Is titin a 'winding filament'? A new twist on muscle contraction.

Recent studies have demonstrated a role for the elastic protein titin in active muscle, but the mechanisms by which titin plays this role remain to be elucidated. In active muscle, Ca(2+)-binding has been shown to increase titin stiffness, but the observed increase is too small to explain the increased stiffness of parallel elastic elements upon muscle activation. We propose a 'winding filament' mechanism for titin's role in active muscle. First, we hypothesize that Ca(2+)-dependent binding of titin's N2A region to thin filaments increases titin stiffness by preventing low-force straightening of proximal immunoglobulin domains that occurs during passive stretch. This mechanism explains the difference in length dependence of force between skeletal myofibrils and cardiac myocytes. Second, we hypothesize that cross-bridges serve not only as motors that pull thin filaments towards the M-line, but also as rotors that wind titin on the thin filaments, storing elastic potential energy in PEVK during force development and active stretch. Energy stored during force development can be recovered during active shortening. The winding filament hypothesis accounts for force enhancement during stretch and force depression during shortening, and provides testable predictions that will encourage new directions for research on mechanisms of muscle contraction.

Deletion of TRPC4 and TRPC6 in Mice Impairs Smooth Muscle Contraction and Intestinal Motility In Vivo.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Downstream effects of muscarinic receptor stimulation in intestinal smooth muscle include contraction and intestinal transit. We thought to determine whether classic transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels integrate the intracellular signaling cascades evoked by the stimulated receptors and thereby contribute to the control of the membrane potential, Ca-influx, and cell responses. METHODS: We created trpc4-, trpc6-, and trpc4/trpc6-gene-deficient mice and analyzed them for intestinal smooth muscle function in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: In intestinal smooth muscle cells TRPC4 forms a 55 pS cation channel and underlies more than 80% of the muscarinic receptor-induced cation current (mI(CAT)). The residual mI(CAT) depends on the expression of TRPC6, indicating that TRPC6 and TRPC4 determine mI(CAT) channel activity independent of other channel subunits. In TRPC4-deficient ileal myocytes the carbachol-induced membrane depolarizations are diminished greatly and the atropine-sensitive contraction elicited by acetylcholine release from excitatory motor neurons is reduced greatly. Additional deletion of TRPC6 aggravates these effects. Intestinal transit is slowed down in mice lacking TRPC4 and TRPC6. CONCLUSIONS: In intestinal smooth muscle cells TRPC4 and TRPC6 channels are gated by muscarinic receptors and are responsible for mI(CAT). They couple muscarinic receptors to depolarization of intestinal smooth muscle cells and voltage-activated Ca(2+)-influx and contraction, and thereby accelerate small intestinal motility in vivo.

Amolopkinins W1 and W2 – novel bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs) from the skin of the Chinese torrent frog, Amolops wuyiensis: antagonists of bradykinin-induced smooth muscle contraction of the rat ileum.

Bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs) represent one of the most widespread and closely studied families of amphibian defensive skin secretion peptides. Apart from canonical bradykinin (RPPGFSPFR) that was first reported in skin extracts of the European brown frog, Rana temporaria, many additional site-substituted, N- and/or C-terminally extended peptides have been isolated from skin extracts and secretions from representative species of the families Ranidae, Hylidae, Bombinatoridae and Leiopelmatidae. The most diverse range of BRPs has been found in ranid frog skin secretions and this probably reflects the diversity and number of species studied and their associated life histories within this taxon. Amolops (torrent or cascade frogs) is a genus within the Ranidae that has been poorly studied. Here we report the presence of two novel BRPs in the skin secretions of the Chinese Wuyi Mountain torrent frog (Amolops wuyiensis). Amolopkinins W1 and W2 are dodecapeptides differing in only one amino acid residue at position 2 (Val/Ala) that are essentially (Leu1, Thr6)-bradykinins extended at the N-terminus by either RVAL (W1) or RAAL (W2). Amolopkinins W1 and W2 are structurally similar to amolopkinin L1 from Amolops loloensis and the major BRP (Leu1, Thr6, Trp8)-bradykinin from the skin of the Japanese frog, Rana sakuraii. A. wuyiensis amolopkinins were separately encoded as single copies within discrete precursors of 61 amino acid residues as deduced from cloned skin cDNA. Synthetic replicates of both peptides were found to potently antagonize the contractile effects of canonical bradykinin on isolated rat ileum smooth muscle preparations. Amolopkinins thus appear to represent a novel sub-family of ranid frog skin secretion BRPs.

FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) enhance voltage-gated calcium currents to elicit muscle contraction in the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni.

Schistosomes are amongst the most important and neglected pathogens in the world, and schistosomiasis control relies almost exclusively on a single drug. The neuromuscular system of schistosomes is fertile ground for therapeutic intervention, yet the details of physiological events involved in neuromuscular function remain largely unknown. Short amidated neuropeptides, FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs), are distributed abundantly throughout the nervous system of every flatworm examined and they produce potent myoexcitation. Our goal here was to determine the mechanism by which FLPs elicit contractions of schistosome muscle fibers. Contraction studies showed that the FLP Tyr-Ile-Arg-Phe-amide (YIRFamide) contracts the muscle fibers through a mechanism that requires Ca2+ influx through sarcolemmal voltage operated Ca2+ channels (VOCCs), as the contractions are inhibited by classical VOCC blockers nicardipine, verapamil and methoxyverapamil. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments revealed that inward currents through VOCCs are significantly and reversibly enhanced by the application of 1 µM YIRFamide; the sustained inward currents were increased to 190% of controls and the peak currents were increased to 180%. In order to examine the biochemical link between the FLP receptor and the VOCCs, PKC inhibitors calphostin C, RO 31–8220 and chelerythrine were tested and all produced concentration dependent block of the contractions elicited by 1 µM YIRFamide. Taken together, the data show that FLPs elicit contractions by enhancing Ca2+ influx through VOCC currents using a PKC-dependent pathway.

PH-sauvagine from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis: a novel CRF-like peptide with smooth muscle contraction activity

Amphibian skin, and particularly that of south/Central American phyllomedusine frogs, is supposed to be "a huge factory and store house of a variety of active peptides". The 40 amino acid amphibian CRF-like peptide, sauvagine, is a prototype member of a unique family of these Phyllomedusa skin peptides. In this study, we describe for the first time the structure of a mature novel peptide from the skin secretion of the South American orange-legged leaf frog, Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis, which belongs to the amphibian CRF/sauvagine family. Partial amino acid sequence from the N-terminal was obtained by automated Edman degradation with the following structure: pGlu-GPPISIDLNMELLRNMIEI-. The biosynthetic precursor of this novel sauvagine peptide, consisted of 85 amino acid residues and was deduced from cDNA library constructed from the same skin secretion. Compared with the standard sauvagine from the frog, Phyllomedusa sauvagei, this novel peptide was found to exert similar contraction effects on isolated guinea-pig colon and rat urinary bladder smooth muscle preparations.

Modulation of muscle contraction by a FMRFamide-related peptide

A FMRFamide-like neuropeptide with the sequence "DRNFLRF-NH2" was recently isolated from pericardial organs of crayfish (Mercier et aI., Peptides, 14, 137-143, 1993). This neuropeptide, referred to as "DF2'" has already been shown to elicit cardioexcitation and to enhance synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions. Possible effects ofDF2 on muscle were investigated using superficial extensor muscles of the abdomen of the crayfish, Procambarus clar/ai. These muscles are of the tonic type and generate slow contractions that affect posture. DF2, at concentrations of 10-8 M or higher, increased muscle tonus and induced spontaneous, rhythmic contractions. These effects were antagonized by 5 rnM Mn2+ but not by lO-7M tetrodotoxin (TTX). Thus, they represent direct actions on muscle cells (rather than effects on motor neurons) and are likely to involve calcium influx. In contrast, deep abdominal extensor muscles, responsible for rapid swimming movements, and superficial flexor muscles do not generate contractions in response to the peptide. 2 Spontaneous contractions were also induced in the superficial extensor muscles by decreasing the temperature to II-13°C. Such contractions were also TTX-insensitive and they were antagonized by adding calcium channel blockers (Mn2+, Cd2+ or Ni2+) or by removing calcium from the bathing solution. This suggests that the spontaneous contractions depend on an influx of calcium from the extracellular solution. N-type and L-type voltage dependent calcium channel blockers did not reduce the effect of the peptide or the spontaneous contractions suggesting that calcium influx is not through N- or L-type calcium channels.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in response to skeletal muscle contraction at two stimulation frequencies in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 knockout mice

Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) plays an important role in regulating carbohydrate oxidation in skeletal muscle. PD H is deactivated by a set of PD H kinases (PD K 1-4) with PDK2 and 4 being the predominant isoforms in skeletal muscle. PDK2 is highly sensitive to pyruvate inhibition, and is the most abundant isoform, while PDKI and 4 protein content are normally lower. This study examined the PDK isoform content and PDHa activation in muscle at rest and 10 and 40 Hz stimulation from PDK2 knockout (PDK2KO) mice to delineate the role of PDK2 in activating the PDH complex during low and moderate intensity muscle contraction. PDHa activity was lower in PDK2KO mice during contraction while total PDK actitvity was -4 fold lower. PDK4 protein was not different, however PDKI partially compensated for the lack of PDK2 and was -56% higher than WT. PDKI is a very potent inhibitor of the PDH complex due to its phosphorylation site specificity and allosteric regulation. These results suggest that the site specificity and allosteric regulatory properties of the individual PDK isoforms are more important than total PDK activity in determining transformation of the complex and PDHa activity during acute muscle contraction.

Mode of action of a Drosophila FMRFamide in inducing muscle contraction

Drosophila melanogaster is a model system for examining the mechanisms of action of neuropeptides. DPKQDFMRFamide was previously shown to induce contractions in Drosophila body wall muscle fibres in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. The present study examined the possible involvement of a G-protein-coupled receptor and second messengers in mediating this myotropic effect after removal of the central nervous system. DPKQDFMRFamide-induced contractions were reduced by 70% and 90%, respectively, in larvae with reduced expression of the Drosophila Fmrf receptor (FR) either ubiquitously or specifically in muscle tissue, compared with the response in control larvae in which expression was not manipulated. No such effect occurred in larvae with reduced expression of this gene only in neurons. The myogenic effects of DPKQDFMRFamide do not appear to be mediated through either of the two Drosophila myosuppressin receptors (DmsR-1 and DmsR-2). DPKQDFMRFamide-induced contractions were not reduced in Ala1 transgenic flies lacking activity of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CamKII), and were not affected by the CaMKII inhibitor KN-93. Peptide-induced contractions in the mutants of the phospholipase C-β (PLCβ) gene (norpA larvae) and in IP3 receptor mutants were similar to contractions elicited in control larvae. The peptide failed to increase cAMP and cGMP levels in Drosophila body wall muscles. Peptide-induced contractions were not potentiated by 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and were not antagonized by inhibitors of cAMP-dependent or cGMP-dependent protein kinases. Additionally, exogenous application of arachidonic acid failed to induce myogenic contractions. Thus, DPKQDFMRFamide induces contractions via a G-protein coupled FMRFamide receptor in muscle cells but does not appear to act via cAMP, cGMP, IP3, PLC, CaMKII or arachidonic acid.

Time series analysis of jaw muscle contraction and tissue deformation during mastication in miniature pigs

Masticatory muscle contraction causes both jaw movement and tissue deformation during function. Natural chewing data from 25 adult miniature pigs were studied by means of time series analysis. The data set included simultaneous recordings of electromyography (EMG) from bilateral masseter (MA), zygomaticomandibularis (ZM) and lateral pterygoid muscles, bone surface strains from the left squamosal bone (SQ), condylar neck (CD) and mandibular corpus (MD), and linear deformation of the capsule of the jaw joint measured bilaterally using differential variable reluctance transducers. Pairwise comparisons were examined by calculating the cross-correlation functions. Jaw-adductor muscle activity of MA and ZM was found to be highly cross-correlated with CD and SQ strains and weakly with MD strain. No muscle’s activity was strongly linked to capsular deformation of the jaw joint, nor were bone strains and capsular deformation tightly linked. Homologous muscle pairs showed the greatest synchronization of signals, but the signals themselves were not significantly more correlated than those of non-homologous muscle pairs. These results suggested that bone strains and capsular deformation are driven by different mechanical regimes. Muscle contraction and ensuing reaction forces are probably responsible for bone strains, whereas capsular deformation is more likely a product of movement.

Kinetic equilibrium of forces and molecular events in muscle contraction

In biomolecular systems, the mechanical transfer of free energy occurs with both high efficiency and high speed. It is shown here that such a transfer can be achieved only if the participating free-energy-storing elements exhibit opposing relationships between their content of free energy and the force they exert in the transfer direction. A kinetic equilibrium of forces (KEF) results, in which the transfer of free energy is mediated essentially by thermal molecular motion. On the basis of present evidence, KEF is used as a guiding principle in developing a mechanical model of the crossbridge cycle in muscle contraction. The model allows the basic features of molecular events to be visualized in terms of plausible structures. Real understanding of the process will require identification of the elements that perform the functions described here. Besides chemomechanical energy transduction, KEF may have a role in other biomolecular processes in which free energy is transferred mechanically over large distances.

Indirect coupling of phosphate release to de novo tension generation during muscle contraction.

A key question in muscle contraction is how tension generation is coupled to the chemistry of the actomyosin ATPase. Biochemical and mechanochemical experiments link tension generation to a change in structure associated with phosphate release. Length-jump and temperature-jump experiments, on the other hand, implicate phase 2slow, a significantly faster, markedly strain-sensitive kinetic process in tension generation. We use a laser temperature jump to probe the kinetics and mechanism of tension generation in skinned rabbit psoas fibers--an appropriate method since both phosphate release and phase 2slow are readily perturbed by temperature. Kinetics characteristic of the structural change associated with phosphate release are observed only when phosphate is added to fibers. When present, it causes a reduction in fiber tension; otherwise, no force is generated when it is perturbed. We therefore exclude this step from tension generation. The kinetics of de novo tension generation by the temperature-jump equivalent of phase 2slow appear unaffected by phosphate binding. We therefore propose that phosphate release is indirectly coupled to de novo tension generation via a steady-state flux through an irreversible step. We conclude that tension generation occurs in the absence of chemical change as the result of an entropy-driven transition between strongly bound crossbridges in the actomyosin-ADP state. The mechanism resembles the operation of a clock, with phosphate release providing the energy to tension the spring, and the irreversible step functions as the escapement mechanism, which is followed in turn by tension generation as the movement of the hands.

Changes in joint stability with muscle contraction measured from transmission of mechanical vibration

A non-invasive in vivo technique was developed to evaluate changes in wrist joint stability properties induced by increased co-activation of the forearm muscles in a gripping task. Mechanical vibration at 45, 50 and 55 Hz was applied to the radial head in ten healthy volunteers. Vibrations of the styloid process of the radius and the distal end of the metacarpal bone of the index finger were measured with triaxial accelerometers. Joint stability properties were quantified by the transfer function gain between accelerations on either side of the wrist-joint. Gain was calculated with the muscles at rest and at five force levels ranging from 5% to 25% of maximum grip force (%MF). During contraction the gain was significantly greater than in control trial (0%MF) for all contractions levels at 45 and 50 Hz and a trend for 15%MF and higher at 55 Hz. Group means of contraction force and gain were significantly correlated at 45 (R-2 = 0.98) and 50 Hz (R-2 = 0.72), but not at 55 Hz (R-2 = 0.10). In conclusion, vibration transmission gain may provide a method to evaluate changes in joint stability properties. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The use of real-time ultrasound imaging for biofeedback of lumbar multifudus muscle contraction in healthy subjects

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Objective: To determine if the provision of visual biofeedback using real-time ultrasound imaging enhances the ability to activate the multifidus muscle. Background: Increasingly clinicians are using real-time ultrasound as a form of biofeedback when re-educating muscle activation. The effectiveness of this form of biofeedback for the multifidus muscle has not been reported. Methods and Measures: Healthy subjects were randomly divided into groups that received different forms of biofeedback. All subjects received clinical instruction on how to activate the multifidus muscle isometrically prior to testing and verbal feedback regarding the amount of multifidus contraction, which occurred during 10 repetitions (acquisition phase). In addition, 1 group received visual biofeedback (watched the multifidus muscle contract) using real-time ultrasound imaging. All subjects were reassessed a week later (retention phase). Results: Subjects from both groups improved their voluntary contraction of the multifidus muscle in the acquisition phase (P