A study of the effects of substrates on intracellular pH in toad ventricular strips

The ability of different substrates to affect myocardial function is well established but the mechanism for this effect has yet to be determined. To explore this area further, the studies described below were designed to determine the effect of different metabolic substrates, glucose or pyruvate, on myocardial response to hypercapnia. To assess this response, both the mechanical performance and the intracellular pH (pHi) were continuously measured. Intracellular pH was measured using the changes in absorbance of the vital staining dye, neutral red (NR). Although the presence of either substrate did not affect the response to hypercapnia, the addition of pyruvate was accompanied by a significant change in pHi. Specifically, there was a monotonic decrease in pHi comparable to that observed when PCO2 is increased from 5% to 10% (delta OD = -0.018 +/- 0.002 CO2; delta OD = -0.020 +/- 0.002 PYR, respectively). The mechanical response was similar for both; developed tension (tau) decreased initially (97 +/- 6% v. 93 +/- 8%) and then recovered (115 +/- 4% v. 101% +/- 5%). However, the changes in the maximum rate of relaxation, i.e. minimum time derivative: (tau mn) were dependent on the cause of the decrease in pHi. With hypercapnia, tau mn initially decreased and this was followed by a recovery phase which was 147 +/- 8% of the initial value. With pyruvate, tau mn decreased to 81 +/- 5% of control and was followed by no recovery. Because of the difference in the changes in tau mn, the effects of theophylline [3, 5] on these responses were determined. There was no effect on the response to an increase in PCO2. However, with theophylline present, the addition of pyruvate was accompanied by an increase in pHi (delta OD = + 0.005 +/- 0.001). The mechanical response was consistent with this increase and was similar to that seen when PCO2 is decreased from 10% to 5%. Specifically, there was an increase in tau (122 +/- 7%) followed by a small decrease (113 +/- 4%). Tissue assays for lactate showed a significant increase with the introduction of pyruvate. However, this increase was not affected by the presence of theophylline despite the opposite response of pHi. The data suggest that pyruvate affects myocardial function by altering pHi, and this effect is not due to an increase in lactate. In addition, the data are consistent with the model that the heart is capable of accommodating changes in pHi with only transient effects on contractile function.