Ca²⁺ entry through cardiac L-type Ca²⁺ channels modulates β-adrenergic stimulation in mouse ventricular myocytes

Abstract

 β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation increases cardiac L-type Ca²⁺ channel (CaCh) currents via cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. We report here that the affinity and maximum response of CaCh to isoproterenol (Iso), in mouse ventricular myocytes were significantly higher when Ba²⁺ was used as the charge carrier (I _Ba) instead of Ca²⁺ (I _Ca). The EC₅₀ and maximum increase of peak currents were 43.7 ± 7.9 nM and 1.8 ± 0.1-fold for I _Ca and 23.3 ± 4.7 nM and 2.4 ± 0.1-fold for I _Ba. When cells were dialyzed with the faster Ca²⁺ chelator, BAPTA, both sensitivity and maximum response of I _Ca to Iso were significantly augmented compared to cells with EGTA (EC₅₀ of 23.1 ± 5.2 nM and maximal increase of 2.2 ± 0.1-fold). Response of I _Ca to forskolin was also significantly increased when cells were dialyzed with BAPTA or when currents were measured in Ba²⁺. In contrast, depletion of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca²⁺ stores by ryanodine did not alter sensitivity of I _Ca to Iso or forskolin. These results suggest that the Ca²⁺ entering through CaCh regulates cAMP-dependent phosphorylation, and such negative feedback may play a significant role in cellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and contraction in cardiac cells during β-AR stimulation.