receptors, on the other hand, increased more gradually and to a lesser extent so that after 2 weeks of l-thyroxine injection, they constituted a smaller proportion of the total beta-receptor population compared to normal rats. In contrast, the number of cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptors declined rapidly to about 80% of that in euthyroid animals and did not change further for the duration of the study. Membrane-bound and vesicular alpha 1-adrenoceptors were affected to the same extent in hyperthyroidism. During regression of cardiac hypertrophy following cessation of thyroxine administration, alpha 1-adrenoceptors rose rapidly (within 2 days) to normal values while beta-receptors declined more gradually to normal levels within 2 weeks. In hypothyroid rats, there was a significant decline in the density of both alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptors, with a shift away from the vesicular fraction. These results indicate that both the total numbers of cardiac adrenoceptors and their distribution between the plasma membrane and vesicular fraction are influenced by the thyroid status.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Up-regulation of renal prostaglandin receptors in genetic salt-dependent hypertension.

Development of hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive rats (DS) is accompanied by reduced renomedullary prostaglandin synthesis, which may be responsible for their lower natriuretic capacity. To examine the changes in renomedullary prostaglandin E2 synthesis, the effects of high (8.0%) and normal (0.6%) NaCl diets were examined in DS and in Dahl salt-resistant rats (DR). In response to an 8.0% NaCl diet, the number of prostaglandin E2 receptors in the renal outer medulla of DR increased (2.97 +/- 0.2 vs 2.18 +/- 0.2 pmol/mg on 0.6% NaCl diet) while no change was noted in their affinities (Kd, 9.5 +/- 0.2 vs 9.4 +/- 0.3 nM). Receptor number and affinity in the renal cortex, inner medulla, and liver of DR were not affected. In contrast, renomedullary receptors of DS had a lower affinity than those of age-matched DR (Kd, 13.9 +/- 0.2 nM on 0.6% NaCl diet and 14.0 +/- 0.3 nM on 8.0% NaCl diet) and did not increase in number after a high salt diet. This apparent inability of DS to modulate prostaglandin receptors may contribute to their susceptibility to salt-induced hypertension.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1986

Phorbol ester receptors in cardiac myocytes of salt-sensitive and salt-resistant Dahl rats.

A moderate degree of cardiac hypertrophy develops in salt-sensitive Dahl (DS) rats after 5 weeks on a high-salt (8% NaCl) diet. Cardiac hypertrophy is accompanied by a significant reduction in the number of phorbol ester receptors on enzymatically dissociated myocytes with no changes in their affinities. In contrast, the number and properties of these receptors are not influenced by variations of dietary salt intake in the salt-resistant Dahl (DR) rat. Since phorbol esters are closely related to protein kinase C, a potent stimulator of Ca2+ transport in the heart, these results suggest that loss of phorbol ester binding sites may limit the inotropic reserve of the hypertrophied myocardium.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Carbachol induces desensitization of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors through muscarinic M1 receptors.

Incubation of enzymatically dissociated cardiac myocytes with carbachol leads to a time- and concentration-dependent loss of beta-receptors assayable with [3H]CGP-12177. This loss is due to a redistribution of beta-receptors from the plasma membrane to a cytosol-derived vesicular fraction, consistent with an internalization process. The carbachol effects are not influenced by gallamine or oxotremorine which interact with the high-affinity (M2) muscarinic receptors. These results suggest that carbachol-induced desensitization is secondary to activation of protein kinase C by diacylglycerols generated through M1 receptor-linked phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Characterization of phorbol diester binding to isolated cardiac myocytes.

There are specified and saturable binding sites for [20-3H]phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate on enzymatically dissociated rat cardiac myocytes. At 37 degrees C, maximal binding occurs within 20 min, with a KD of 3.9 nM and Bmax of 0.275 pmol/mg. [3H]Phorbol dibutyrate binding is blocked by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate but not by 4 alpha-phorbol or 4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate. Dibucaine, tetracaine, chlorpromazine, and phospholipase C lowered phorbol binding through a competitive mechanism. Similarly, unsaturated (but not saturated) diacylglycerols competed with [3H]phorbol dibutyrate for the binding site. There was a progressive decline in specific binding of phorbol diesters to cardiac myocytes which occurred primarily during the first 3 weeks of postnatal life. Cardiac phorbol diester receptors may mediate protein kinase C-dependent effects on important cellular functions such as Ca2+ transport.

Aging↗
PubMed1985

Renomedullary phospholipases in salt-sensitive and salt-resistant Dahl rats.

Renomedullary prostaglandin synthesis is lower in salt-sensitive (S) Dahl rats than in age-matched salt-resistant (R) rats on either 0.6% or 8.0% NaCl. The possible role of substrate availability to the cyclooxygenase in determining these differences was examined. S and R rats were started on diets with variable salt content (0.6%, 4.0% or 8.0% NaCl) at five weeks and were sacrified at either 11 or 16 weeks of age for comparisons of renomedullary phospholipase A1 and A2 activities (EC 3.1.1.4. and 3.1.1.32) and arachidonate incorporation into the lipids of renal medulla. Both phospholipase activities were higher in R rats at the two ages examined and for all levels of salt intake. These differences could not be accounted for by variable amounts of endogenous phospholipid substrate. High salt intake did not influence the in vitro A2 deacylating activities per mg protein. Arachidonate incorporation into renomedullary triglycerides remained constant with age in both strains while phospholipid labeling declined with age in S rats only so that, at 16 weeks of age, S rats had significantly lower incorporation into membrane phospholipids. This age-related decline in phospholipid labeling in S rats was prevented by 4.0% NaCl. These results suggest that low renomedullary phospholipase activities in S rats may restrict the release of substrate for prostaglandin synthesis and may also be related to reduced rates of fatty acid incorporation into membrane phospholipids.

Age Factors↗