Stimulation of protein synthesis by raised extracellular pH in cardiac myocytes and perfused hearts.

Protein synthesis was stimulated in freshly-isolated rats cardiac myocytes by increasing the extracellular pH of Hepes-buffered Tyrode's solutions over the range pH 7.4-8.4. The maximal stimulation was about 45%. Protein synthesis in anterogradely-perfused rat hearts was stimulated by 11% by increasing the pH of the bicarbonate-containing perfusion medium from pH 7.4 to 7.8. This manoeuvre increased intracellular pH by 0.12 units. A concomitant increase in phosphocreatine concentration was observed. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that intracellular pH may exert profound effects on tissue protein synthesis rates.

Pyruvate kinase isoenzymes in marine invertebrates: a comparative study by the use of monoclonal antibodies.

1. Six monoclonal antibodies specific to the pyruvate kinase from the foot muscle of the common limpet P. caerulea were produced. 2. They also exhibited specificity against the mouse liver where the L-type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase is present. They did not react with the mouse skeletal muscle, heart or red blood cells isoenzymes of pyruvate kinase (PK). One of these, the monoclonal antibody B did not react with any PK isoenzymes of the mouse tissues. 3. The presence of the isoenzymic type of PK which was recognized by the monoclonals, (type L), was traced in five phyla of marine invertebrates by the application of the monoclonal antibodies A, B and C. 4. In two phyla the majority of the animals were found to possess an L-type PK isoenzyme in their muscles while in quite a few of them a different isoenzymic type was present in the other tissues. The results of this study are compared with the existing literature, and the use of monoclonal antibodies in the study of enzymic systems is considered in the discussion.

Effects of increasing extracellular pH on protein synthesis and protein degradation in the perfused working rat heart.

Increasing the extracellular pH over the range pH 7.4-8.9 stimulated protein synthesis by about 60% in the rat heart preparation anterogradely perfused in vitro. Protein degradation was inhibited by this pH increase. The magnitudes of the effects at pH 8.9 on protein synthesis and degradation were similar to those of high concentrations of insulin. Cardiac outputs were increased, as were cardiac phosphocreatine contents, indicating that the alterations in extracellular pH did not adversely affect the physiological viability of the preparation. ATP contents were unaltered. The creatine kinase equilibrium was used to assess the magnitude of the change in intracellular pH induced by these treatments. The increase in intracellular pH was about 0.2 for a 1-unit increase in extracellular pH. Thus small changes in intracellular pH have dramatic effects on cardiac protein turnover.

Effects of catecholamines on protein synthesis in cardiac myocytes and perfused hearts isolated from adult rats. Stimulation of translation is mediated through the alpha 1-adrenoceptor.

Protein-synthesis rates in freshly isolated cardiac myocytes from adult rats were acutely stimulated by 20-30% by 1 microM-adrenaline, by 1 microM-noradrenaline or by 1 microM-phenylephrine, but were not stimulated by 1 microM-isoprenaline. Stimulation by 1 microM-adrenaline was completely prevented by 100 nM-prazosin. Yohimbine was much less effective in preventing stimulation, and 20 microM-DL-propranolol was completely ineffective. The stimulation of protein synthesis by adrenaline was still observed after inhibition of transcription by actinomycin D. None of these manipulations affected myocyte ATP contents. In anterogradely perfused hearts, protein-synthesis rates were stimulated by 1-2 microM-adrenaline in the presence of 10 microM-DL-propranolol (to decrease the beta-adrenergic effects of adrenaline). ATP contents were not altered, but phosphocreatine contents were increased. These observations lead us to conclude that cardiac protein synthesis can be stimulated acutely at the level of translation by alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation. We discuss possible roles for protein kinase C and intracellular alkalinization in the mediation of this effect.

Acute alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of cardiac protein synthesis may involve increased intracellular pH and protein kinase activity.

In the presence of 5 microM-DL-propranolol and in HCO3(-)-containing buffers, 1 microM-adrenaline acutely stimulated protein synthesis by about 25% in the anterogradely perfused rat heart. This stimulation was opposed by low (1-10 nM) concentrations of prazosin, but not by similar concentrations of yohimbine, suggesting involvement of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor. Under the same conditions, adrenaline raised intracellular pH (pHi) by about 0.1 unit. The increase in pHi induced by adrenaline was prevented by 5 nM-prazosin, but not by 5 nM-yohimbine, again suggesting involvement of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor. Since an increase in pHi stimulates protein synthesis in the heart [Sugden & Fuller (1991) Biochem. J. 273, 339-346], the increase in pHi induced by adrenaline may be involved in its stimulation of protein synthesis. Adrenaline also increased phosphocreatine concentrations. As discussed, the increase in pHi induced by adrenaline may be responsible for this effect. Using second-order polynomial regression analysis, we showed that rates of protein synthesis were significantly correlated (P less than 0.0001) with phosphocreatine concentrations. We discuss two possible reasons for this correlation: (i) increases in pHi stimulate protein synthesis and separately raise phosphocreatine concentrations, or (ii) the increase in protein synthesis rates is a consequence of the raised phosphocreatine concentrations induced by the increase in pHi. Rates of protein synthesis were not significantly correlated with ATP/ADP concentration ratios, nor with any of the following: ATP, ADP, AMP or total adenine nucleotide concentrations. In freshly isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes, the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine (1 microM) prevented stimulation of protein synthesis by 0.3 microM-adrenaline (and by 1 microM-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or 1 m-unit of insulin/ml). The results are discussed within a mechanistic framework initiated by stimulation of the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids by alpha 1-adrenergic agonists.