Thienylhydrazone derivative increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release in mammalian skeletal muscle

3,4-Methylenedioxybenzoyl-2-thienylhydrazone (L-294) is a cardiac inotropic drug whose action is mediated by an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration as a result of enhanced Ca(2+) accumulation in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In the present study we tested whether this new thienylhydrazone derivative was effective in mammalian skeletal muscle. We investigated the effect of L-294 on the contractility of isolated skeletal muscle, on Ca(2+) uptake and release by sarcoplasmic reticulum in skinned fibers and in membrane vesicles. L-294 increased in a dose-dependent manner tension of isolated rat soleus muscle. In skinned type I fibers, L-294 induced tension and did not alter sarcoplasmic reticulum loading with Ca(2+). L-294 reduced the threshold Ca(2+) to induce Ca(2+) release and did not affect the ATP-dependent accumulation of Ca(2+) by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. These results suggest that L-294 is an inotropic agent in skeletal muscle through an increase in the amount of Ca(2+) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.