Ryanodine receptor dysfunction in porcine stunned myocardium

We investigated the effects of myocardial stunning on the function of the two main Ca2+ transport proteins of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the Ca(2+)-adenosinetriphosphatase and the Ca(2+)-release channel or ryanodine receptor. Regional myocardial stunning was induced in open-chest pigs (n = 6) by a 10-min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and 2 h reperfusion. SR vesicles isolated from the LAD-perfused region (stunned) and the normal left circumflex coronary artery (LC)-perfused region were used to assess the oxalate-supported 45Ca2+ uptake, [3H]ryanodine binding, and single-channel recordings of ryanodine-sensitive Ca(2+)-release channels in planar lipid bilayers. Myocardial stunning decreased LAD systolic wall thickening to 20% of preischemic values. The rate of SR 45Ca2+ uptake in the stunned LAD bed was reduced by 37% compared with that of the normal LC bed (P < 0.05). Stunning was also associated with a 38% reduction in the maximal density of high-affinity [3H]ryanodine binding sites (P < 0.05 vs. normal LC) but had no effect on the dissociation constant. The open probability of ryanodine-sensitive Ca(2+)-release channels determined by single channel recordings in planar lipid bilayers was 26 +/- 2% for control SR (n = 33 channels from 3 animals) and 14 +/- 2% for stunned SR (n = 21 channels; P < 0.05). This depressed activity of SR function observed in postischemic myocardium could be one of the mechanisms underlying myocardial stunning.