The Journal of General Physiology, Vol 86, 833-852, Copyright © 1985 by The Rockefeller University Press
Excitation of skinned muscle fibers by imposed ion gradients. II. Influence of quercetin and ATP removal on the Ca2+-insensitive component of stimulated 45Ca efflux
EW Stephenson
Ionic gradients imposed by choline Cl replacement of K methanesulfonate
(Mes) at constant [K][Cl] product stimulate 45Ca efflux from skinned muscle
fibers; a small, sustained Ca2+-insensitive efflux component, observed in
EGTA, appears to grade a much larger Ca2+-dependent component responsible
for contractile activation and is likely to reflect intermediate steps in
excitation-contraction coupling. The present studies examined ATP-related
effects on the Ca2+-insensitive stimulation. 45Ca efflux was measured on
segments of frog semitendinosus muscle skinned by microdissection, with
isometric force monitored continuously. The Ca2+-insensitive component was
potentiated by quercetin, a flavonoid thought to inhibit the sarcoplasmic
reticulum (SR) Ca pump by stabilizing a phosphorylated intermediate.
Quercetin increased the stimulated net 45Ca release in the absence of EGTA,
as expected from inhibition of reaccumulation, but its effectiveness in
EGTA indicated potentiation of unidirectional efflux as such. Quercetin
also increased unstimulated (control) 45Ca efflux in EGTA, to a smaller
extent; potentiation appeared to be a function of efflux, with stimulation
above control loss increased approximately 2.6-fold. ATP removal before
stimulation, which led to rigor force and increased stiffness, prevented
all quercetin effects in EGTA. ATP removal by itself inhibited ionic
stimulation of the Ca2+-insensitive component, with little residual
increase above the parallel control loss. Addition of the nonhydrolyzable
ATP analogue AMP-PCP ([adenylyl-beta,gamma- methylene]diphosphate) (0.8 mM)
after ATP removal gave similar results to ATP-free solution, which suggests
that adenine nucleotide binding alone does not support stimulation by
choline Cl. These results imply a fundamental role for ATP in the
excitation of skinned fibers by imposed diffusion potentials; they also
suggest that ATP regulates the SR Ca efflux channel, in a manner that could
provide the positive feedback in Ca2+-dependent Ca release.