Compartmentation of cAMP in adult canine ventricular myocytes. Relation to single-cell free Ca2+ transients

Isolated adult canine ventricular myocytes were used to study the role of compartmentation of cAMP in the diverse functional responses to various drugs that elevate cAMP. Myocytes presented with the beta-agonist isoproterenol accumulated cAMP with a half maximally effective concentration (EC50) of 3.55 x 10(-8) M. Approximately 45% of the total cAMP was recovered in the particulate fraction of digitonin-lysed myocytes under these conditions. With phosphodiesterase inhibition (10 microM isobutylmethylxanthine), isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP production was up to 3.4-fold greater, but the proportion of total cAMP residing in the particulate fraction declined to less than 20%. Similar results were obtained with forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase. Treatment with isoproterenol shortened the duration at 50% maximum peak height (T 1/2) and increased the peak fluorescence ratio of electrically triggered single-cell free Ca2+ transients in fura-2-loaded canine myocytes. Isoproterenol dose-response curves gave EC50 values of 1.7 x 10(-9) and 4.4 x 10(-9) M for effects on T 1/2 and peak height, respectively. Alterations in peak height and T 1/2 of Ca2+ transients also showed a dose dependency on isobutylmethylxanthine and forskolin. Comparison of myocyte cAMP content with the corresponding changes in free Ca2+ transients demonstrated a close correlation between particulate cAMP and the extent of shortening or increase in peak height of the fura-2 Ca2+ transients (r = 0.92 for each). However, when these two parameters were plotted as a function of total cAMP, the resulting curves were nonlinear and divergent for each agent tested. The results support the hypothesis that differences in responses to agents that augment cAMP can be explained in part by compartmentation of cAMP. Furthermore, Ca2+ mobilization seems to be most affected by cAMP located in the particulate compartment of canine cardiac myocytes.