High affinity C10-Oeq ester derivatives of ryanodine. Activator-selective agonists of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release channel.

The plant alkaloids ryanodine and dehydroryanodine are specific and potent modulators of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release channel. In the present study, acidic, basic, and neutral side chains esters of these diterpene compounds were prepared and their pharmacologic activities were assessed. Binding affinities of the novel C10-Oeq ester derivatives for the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel were evaluated with sarcoplasmic reticular vesicles prepared from rabbit skeletal muscle. Kd values of the derivatives varied 500-fold, ranging from 0.5 to 244 nM. In comparison, Kd values for ryanodine and dehydroryanodine were 4.4 nM and 5.4 nM, respectively. Basic substituents at the C10-Oeq side chain terminus produced the highest affinity derivatives (Kd values from 0.5 to 1.3 nM). Neutral and/or hydrophobic side chain derivatives exhibited intermediate affinities for the high affinity ryanodine receptor site (Kd values from 2.5 to 39 nM), whereas a derivative with a terminal acidic group had the lowest affinity (Kd value > 100 nM). Certain of the higher affinity C10-Oeq derivatives were evaluated more extensively for their pharmacologic activity on the sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ release channel. Both channel activating (opening) and deactivating (closing) actions were assessed from the ability of the ryanoids to alter Ca2+ efflux rates from skeletal junctional sarcoplasmic reticular vesicles that had been passively loaded with Ca2+. The natural Ryania secondary metabolites ryanodine, dehydroryanodine and esters E and F, all exhibit antithetical concentration-effect curves, indicating both activator and deactivator actions. In contrast, the semi-synthetic C10-Oeq esters selectively activate the Ca2+ release channel. Half-maximal concentrations for such activation (EC50 act) ranged from 0.87 microM to 4.2 microM, compared with an EC50 act of 1.3 microM for ryanodine. These derivatives were also evaluated for their ability to augment ATP-dependent CA2+ accumulation by cardiac junctional sarcoplasmic reticular vesicles, an effect that results from deactivation of the Ca2+ release channels. None of the derivatives tested was able to significantly augment Ca2+ accumulation, further substantiating their inability to deactivate the sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ release channel. Additionally, these derivatives functionally antagonized the action of ryanodine to close the Ca2+ release channel. The results presented demonstrate that these C10-Oeq ester derivatives of ryanodine and dehydroryanodine bind specifically to the SR Ca2+ release channel, selectively activate the channel, and, although they fail to effect channel closure, they nevertheless functionally compete with ryanodine at its low affinity (deactivator) site(s).

Dual effect of suramin on calcium fluxes across sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicle membranes.

Suramin is a polysulfonated naphthylurea developed originally to treat trypanosomiasis. This drug has gained considerable attention recently as an effective anticancer agent. Previous studies have demonstrated that suramin also is an antagonist of ATP at P2x purinergic receptors. In the present study suramin was shown to evoke Ca++ release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles in a concentration-dependent manner. Ca++ release was inducable from vesicles derived from junctional SR but not from those derived from longitudinal SR. This subcellular site-dependent specificity suggests that suramin's actions on muscle involve the Ca++ release channel (CRC), a protein unique to terminal cisternae. This channel has been established as the site of action of ryanoid alkaloids such as ryanodine and dehydroryanodine. Suramin did not mimic ryanoid actions on the SR CRC, nor did it competitively diminish ryanodine binding. Instead, suramin actually increased [3H]ryanodine binding to junctional SR membranes. In this respect, suramin exhibited agonist effects like those of the adenine nucleotide, beta,gamma-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate. Suramin's mechanism of action did not involve oxidation of sulfhydryl groups on the SR CRC, because dithiothreitol (1 mM) had no effect on suramin-induced Ca++ release. Independently of its effects on the CRC, suramin inhibited the Ca(++)-adenosine triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.38, SERCA1) of SR membrane vesicles. The ability of suramin to diminish ATP-dependent Ca++ accumulation by SR vesicles therefore reflects two distinct actions: 1) activation (opening) of the SR Ca++ release channel and 2) inhibition of the Ca++ pump.

Differential activating and deactivating effects of natural ryanodine congeners on the calcium release channel of sarcoplasmic reticulum: evidence for separation of effects at functionally distinct sites.

Two novel natural ryanoids from extracts of the wood of Ryania speciosa Vahl were evaluated with sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles for their binding affinities and their activating and deactivating effects on Ca2+ release channels. The new ryanoids, which are more polar than the known Ryania constituents ryanodine and didehydro-(9,21)-ryanodine, were purified using silica gel column chromatography and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The new ryanoids were designated ester E and ester F, in keeping with nomenclature previously used in the literature. These compounds were identified by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy as C9ax-hydroxyryanodine and C8ax-hydroxy-C10-epi-dehydroryanodine, respectively. Binding of esters E and F to the high affinity (nanomolar Kd) site on SR Ca2+ release channels was determined from relative binding affinity assays using 6.7 nM [3H]ryanodine. Apparent Kd values of ryanodine, ester E, and ester F for binding to this domain on the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor/SR Ca2+ release channel were 4.4 +/- 0.8, 65 +/- 10, and 257 +/- 53 nM, respectively (mean +/- standard deviation, four or more experiments). Apparent Kd values for cardiac muscle receptors were 0.51 +/- 0.01, 12 +/- 0.4, and 57 nM, respectively. As a functional indication of the effects of the ryanoids, channel-opening (activator) and channel-closing (deactivator) actions were assessed from the ability of the ryanoids to alter the rate of Ca2+ efflux from passively loaded skeletal muscle junctional sarcoplasmic reticular vesicles (JSRV). Activator actions among the ryanoids were similar, in that they exhibited apparently parallel concentration-effect curves, having a slope of 40% Ca2+ loss/decade increment in ryanoid concentration. Half-maximal values for activation (EC50 values) were 2.5, 63, and 43 microM for ryanodine, ester E, and ester F, respectively. Maximal channel opening by ester E was significantly less than that produced by the other ryanoids. The deactivator actions of the compounds on skeletal JSRV were dissimilar, in that their concentration-effect curves appeared not to be parallel. The quotient of the EC50 for deactivation and that for activation was taken as the concentration-coupling ratio (CCR). The CCR for ryanodine was 114 and that for ester F was 72, but the CCR for ester E was only 21. ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation by cardiac JSRV provided a second means to evaluate deactivator actions of the ryanoids. Results from cardiac JSRV assays were in general similar to those from skeletal JSRV assays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino- and guanidinoacylryanodines: basic ryanodine esters with enhanced affinity for the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-release channel.

Amino- and guanidinoacyl esters of ryanodine were prepared to evaluate the effect of basicity on the binding affinity of these derivatives for the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-release channel (SR CRC). In the presence of DCC and DMAP Cbz-beta-alanine reacts with ryanodine in CH2Cl2 to give O10eq-Cbz-beta-alanylryanodine (3a), which on hydrogenolysis yields the beta-alanyl ester (4a). N,N'-bis-Cbz-S-methylthiourea reacts with 4a to yield beta-N,N'-bis-Cbz-guanidinopropionylryanodine (5a). O10eq-beta-guanidinopropionylryanodine (6a) is obtained on hydrogenolytic deprotection of 5a. The binding affinity of beta-alanine ester (4a) and its glycyl congener (4b) is 2-3-fold greater, and that of the beta-guanidinopropionyl ester (6a) and its acetyl congener (6b) 3-6-fold greater, than that of ryanodine. The effect of ryanodine on SR Ca2+ flux is of a biphasic nature: nanomolar levels open (activate) the channel, while micromolar levels close (deactivate) it. The base-substituted esters 4a and 6a both display a unidirectional effect: they only open the channel. An understanding of ryanodine's mode of action and the design of effective SR CRC activating and deactivating ryanoids for possible therapeutic application are major research objectives.

Aging and vasodilation to atrial peptides.

Alterations in the levels or activity of atrial peptides may be associated with cardiovascular pathologies such as hypertension and congestive heart failure that are more common in the elderly. In the present study, we examined the possibility that vascular relaxation to atrial peptides may be affected by animal age. In vitro evaluation of the relaxation produced by atrial peptide-25 (AP-25) in serotonin-contracted rat aorta, carotid artery and mesenteric artery indicated that relaxation was greatest in tissues from rats 1-2 months of age. Nevertheless, roughly 80% of the maximal possible relaxation to AP-25 occurred in arteries from older rats (up to 18-19 months of age). A similar profile of relaxant responsiveness occurred with AP-21 (atriopeptin I). Unlike the arterial preparations examined, portal veins from rats of all ages relaxed similarly to AP-25, consistent with the lack of age-related changes in relaxation to beta-agonists in the rat portal vein. In vivo, AP-25 given intravenously lowered blood pressure to a similar extent in rats of all ages. Thus, the greater in vitro sensitivity of arteries from rats 1-2 months of age did not result in a greater reduction in blood pressure in these young rats. This latter observation is consistent with the possibility that the effect of atrial peptides on blood pressure may not be associated with an arterial event, but rather with an alteration in venous return and/or cardiac output as previously proposed. Since arteries from older rats were able to respond to atrial peptides, our studies add further support to the impetus to develop clinical agents that might either enhance atrial peptide levels or mimic the action of atrial peptides since no major decline in receptor function of atrial peptides occurred with advanced age.