Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

AIMS: 3',5'-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signals in the heart are often confined to concentration microdomains shaped by cAMP diffusion and enzymatic degradation. While the importance of phosphodiesterases (degradative enzymes) in sculpting cAMP microdomains is well established in cardiomyocytes, less is known about cAMP diffusivity (DcAMP) and factors affecting it. Many earlier studies have reported fast diffusivity, which argues against sharply defined microdomains. METHODS AND RESULTS: [cAMP] dynamics in the cytoplasm of adult rat ventricular myocytes were imaged using a fourth generation genetically encoded FRET-based sensor. The [cAMP]-response to the addition and removal of isoproterenol (β-adrenoceptor agonist) quantified the rates of cAMP synthesis and degradation. To obtain a read out of DcAMP, a stable [cAMP] gradient was generated using a microfluidic device which delivered agonist to one half of the myocyte only. After accounting for phosphodiesterase activity, DcAMP was calculated to be 32 µm(2)/s; an order of magnitude lower than in water. Diffusivity was independent of the amount of cAMP produced. Saturating cAMP-binding sites with the analogue 6-Bnz-cAMP did not accelerate DcAMP, arguing against a role of buffering in restricting cAMP mobility. cAMP diffused at a comparable rate to chemically unrelated but similar sized molecules, arguing for a common physical cause of restricted diffusivity. Lower mitochondrial density and order in neonatal cardiac myocytes allowed for faster diffusion, demonstrating the importance of mitochondria as physical barriers to cAMP mobility. CONCLUSION: In adult cardiac myocytes, tortuosity due to physical barriers, notably mitochondria, restricts cAMP diffusion to levels that are more compatible with microdomain signalling.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/cvr/cvw080

Type

Journal article

Journal

Cardiovasc Res

Publication Date

01/06/2016

Volume

110

Pages

395 - 407

Keywords

Diffusion reaction, FRET sensor, Mathematical modelling, Microfluidics, cAMP microdomains, Adrenergic beta-Agonists, Algorithms, Animals, Biosensing Techniques, Cyclic AMP, Cytoplasm, Diffusion, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, HCT116 Cells, HEK293 Cells, Heart Ventricles, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Isoproterenol, Male, Mitochondria, Heart, Models, Cardiovascular, Myocytes, Cardiac, Perfusion, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Second Messenger Systems, Time Factors