Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal X-inherited disease caused by dystrophin deficiency. Besides the relatively well characterized skeletal muscle degenerative processes, DMD is also associated with a dilated cardiomyopathy that leads to progressive heart failure at the end of the second decade. The aim of the present study was to characterize the diastolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]d) and diastolic Na+ concentration ([Na+]d) abnormalities in cardiomyocytes isolated from 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month old mdx mice using ion-selective microelectrodes. In addition, the contributions of gadolinium (Gd3+)-sensitive Ca2+ entry and inositol triphosphate (IP3) signaling pathways in abnormal [Ca2+]d and [Na+]d were investigated. Our results showed an age-dependent increase in both [Ca2+]d and [Na+]d in dystrophic cardiomyocytes compared to those isolated from age-matched wt mice. Gd3+ treatment significantly reduced both [Ca2+]d and [Na+]d at all ages. In addition, blockade of the IP3-pathway with either U-73122 or xestospongin C significantly reduced ion concentrations in dystrophic cardiomyocytes. Co-treatment with U-73122 and Gd3+ normalized both [Ca2+]d and [Na+]d at all ages in dystrophic cardiomyocytes. These data showed that loss of dystrophin in mdx cardiomyocytes produced an age-dependent intracellular Ca2+ and Na+ overload mediated at least in part by enhanced Ca2+ entry through Gd3+ sensitive transient receptor potential channels (TRPC), and by IP3 receptors.

We previously demonstrated that the monoclonal antibody Mab6H8 raised against the second extracellular loop of the beta(2)-adrenoceptor (beta(2)-AR) had an agonist-like activity, mediated by the activation of L-type Ca(2+) channels by protein kinase A through the adenylyl cyclase pathway. We suggested that this Mab acts by stabilizing an active dimeric conformation of the beta(2)-AR. To substantiate this hypothesis, we prepared monomeric Fab fragments of Mab6H8. Comparison of the physicochemical parameters of antigen interaction with both the Mab and its Fab fragments were determined by surface plasmon resonance, showing a 5- to 10-fold lower affinity of the fragments compared with the bivalent antibody. We determined the biological activity of antibody and Fab fragments in two systems: spontaneous beating neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to study the chronotropic effects and isolated guinea pig cardiomyocytes to study L-type Ca(2+) channel activation. Fab fragments as such had no "agonist-like" effects in both systems but inhibited receptor activation with the beta(2)-specific agonist clenbuterol. Addition of a cross-linking rabbit anti-mouse IgG restored the agonist-like effect of the Fab fragments. These results suggest that Fab fragments induce a conformational change in the receptor, inhibiting the accessibility of the pharmacophore pocket to clenbuterol. Dimerization of this receptor conformation induces an agonist-like effect. Antireceptor antibodies can thus act both as agonist in the dimeric state and as antagonist in the monomeric state.

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Chagas cardiomyopathy is the most severe manifestation of human Chagas disease and represents the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Latin America. We previously demonstrated diastolic Ca 2+ alterations in cardiomyocytes isolated from Chagas' patients to different degrees of cardiac dysfunction. In addition, we have found a significant elevation of diastolic [Na + ] d in Chagas' cardiomyocytes (FCII>FCI) that was greater than control. Exposure of cardiomyocytes to agents that enhance inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP 3) generation or concentration like endothelin (ET-1) or bradykinin (BK), or membrane-permeant myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate hexakis(butyryloxy-methyl) esters (IP 3 BM) caused an elevation in diastolic [Ca 2+ ] ([Ca 2+ ] d) that was always greater in cardiomyocytes from Chagas' than non-Chagas' subjects, and the magnitude of the [Ca 2+ ] d elevation in Chagas' cardiomyocytes was related to the degree of cardiac dysfunction. Incubation with xestospongin-C (Xest-C), a membrane-permeable selective blocker of the IP 3 receptors (IP 3 Rs), significantly reduced [Ca 2+ ] d in Chagas' cardiomyocytes but did not have a significant effect on non-Chagas' cells. The effects of ET-1, BK, and IP 3 BM on [Ca 2+ ] d were not modified by the removal of extracellular [Ca 2+ ] e. Furthermore, cardiomyocytes from Chagas' patients had a significant decrease in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ content compared to control (Control>F-CI>FCII), a higher intracellular IP 3 concentration ([IP 3 ] i) and markedly depressed contractile properties compared to control cardiomyocytes. These results provide additional and convincing support about the implications of IP 3 in the pathogenesis of Chagas cardiomyopathy in patients at different stages of chronic infection. Additionally, these findings open the door for novel therapeutic strategies oriented to improve cardiac function and quality of life of individuals suffering from chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC).

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Antibodies directed against a peptide corresponding to the second loop of the human j3z-adrenergic receptor were induced in rabbits by immunisation with the free peptide in complete Freund's adjuvant. The resulting antibodies were affinity-purified and shown to be monospecific for the target receptor. They were able to stimulate the L-type Ca*+ channels in whole-cell patch-clamp experiments on isolated adult guineapig cardiomyocytes. This effect was similar to that obtained by the specific fit-adrenergic agonist zinterol. The antibody effects could be blocked with the specific b-adrenergic inverse agonist ICI118,551 but not with the neutral antagonist alprenolol. These results suggest that the antibodies recognise the active conformer of the b-adrenergic receptor.

BackgroundLivestock trypanosomoses, caused by three species of the Trypanozoon subgenus, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, T. evansi and T. equiperdum is widely distributed throughout the world and constitutes an important limitation for the production of animal protein. T. evansi and T. equiperdum are morphologically indistinguishable parasites that evolved from a common ancestor but acquired important biological differences, including host range, mode of transmission, distribution, clinical symptoms and pathogenicity. At a molecular level, T. evansi is characterized by the complete loss of the maxicircles of the kinetoplastic DNA, while T. equiperdum has retained maxicircle fragments similar to those present in T. brucei. T. evansi causes the disease known as Surra, Derrengadera or "mal de cadeiras", while T. equiperdum is the etiological agent of dourine or "mal du coit", characterized by venereal transmission and white patches in the genitalia.MethodsNine Venezuelan Trypanosoma spp. isolates, from horse, donkey or capybara were genotyped and classified using microsatellite analyses and maxicircle genes. The variables from the microsatellite data and the Procyclin PE repeats matrices were combined using the Hill-Smith method and compared to a group of T. evansi, T. equiperdum and T. brucei reference strains from South America, Asia and Africa using Coinertia analysis. Four maxicircle genes (cytb, cox1, a6 and nd8) were amplified by PCRfrom TeAp-N/D1 and TeGu-N/D1, the two Venezuelan isolates that grouped with the T. equiperdum STIB841/OVI strain. These maxicircle sequences were analyzed by nucleotide BLAST and aligned toorthologous genes from the Trypanozoon subgenus by MUSCLE tools. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) with the MEGA5.1® software.ResultsWe characterized microsatellite markers and Procyclin PE repeats of nine Venezuelan Trypanosoma spp. isolates with various degrees of virulence in a mouse model, and compared them to a panel of T. evansi and T. equiperdum reference strains. Coinertia analysis of the combined repeats and previously reported T. brucei brucei microsatellite genotypes revealed three distinct groups. Seven of the Venezuelan isolates grouped with globally distributed T. evansi strains, while TeAp-N/D1 and TeGu-N/D1 strains clustered in a separate group with the T. equiperdum STIB841/OVI strain isolated in South Africa. A third group included T. brucei brucei, two strains previously classified as T. evansi (GX and TC) and one as T. equiperdum (BoTat-1.1). Four maxicircle genes, Cytochrome b, Cythocrome Oxidase subunit 1, ATP synthase subunit 6 and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 8, were identified in the two Venezuelan strains clustering with the T. equiperdum STIB841/OVI strain. Phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 gene sequences further separated these two Venezuelan T. equiperdum strains: TeAp-N/D1 grouped with T. equiperdum strain STIB818 and T. brucei brucei, and TeGu-N/D1 with the T. equiperdum STIB841/OVI strain.ConclusionBased on the Co...