In this investigation, skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was purified from female Sprague Dawley rats (200-250 g). SR samples were subjected to two different biochemical glycogen-extraction protocols. The results suggest that both amylase and removal of EDTA (No-EDTA) from the homogenization and storage buffers reduced the amount of glycogen associated with the SR. Both of these treatments failed to impair SR calcium (Ca2+) handling when assayed under conditions where exogenous ATP was added and utilized for SR Ca2+ transport. In fact, these treatments seemed to cause a small increase in both SR Ca2+-uptake and release rates under these assay conditions. As expected, glycogen phosphorylase content was reduced as a result of glycogen extraction in the presence of amylase, however this was not the case for No-EDTA samples. Interestingly, many other proteins differed in content after glycogen extraction. These treatments resulted in a greater recovery of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) and a substantial loss of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen debranching enzyme (AGL) in amylase-treated samples. Creatine kinase (CK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) contents were increased as a result of both glycogen-extraction conditions. It was imperative to consider these altered protein contents while analyzing the data and assessing the effects of glycogen extraction on SR Ca2+ handling. After normalizing to SERCA content, only No-EDTA samples had higher adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-supported SR Ca2+-uptake rates compared to control samples. For endogenously synthesized ATP-supported SR Ca2+-uptake experiments, normalizing data to protein content (either CK and SERCA or PK and SERCA) revealed that amylase-treated samples had lower SR Ca2+-uptake rates, compared to control samples. Although not significant, SR Ca2+-uptake rates for No-EDTA samples were also lower than control samples. These data suggest that changes in endogenously supported SR Ca2+-uptake due to glycogen extraction affected the source of ATP synthesis (either PK or CK), the effectiveness of energy utilization for Ca2+ transport (SERCA), or altered the metabolic channeling properties. / Ph. D.

Numerous references have suggested that alterations in exercise capacity during congestive heart failure (CHF) are not simply due to changes in myocardial function. In fact, recent evidence has indicated that reductions in skeletal muscle strength and endurance during CHF significantly impact exercise capacity of the CHF patient. Currently, it is believed that alterations in skeletal muscle phenotype, or more specifically a slow to fast transformation in phenotypic protein isoforms contribute to the reductions in muscle function. However, currently there are few data which directly document this slow to fast transformation of the skeletal muscle. Interestingly, it is well established that exercise training can cause changes in skeletal muscle phenotype, more specifically in the fast to slow direction. This is in direct contrast to what is known to occur during CHF. However, it is unclear if similar adaptations will result from training in a CHF patient. Also, it is not clear if the adaptations are due to alterations in the myocardium or changes directly imposed upon the muscle by the exercise training. Therefore, the purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to clarify the changes in skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC) during CHF and 2) to determine if skeletal muscle can adapt to increased activity levels, utilizing functional overload (FO) without significantly improving cardiac function. In the first study the mixed plantaris muscles from rats afflicted with severe CHF demonstrated a significant (p<0.05) increase in fast MHC (e.g. IIb expression at the expense of IIx expression) compared to the control animal (SHAM). The mixed red gastrocnemius, regardless of the severity of CHF, exhibited significant (p<0.05) changes in all of the MHC isoforms. The slow soleus and fast white gastrocnemius did not display any significant changes in MHC expression. The changes in MHC isoform significantly correlated with indicators of disease severity, suggesting there may be an existing relationship between skeletal muscle MHC expression and alterations in myocardial function. In the second study, there were no differences exhibited between CHF and SHAM absolute or specific plantaris mass. There was a significant (p<0.05) 30% increase in both absolute and specific mass of the plantaris in the CHF-FO and SHAM-FO groups compared to the CHF and SHAM groups. There was a significant (p<0.05) 3.5% increase in slow MHC I expression and a significant (p<0.05) 6.5% decrease in fast MHC IIb expression in the CHF-FO group compared to the CHF group. In the SHAM-FO group, there was a significant (p<0.05) 4% increase in MHC I expression and a subsequent 8% decrease in fast MHC IIx+IIb in the SHAM-FO compared to the SHAM groups. There were no differences detected in the rates of Ca²⁺ uptake between the CHF-FO, SHAM, and SHAM-FO. However, Ca²⁺ uptake rates were significantly (p<0.05) elevated by 44% in the CHF group when compared to the other three groups. There were very few changes in plantaris SERCA 1 or 2 protein expression between the four groups. These data suggest that during CHF there are alterations in skeletal muscle isoform expression. However, at least some of the data suggest that changes in function are not always associated with changes in phenotype. Instead, it seems that the changes in Ca²⁺ handling may be due to an alteration in a regulatory mechanism. Also, the data indicate that skeletal muscle is adaptable to increases in activity levels without significantly altering myocardial morphology. / Ph. D.

Skeletal muscle fatigue can be defined as the inability to produce a desired amount of force. Fatigue can not only limit athletic performance and rehabilitation, but it can affect one's ability to perform every day activity as well. Despite extensive investigation of muscle fatigue, little is known about the exact mechanisms that result in decreased muscle performance. It likely involves several factors that are themselves dependent upon activation patterns and intensity. The process of excitation-contraction (EC) coupling is of particular importance with respect to regulation of force production. The release of calcium (Ca²⁺) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), which is stimulated by the depolarization of the sarcolemma, causes muscle contraction. The SR Ca²⁺-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) drives the translocation of two Ca²⁺ ions into the SR, utilizing the energy derived from the hydrolysis of one adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule. The process of SR Ca²⁺ uptake causes muscle relaxation. It has been proposed that both glycogen and glycolytic enzymes are associated with the SR membrane (SR-glycogenolytic complex). Interestingly, glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme involved in glycogen breakdown, seems to be associated with the SR-glycogenolytic complex through its binding to glycogen. The presence of the SR-glycogenolytic system may serve to locally regenerate ATP utilized by the SR Ca²⁺-ATPase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of prolonged muscle contraction on glycogen concentration, glycogen phosphorylase content and activity, and maximum Ca²⁺ uptake rate associated with the SR. Tetanic contractions, elicited once per second for 15 minutes, significantly reduced glycogen associated with SR to 5.1% of control from 401.17 ± 79.81 to 20.46 ± 2.16 mg/mg SR protein (£ 0.05). The optical density of glycogen phosphorylase from SDS-PAGE was significantly reduced to 21.2% of control (£ 0.05). Activity of glycogen phosphorylase, in the direction of glycogen breakdown, was significantly reduced to 4.1% of control (£ 0.05). Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) concentration, a quantitative indicator of glycogen phosphorylase content, was significantly reduced to 3.3% of control (£ 0.05). Maximum SR Ca²⁺ uptake rates were significantly reduced to 80.8% of control (£ 0.05). These data suggest reduced glycogen and glycogen phosphorylase may be involved, either directly or indirectly, in a mechanism that causes decreased SR Ca²⁺ uptake normally found in fatigue. / Master of Science

CONTEXTE: Au cours de l'infarctus du myocarde, l'homéostasie du calcium entre leréticulum sarcoplasmique (SR), les mitochondries et le cytosol est altérée chez lescardiomyocytes (CM) et conduit à la mort cellulaire. Les canaux de fuite de calcium sontconsidérés comme des régulateurs clés de l'homéostasie calcique réticulaire. Le translocon(TLC), un composant majeur de la machine de la traduction protéique, est un important canalde fuite calcique réticulaire.METHODES: Par des moyens optiques, nous avons d'abord évalué l'organisation spatiale etla fonction du TLC dans le SR de souris adultes CM. Dans un second temps, nous avonsinterrogé si et comment la modulation pharmacologique TLC pourrait réduire les lésionsd'ischémie/reperfusion (I/R) cardiaque dans un modèle d'infarctus du myocarde de souris.RÉSULTATS: Nos données montrent que le TLC est spécifiquement localisée dans le SRlongitudinale des CM chez la souris adulte. Nous démontrons que la puromycine (activateurpharmacologique du TLC) induit une réduction partielle des réserves de calcium dans le SRlongitudinale, alors que nous n'observons aucune altération des réserves de calcium dépendantdu récepteur ryanodine dans le SR jonctionnelle. Le préconditionnement de la souris par lapuromycine, soumis à un infarctus du myocarde, diminue significativement la zone d'infarctusde près de 30,9±6,3%. Ceci est corrélé à une diminution de l'activation des protéines proapoptotiquesmitochondriales et à une augmentation d'un mécanisme de pro-survie:l'autophagie. Nous avons également démontré que le préconditionnement de la puromycinediminue la vitesse d'augmentation du calcium dans le cytosol du CM adulte pendant la duréede l'ischémie en corrélation avec la diminution de l'activation des calpains calciques.CONCLUSIONS: Dans cette étude, nous avons caractérisé le TLC comme un canal de fuitespécifiquement situé dans le compartiment longitudinale du SR dans les CM de souris adultes.Nous avons constaté que l'activation pharmacologique de la TLC avant l'infarctus dumyocarde exerce un effet de préconditionnement sur le myocarde sans altérer les réserves de calcium dépendant de la ryanodine. Dans l'ensemble, ces résultats mettent l'accent sur les connaissances actuelles sur la dualité entre le SR jonctionnelle et le SR longitudinale et ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives thérapeutiques / BACKGROUND: During myocardial infarction, alteration of calcium homeostasis between sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), mitochondria and cytosol occurs in cardiomyocytes (CM) and leads to cell death. Calcium leak channels are thought to be key regulators of the reticular calcium homeostasis. Translocon (TLC), a major component of the translation machinery, is a major reticular calcium leak channel.METHODS: By the mean of photonics, we first assessed the spatial organization and the function of TLC in the SR of adult mouse CM. In a second time, we questioned if and how the pharmacological TLC modulation could reduce ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-mediated heart injury in a model of mouse myocardial infarction.RESULTS: Our data show that TLC is specifically located in the longitudinal SR in adult mouse CM. We demonstrate that puromycin induces a partial reduction of calcium stores in the longitudinal SR, while we observe no alteration in the ryanodine receptor-dependent calcium stores in the junctional SR. Puromycin preconditioning of mouse subjected to myocardial infarction significantly decreases the infarct area by near 30.9±6.3%. This is correlated with a decrease in the activation of mitochondrial pro-apoptotic proteins and an increase of a pro-survival mechanism: autophagy. We further demonstrated that puromycin preconditioning decreases the rate of calcium increase in the cytosol of adult CM during the ischemia duration in correlation with the decreased activation of calcium-dependent calpains.CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we characterized TLC as a leak channel specifically located in the longitudinal SR compartment of adult mouse CM. We found that the pharmacological activation of TLC before myocardial infarction exerts a preconditioning effect on myocardium without altering the ryanodine-dependent calcium stores. Altogether, these findings emphasize the present knowledge on the duality between junctional and longitudinal SR in CM and open up new therapeutic perspectives

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 134 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-128).

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance in adipose tissue. However, the mechanisms responsible for induction of ER stress are presently unclear. Proper ER redox state is crucial for oxidative protein folding and secretion and impaired protein folding in ER leads to induction of unfolded protein response and ER stress. However, while ER redox state is more oxidizing compared to the rest of the cell, its regulation is poorly understood. In order to determine the effects of ER redox state on development of ER stress and insulin resistance, several fluorescence-based sensors have been developed. However, these sensors have yielded results that are inconsistent with each other and with earlier non-fluorescence-based studies. In this study we attempted to develop and characterize a sensitive tool to study the ER redox state in adipocytes in real-time by targeting a new generation of redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP) to ER. The roGFP1-iL sensor targeted to the ER is termed ‘eroGFP1-iL’ by convention. The ER-targeting eroGFP1-iL construct contains the signal peptide from adiponectin and the ER retention motif KDEL and has a midpoint reduction potential of -229 mV in vitro in oxidized and reduced lipoic acid. Despite having a midpoint reduction potential that is 50 mV higher than the previously determined midpoint reduction potential of the ER, eroGFP1-iL was found capable of detecting both oxidizing and reducing changes in the ER. In an attempt to determine the mechanisms by which roGFP1-iL detects oxidizing changes, we found that, first, glutathione mediated the formation of disulfide-bonded roGFP1-iL dimers with an intermediate excitation fluorescence spectrum resembling a mixture of oxidized and reduced monomers. Second, glutathione facilitated dimerization of roGFP1-iL, which in effect shifted the equilibrium from oxidized monomers to dimers, thereby increasing the molecule’s reduction potential compared with a dithiol redox buffer like lipoic acid. From this study, we concluded that the glutathione redox couple in ER significantly raised the reduction potential of roGFP1-iL in vivo by facilitating its dimerization while preserving its ratiometric nature, which makes it suitable for monitoring oxidizing and reducing changes in ER with high reliability in real-time. The ability of roGFP1-iL to detect both oxidizing and reducing changes in ER and its dynamic response in glutathione redox buffer between approximately -190 and -130 mV in vitro suggest a range of ER redox potential consistent with those determined by earlier approaches that did not involve fluorescent sensors. Our primary aim in developing eroGFP1-iL as a redox-sensing tool was to be able to assess whether redox changes represent an early initiator of ER stress in obesity-induced reduction in high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin in circulation. Hypoxia is a known mediator of redox changes. We found that oligomerization of HMW adiponectin was impaired in the hypoxic conditions observed in differentiated fat cells. The redox-active antioxidant ascorbate was found capable of reversing hypoxia-induced ER stress. Lastly, we demonstrated that changes in ER redox condition is associated with ER stress response and is implicated in the mechanism of action of the insulin-sensitizing agent troglitazone and desensitizing agent palmitate. Using the redox sensing property of eroGFP1-iL, palmitate was found to be an effective modulator of redox changes in the ER and troglitazone was found to cause oxidizing changes in the ER. The action of palmitate in causing aberrant ER redox conditions was associated with aberrant HMW adiponectin multimerization. Palmitate-induced ER stress was ameliorated by troglitazone. Taken together, the data suggest a potential role of ER redox changes in ER stress and impaired protein folding in adipocytes.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xv, 181 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2005. / Principal faculty advisor: Norman J. Karin, Dept. of Biological Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

La contraction musculaire est provoquée par un relâchement massif de calcium à partir du reticulum sarcoplasmique (RS) des cellules musculaires. Ce relâchement de calcium réalisé par le récepteur de la ryanodine (RyR1), s'effectue dans des structures membranaires spécialisées et très organisées : les triades. Cette architecture spécifique est essentielle à l'activité correcte de RyR1. Cependant, les mécanismes moléculaires mis en jeu dans la formation et le maintien des triades ne sont pas connus. La triadine, qui est une protéine localisée dans la membrane du RS et qui est associée à RyR1, pourrait jouer un rôle dans la structure du reticulum sarcoplasmique pour permettre un relâchement de calcium efficace. L'équipe a montré que l'ablation du gène de la triadine chez la souris induisait une altération des relâchements de calcium et une modification de la forme des triades.Nous avons montré que la triadine pouvait indirectement interagir avec les microtubules et qu'elle pourrait ancrer le RS aux microtubules (Fourest-Lieuvin, J Cell Science, 2012). Par analyse en spectrométrie de masse des protéines co-immunoprécipitées avec la triadine, nous avons identifiéun nouveau partenaire de la triadine, CLIMP-63 qui pourrait être impliqué dans cette fonction. CLIMP-63 est décrite comme une protéine capable d'ancrer le reticulum aux microtubules et de maintenir la forme du reticulum endoplasmique. Nous avons ensuite confirmé son interaction avec la triadine par différentes approches dans différents modèles cellulaires. L'étude et la caractérisation de CLIMP-63 dans le muscle sont tout à fait innovantes et nous avons étudié les conséquences de l'association triadine/CLIMP-63 pour la fonction du muscle et dans la formation ou la maintenance des triades. / Muscle contraction is achieved when an efficient excitation signal at the plasma membrane triggers intracellular calcium release. This process called “excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling” relies on a macromolecular protein complex, spanning the plasma membrane and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), containing the calcium channel of the SR, the ryanodine receptor (RyR1). This calcium release complex is present exclusively in highly organized membrane structures called triads. A triad is composed of two SR terminal cisternae surrounding a plasma membrane transverse-tubule.This architecture is essential to sustain the activity of the calcium channel RyR1, which is located in the membrane of SR terminal cisternae. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms allowing the formation and maintenance of SR terminal cisternae. Triadin is a member of this complex, present in the SR membrane and interacting with RyR1. Deletion of the triadin gene leads to partial disorganisation of SR membranes in skeletal muscles, with abnormal orientation of part of the triads. Triadin could play a role in the structure of sarcoplasmic reticulum to allow efficient E-C coupling. We have shown that triadin could indirectly interact with the microtubules, and therefore anchor the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the microtubule network (Fourest-Lieuvin, J Cell Science, 2012). Using mass spectrometry analysis of proteins co-immunoprecipitated with triadin, we have identified a new partner of triadin, CLIMP-63 which could be involved in this function. CLIMP-63 is a shaping protein able to mediate the anchoring of the reticulum to microtubules and to maintain the shape of endoplasmic reticulum. We have dissected the interacting domains between CLIMP-63 and triadin, and study the consequences of this association for muscle function, and triad formation or maintenance.

Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) regulates synaptic strength in response to changing neuronal firing patterns. This form of plasticity is defined by neurons’ ability to sense and over time integrate their level of firing activity, and to actively maintain it within a defined range. For instance, a compensatory increase in synaptic strength occurs when neuronal activity is chronically attenuated. However, the underpinning cellular mechanisms of this fundamental neural process remain poorly understood. We previously found that during activity deprivation, HSP leads to an increase in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic (AMPA) receptor function as well as a shift in subunit composition from Ca2+-impermeable GluA2-containing AMPA receptors to Ca2+-permeable GluA2-lacking AMPA receptors not only at synapses, but also at extrasynaptic sites. Neurons therefore appear to be actively enhancing Ca2+ entry, possibly as a compensatory mechanism in response to a prolonged Ca2+ deficit. To test whether the homeostatic response may, at least in part, be mediated by internal Ca2+ stores, we depleted endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ stores by using the Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPases (SERCA) pump blocker cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) for a prolonged period. Interestingly, we have found that prolonged Ca2+-store depletion leads not only to an increase in synaptic strength per se, but also a cell-wide increase in synaptic Ca2+-permeable GluA2-lacking AMPARs. This increase in Ca2+ influx following periods of inactivity is conceptually highly reminiscent of a store-operated response, whereby cells re-establish their calcium levels following Ca2+ store depletion using cell surface Ca2+ channels. Our results suggest that neurons use synaptic receptors as means to regulate store Ca2+ levels, thus significantly expanding our understanding of the repertoire used by neurons to modulate cellular excitability.