Activation of Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase in heart sarcolemma upon electrical stimulation

Electrical stimulation of the rat heart sarcolemmal membranes with a square wave current was found to increase Ca2+-ATPase activity. This activation of the enzyme was dependent upon the voltage of the electric current, frequency of stimulation and duration of stimulation of the sarcolemmal membranes. The increase in Ca2+-ATPase was reversible upon terminating the electrical stimulation. The activation of sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase due to electrical stimulation was markedly depressed when the reaction was carried out at high pH (7.8 to 8.2), low pH (6.6 to 7.0), high temperatures (45 to 50 degrees C) and low temperatures (17 to 25 degrees C) of the incubation medium. Ca2+-antagonists, verapamil and D-600, unlike other types of inhibitors such as propranolol and ouabain, were found to reduce the activation of sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase by electrical stimulation. These results support the view that Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase may be involved in the gating mechanism for opening Ca2+-channels in the sarcolemmal membrane upon excitation of the cardiac muscle.