Biomaterial Database

The cellular mechanism of action of cardiotonic steroids: a new hypothesis. 1998

M P Blaustein, and M Juhaszova, and V A Golovina

Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.

Arterial smooth muscle (ASM) contraction is triggered by agonist-evoked Ca2+ mobilization from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The amount of Ca2+ released, and thus, the magnitude of the contractions, depends directly on SR Ca2+ content. Na+ pump inhibition by cardiotonic steroids (CTS) indirectly increases the Ca2+ content of the SR and, thus, contractility. This sequence of events does not, however, account for the multiple Na+ pump alpha subunit isoforms with different affinities for Na+ and for CTS, nor does it explain the cardiotonic and vasotonic effects of low doses of CTS that do not elevate cytosolic Na+ or Ca2+. We show that the Na+ pump high ouabain affinity (alpha3) isoform and the plasmalemmal (PM) Na/Ca exchanger are confined to PM domains that overlie junctional SR in ASM, while low ouabain affinity alpha1 and the PM Ca2+ pump are uniformly distributed in the PM. Thus, low doses of CTS, including an endogenous ouabain-like compound, influence cytosolic Na+ and (indirectly) Ca2+ concentrations only in the cytoplasmic clefts between the PM and junctional SR (a functional unit we call the "plasmerosome"). In turn, this modulates the Ca2+ content of the junctional SR and cell responsiveness.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D002301	Cardiac Glycosides	Cyclopentanophenanthrenes with a 5- or 6-membered lactone ring attached at the 17-position and SUGARS attached at the 3-position. Plants they come from have long been used in congestive heart failure. They increase the force of cardiac contraction without significantly affecting other parameters, but are very toxic at larger doses. Their mechanism of action usually involves inhibition of the NA(+)-K(+)-EXCHANGING ATPASE and they are often used in cell biological studies for that purpose.	Cardiac Glycoside,Cardiotonic Steroid,Cardiotonic Steroids,Glycoside, Cardiac,Glycosides, Cardiac,Steroid, Cardiotonic,Steroids, Cardiotonic
D004791	Enzyme Inhibitors	Compounds or agents that combine with an enzyme in such a manner as to prevent the normal substrate-enzyme combination and the catalytic reaction.	Enzyme Inhibitor,Inhibitor, Enzyme,Inhibitors, Enzyme
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000254	Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase	An enzyme that catalyzes the active transport system of sodium and potassium ions across the cell wall. Sodium and potassium ions are closely coupled with membrane ATPase which undergoes phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, thereby providing energy for transport of these ions against concentration gradients.	ATPase, Sodium, Potassium,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase,Na(+)-K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Potassium Pump,Sodium Pump,Sodium, Potassium ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosinetriphosphatase,Sodium-Potassium Pump,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+) K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase,ATPase Sodium, Potassium,ATPase, Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging,Adenosinetriphosphatase Sodium, Potassium,Pump, Potassium,Pump, Sodium,Pump, Sodium-Potassium,Sodium Potassium Exchanging ATPase,Sodium Potassium Pump
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001158	Arteries	The vessels carrying blood away from the heart.	Artery
D012519	Sarcoplasmic Reticulum	A network of tubules and sacs in the cytoplasm of SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS that assist with muscle contraction and relaxation by releasing and storing calcium ions.	Reticulum, Sarcoplasmic,Reticulums, Sarcoplasmic,Sarcoplasmic Reticulums
D014661	Vasoconstriction	The physiological narrowing of BLOOD VESSELS by contraction of the VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasoconstrictions