Stretch-induced increase in the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of myofibrillar ATPase activity in skinned fibres from pig ventricles

Abstract

The increase in force development in the heart with increase in end-diastolic pressure (Frank-Starling mechanism) has been ascribed to an increase in contractile responsiveness of the myofibrils to calcium. We now show that this calcium sensitization is also associated with an increase in calcium responsiveness of the myofibrillar ATPase. Thus, at submaximal Ca activation (pCa 6.0), the ATPase activity of skinned fibres from pig right ventricles is increased from 57.9±4.4% to 70.6±4.4% of the maximal Ca²⁺ activation of ATPase by stretching (by 15%l _o). At maximal Ca²⁺ activation, ATPase was barely altered by stretching. The relationship between ATPase activity of skinned trabecula of pig right ventricle and ATPase-Ca²⁺ concentrations is shifted (by 0.1 pCa unit) to higher pCa values after a stretch-induced increase of the sarcomere length from 2.1 μm to 2.4 μm. The relationship between force and pCa was affected in a similar way by extension. This increased calcium sensitivity is, however, not associated with an alteration in the relationship between ATPase activity and force development (tension cost). In accordance with Brenner's hypothesis, we propose therefore that stretch activation of ATPase is associated with an increase in the apparent rate constant of crossbridge attachment rather than with a decrease in the apparent rate constant of crossbridge detachment.