Enhanced membrane protein kinase C activity in myocardial ischemia

The protein kinase activity in cytosol was similar in control, ischemic, and reperfused hearts; however, a 1.5-fold increase in membrane protein kinase activity was induced by ischemia and reperfusion. The H-7 inhibitable cytosolic protein kinase activity decreased by 40% with 30 min ischemia, while that of membrane fraction increased 1.8-fold. However, the CGS9343B inhibitable protein kinase activity in cytosolic fractions was unaffected by ischemia, while that of membrane increased by about 1.7-fold. These results suggest that myocardial ischemia is associated with enhanced protein kinase C and calmodulin-dependent kinase activities in membrane fraction. Furthermore, the results also suggest a translocation of protein kinase C activity from the cytosol to the membrane. Reperfusion of ischemic myocardium did not result in any further increase of protein kinase C and calmodulin-dependent kinase activities in the membrane. These enhanced protein kinase activities also resulted in an enhanced phosphorylation of endogenous membrane proteins. The creatine kinase released from the heart was increased by both ischemia and reperfusion. Therefore, these results suggest that biochemical cascades of reactions caused by enhanced membrane protein kinase C and calmodulin-dependent kinase activities may contribute to ischemic-reperfusion injury.