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Sarcomere length (SL) and its variation along the myofibril strongly regulate integrated coordinated myocyte contraction. It is therefore important to obtain individual SL properties. Optical imaging by confocal fluorescence (for example, using ANEPPS) or transmitted light microscopy is often used for this purpose. However, this allows for the visualization of structures related to Z-disks only. In contrast, second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy visualizes A-band sarcomeric structures directly. Here, we compared averaged SL and its variability in isolated relaxed rat cardiomyocytes by imaging with ANEPPS and SHG. We found that SL variability, evaluated by several absolute and relative measures, is two times smaller using SHG vs. ANEPPS, while both optical methods give the same average (median) SL. We conclude that optical methods with similar optical spatial resolution provide valid estimations of average SL, but the use of SHG microscopy for visualization of sarcomeric A-bands may be the “gold standard” for evaluation of SL variability due to the absence of optical interference between the sarcomere center and non-sarcomeric structures. This contrasts with sarcomere edges where t-tubules may not consistently colocalize to Z-disks. The use of SHG microscopy instead of fluorescent imaging can be a prospective tool to map sarcomere variability both in vitro and in vivo conditions and to reveal its role in the functional behavior of living myocardium.

Myocardial function is tuned by dynamic changes in length and load via mechano-calcium feedback. This regulation may be significantly affected by heart rhythm. We evaluated the mechano-induced modulation of contractility and Ca-transient (CaT) in the rat myocardium subjected to twitch-by-twitch shortening–re-lengthening (↓–↑) trains of different lengths (N = 1 … 720 cycles) at low (1 Hz) and near-physiological (3.5 Hz) pacing rates. Force/CaT characteristics were evaluated in the first post-train isometric twitch (immediate effect) and during slow changes (delayed maximal elevation/decrease) and compared with those of the pre-train twitch. The immediate inotropic effect was positive for N = 30 … 720 and negative for N = 1 … 20, while the delayed effect was always positive. The immediate and delayed inotropic effects were significantly higher at 3.5-Hz vs 1-Hz (P < 0.05). The prominent inotropism was accompanied by much smaller changes in the CaT diastolic level/amplitude. The shortening–re-lengthening train induced oscillations of the slow change in force at 3.5-Hz (always) and at 1-Hz (∼50% of muscles), which were dependent of the train length and independent of the pacing rate. We suggest that twitch-by-twitch shortening–re-lengthening of cardiac muscle decreases Ca2+ buffering by troponin C and elevates Ca2+ loading of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR); the latter cumulatively depends on the train length. A high pacing rate intensifies the cumulative transient shift in the SR Ca2+ loading, augmenting the post-train inotropic response and prolonging its recovery to the pre-train level. The pacing-dependent mechano-induced inotropic effects remain to be elucidated in the myocardium with impaired Ca handling. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd The study was supported by RFBR grant # 18-04-00572 and by RF Government Act #211 of March 16, 2013 (agreement 02.A03.21.0006 ), and was carried out within the framework of the IIF UrB RAS theme No АААА-А18-118020590031-8 .

Introduction. There is a high chance of a link between cardiovascular conditions and occupational or environmental exposure to lead. Taking into account the peculiarities of lead intoxication and the metal common occurrence it appeared to necessarily prove further experimental research of lead cardiotoxicity. Material and methods. After repeated intraperitoneal administration of sublethal doses of lead acetate to outbred male rats 3 times a week for 5 weeks, there was obtained the moderately pronounced subchronic lead intoxication manifested by some characteristic features. Cardiotoxic effects on myocardial contractility were studied by the analysis of the mechanical activity of isolated preparations of right ventricular trabeculae and papillary muscles contracting in isotonic and physiological modes of loading. Myocardial contractile function was also studied at the molecular level by measuring the sliding velocity of reconstructed thin filaments over myosin. Results. In papillary muscles lead intoxication led to a decrease in the maximal rate of isotonic shortening for all afterloads and a decrease in the thin filament sliding velocity in the in vitro motility assay. The same type of muscle from lead-exposed rats displayed marked changes in most of the main characteristics of afterload contraction-relaxation cycles, but in trabeculae, these changes were less pronounced. The reported changes were attenuated to some extent in rats similarly exposed to lead while being treated with a Ca-containing bio protector. The amount of work produced by both muscle preparations was unchanged under lead intoxication over the entire range of afterloads, which is an evidence of adaptation to the production of adequate mechanical work despite resulting contractility disturbances. Conclusions. 1. Subchronic lead intoxication was shown to cause contractile dysfunction of rat myocardium. In papillary muscles the alterations were observed more than in trabeculae. The changes in contractile proteins corresponded with those seen in myocardium structures. 2. The reported changes were attenuated to some extent in rats being treated with a Ca-containing bio protector.

Subchronic intoxication was induced in outbred male rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections with lead oxide (PbO) and/or cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles (NPs) 3 times a week during 6 weeks for the purpose of examining its effects on the contractile characteristics of isolated right ventricle trabeculae and papillary muscles in isometric and afterload contractions. Isolated and combined intoxication with these NPs was observed to reduce the mechanical work produced by both types of myocardial preparation. Using the in vitro motility assay, we showed that the sliding velocity of regulated thin filaments drops under both isolated and combined intoxication with CdO– NP and PbO–NP. These results correlate with a shift in the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms towards slowly cycling β–MHC. The type of CdO–NP + PbO–NP combined cardiotoxicity depends on the effect of the toxic impact, the extent of this effect, the ratio of toxicant doses, and the degree of stretching of cardiomyocytes and muscle type studied. Some indices of combined Pb–NP and CdO–NP cardiotoxicity and general toxicity (genotoxicity included) became fully or partly normalized if intoxication developed against background administration of a bioprotective complex. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The work was carried out partly within the framework of the IIF UrB RAS themes No AAA?A18?118020590031?8 and AAAA?A18?118020590135?3. This work was performed using the equipment of the Shared Research Center of Scientific Equipment SRC IIP UrB RAS.

A moderate subchronic lead intoxication was observed in male rats after repeated intraperitoneal injections of lead acetate. Right ventricular trabeculae and papillary muscles were isolated for in vitro studying of the contraction-relaxation cycle under isotonic and physiological loading. The contractile function of the myocardium was also assessed by measuring the velocity of thin filament movement over myosin. Lead intoxication led in papillary muscles to a decrease in the maximal rate of isotonic shortening for all afterloads and a decrease in the thin filament sliding velocity. Papillary muscles from lead-exposed rats displayed marked changes in most of the main characteristics of afterload contraction-relaxation cycles, but in trabeculae these changes were less pronounced. The reported changes were attenuated to some extent in rats treated with a Ca-containing bioprotector. The amount of work produced by both types of heart muscle preparations was not changed by lead. Only in papillary muscles the load-dependent relaxation index was significantly increased in the lead-treated groups. Thus subchronic lead intoxication affects the peak rate of force development and relaxation properties of cardiac muscle contracting in isotonic/physiological regimes rather than the total amount of mechanical work, which may reflect adaptive changes in the myocardial function under decreased contractility.

There is a lack of data about the contractile behavior of the right atrial myocardium in chronic pulmonary heart disease. We thoroughly characterized the contractility and Ca transient of isolated right atrial strips of healthy rats (CONT) and rats with the experimental model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (MCT) in steady state at different preloads (isometric force-length), during slow force response to stretch (SFR), and during post-rest potentiation after a period of absence of electrical stimulation (PRP). The preload-dependent changes in the isometric twitch and Ca transient did not differ between CONT and MCT rats while the kinetics of the twitch and Ca transient were noticeably slowed down in the MCT rats. The magnitude of SFR was significantly elevated in the MCT right atrial strips and this was accompanied by the significantly higher elevation of the Ca transient relative amplitude at the end of SFR. The slow changes in the contractility and Ca transient in the PRP protocol did not differ between CONT and MCT. In conclusion, the alterations in the contractility and Ca transient of the right atrial myocardium of monocrotaline-treated rats with pulmonary hypertension mostly concern the elevation in SFR. We hypothesize that this positive inotropic effect in the atrial myocardium may (partly) compensate the systolic deficiency of the right ventricular failing myocardium.

Outbred male rats were repeatedly injected IP with sub-lethal doses of lead acetate 3 times a week during 5 weeks. They developed an explicit, even if moderate, lead intoxication characterized by typical hematological and some other features. The next day after the last injection the heart of each animal was excised, and the trabecules and papillary muscles from the right ventricle were used for modeling in vitro isometric (with varying starting length of the preparation) regimes of the contraction-relaxation cycle with different preloads. Several well-established parameters of this model were found changed compared with the preparations taken from the hearts of healthy control rats. Background in vivo calcium treatment attenuated both systemic and cardiotoxic effects of lead to an extent. We show for the first time that subchronic intoxication with lead caused myocardial preparations in a wide range of lengths to respond by a decrease in the time and speed parameters of the isometric contraction while maintaining its amplitude and by a decrease in the passive stiffness of trabecules. The responses of the various heart structures are outlined, and the isomyosin ratio is shown to have shifted towards the slow isoform. Mechanistic and toxicological inferences from the results are discussed.

This investigation continues our study of the effects of Pb-Cd poisoning on the heart, extending the enquiry from isometric to auxotonic contractions, thereby examining the effect on the ability of myocardial tissues to perform mechanical work. Different shifts were revealed in myocardial force-velocity relations following subchronic exposure of rats to lead acetate and cadmium chloride acting separately, in combination, or in combination with a bioprotective complex (BPC). The experiments were conducted on isolated preparations of trabecules and papillary muscles of the right ventricle in physiological loading conditions and on isolated heart muscle contractile proteins examined by the in vitro motility assay. The results of the latter correlate with the shifts in the ratio of cardiac myosin isoforms. The amount of work performed by the myocardium was calculated on the basis of the tension-shortening loop area and was found to be similar in the preparations from all experimental groups. This fact presumably reflects adaptive capacity of the myocardial function even when contractility is damaged due to the metallic intoxication of a moderate severity. Some characteristics of rat myocardium altered by the impact of lead-cadmium intoxication became fully or partly normalized if intoxication developed against background administration of a bioprotective complex (BPC). Together with previously reported results obtained in the isometric mode of contractility, all these results strengthen the scientific foundations of risk assessment and risk management projects in the occupational and environmental conditions characterized by human exposure to lead and/or cadmium.

The slow force response (SFR) to stretch is an important adaptive mechanism of the heart. The SFR may result in ~ 20–30% extra force but it is substantially attenuated in heart failure. We investigated the relation of SFR magnitude with Ca 2+ transient decay in healthy (CONT) and monocrotaline-treated rats with heart failure (MCT). Right ventricular trabeculae were stretched from 85 to 95% of optimal length and held stretched for 10 min at 30 °C and 1 Hz. Isometric twitches and Ca 2+ transients were collected on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 min after stretch. The changes in peak tension and Ca 2+ transient decay characteristics during SFR were evaluated as a percentage of the value measured immediately after stretch. The amount of Ca 2+ utilized by TnC was indirectly evaluated using the methods of Ca 2+ transient “bump” and “difference curve.” The muscles of CONT rats produced positive SFR and they showed prominent functional relation between SFR magnitude and the magnitude (amplitude, integral intensity) of Ca 2+ transient “bump” and “difference curve.” The myocardium of MCT rats showed negative SFR to stretch (force decreased in time) which was not correlated well with the characteristics of Ca 2+ transient decay, evaluated by the methods of “bump” and “difference curve.” We conclude that the intracellular mechanisms of Ca 2+ balancing during stretch-induced slow adaptation of myocardial contractility are disrupted in failing rat myocardium. The potential significance of our findings is that the deficiency of slow force response in diseased myocardium may be diminished under augmented kinetics of Ca–TnC interaction. © 2018, The Physiological Society of Japan and Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature.

The slow force response (SFR) of a cardiac muscle to a sudden stretch is thought to be important in the regulatory adaptation of myocardial contraction. Autocrine-paracrine regulation pathways which involve angiotensin II are participating in this mechanism. On the other hand, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) is altered in hypertrophic or failing myocardium. We compared the effects of sudden stretch to SFR as well as to twitch and Ca2+ transient characteristics in rat myocardium with monocrotaline-induced heart failure with those in normal rat myocardium without and with inhibition of angiotensin II type-1 (AT1) receptors. Our findings indicate that the myocardium of rats with monocrotaline-induced right ventricular failure is deficient with activation of local RAS and therefore expresses blunted SFR, very similar to the depression of SFR observed in normal myocardium under inhibition of AT1 receptors. The "failing" myocardium does not further respond to the "putative" inhibition of AT1 receptors by losartan. In conclusion, SFR is related to autocrine-paracrine regulation of myocardial contraction in normal rat myocardium and that the involvement of RAS into stretch-induced modulation of contractility may be significantly altered in failing heart. © 2018 Slovak Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Российский Фонд Фундаментальных Исследований (РФФИ): 16-04-00545 Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences: 15-5-4-6 Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships Russian Academy of Sciences: A18-118020590031-8 Acknowledgements. Authors thank Daniil Kuznetsov for his help in the implementation of the monocrotaline-based experimental model of pulmonary hypertension in rats. The work was conducted in IIP UB RAS accordingly to the officially registered plan of scientific investigations (#AAAA-A18-118020590031-8) and was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant #16-04-00545) and the Program for Basic Research of Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2015–2017 (project #15-5-4-6).

The apelin peptide is described as one of the most potent inotropic agents, produced endogenously in a wide range of cells, including cardiomyocytes. Despite positive effects on cardiac contractility in multicellular preparations, as well as indications of cardio-protective actions in several diseases, its effects and mechanisms of action at the cellular level are incompletely understood. Here, we report apelin effects on dynamic mechanical characteristics of single ventricular cardiomyocytes, isolated from mouse models (control, apelin-deficient [Apelin-KO], apelin-receptor KO mouse [APJ-KO]), and rat. Dynamic changes in maximal velocity of cell shortening and relaxation were monitored. In addition, more traditional indicators of inotropic effects, such as maximum shortening (in mechanically unloaded cells) or peak force development (in auxotonic contracting cells, preloaded using the carbon fibre technique) were studied. The key finding is that, using Apelin-KO cardiomyocytes exposed to different preloads with the 2-carbon fibre technique, we observe a lowering of the slope of the end-diastolic stress-length relation in response to 10 nM apelin, an effect that is preload-dependent. This suggests a positive lusitropic effect of apelin, which could explain earlier counter-intuitive findings on an apelin-induced increase in contractility occurring without matching rise in oxygen consumption.

Preload-induced changes of active tension and [Ca2+]i are “dissociated” in mammalian myocardium. This study aimed to describe the distinct effects of preload at low and physiological [Ca2+]o. Rat RV papillary muscles were studied in isometric conditions at 25‡C and 0.33 Hz at 1 mM (hypo-Ca group) and 2.5 mM [Ca2+]o (normal-Ca group). [Ca2+]i was monitored with fura-2/AM. Increase of preload caused a rise of active tension in hypo-Ca and normal-Ca groups whereas peak fluorescence rose significantly only at low [Ca2+]o. End-diastolic tension, end-diastolic level of fluorescence, time-to-peak tension, but not time-to-peak of Ca2+ transient, progressively increased with preload. Mechanical relaxation decelerated with preload while Ca2+ transient decay time decreased in the initial phase and increased in the late phase, resulting in a prominent “bump” configuration. The “bump” was assessed as a ratio of its area to the fluorescence trace area. It was a new finding that the preload-induced rise of this ratio was twice as large in hypo-Ca. Our results indicate that preload-induced changes in active tension and [Ca2+]i are “dissociated” in rat myocardium, with relatively higher expression at low [Ca2+]o. Ca-dependence of Ca-TnC association/dissociation kinetics is thought to be a main contributor to these preload-induced effects.

This paper briefly recapitulates the Frank–Starling law of the heart, reviews approaches to establishing diastolic and systolic force–length behaviour in intact isolated cardiomyocytes, and introduces a dimensionless index called ‘Frank–Starling Gain’, calculated as the ratio of slopes of end-systolic and end-diastolic force–length relations. The benefits and limitations of this index are illustrated on the example of regional differences in Guinea pig intact ventricular cardiomyocyte mechanics. Potential applicability of the Frank–Starling Gain for the comparison of cell contractility changes upon stretch will be discussed in the context of intra- and inter-individual variability of cardiomyocyte properties. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00424-011-0964-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Using one-dimensional models of myocardial tissue, implemented as chains of virtual ventricular muscle segments that are kinematically connected in series, we studied the role of the excitation sequence in spatio-temporal organization of cardiac function. Each model element was represented by a well-verified mathematical model of cardiac electro-mechanical activity. We found that homogeneous chains, consisting of identical elements, respond to non-simultaneous stimulation by generation of complex spatio-temporal heterogeneities in element deformation. These are accompanied by the establishment of marked gradients in local electro-mechanical properties of the elements (heterogeneity in action potential duration, Ca 2+ transient characteristics and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ loading). In heterogeneous chains, composed of elements simulating fast and slow contracting cardiomyocytes from different transmural layers, we found that only activation sequences where stimulation of the slower elements preceded that of faster ones gave rise to optimization of the system's electro-mechanical function, which was confirmed experimentally. Based on the results obtained, we hypothesize that the sequence of activation of cardiomyocytes in different ventricular layers is one of the key factors of spatio-temporal organization of myocardium. Moreover, activation sequence and regional differences in intrinsic electro-mechanical properties of cardiac muscle must be matched in order to optimize myocardial function.

We aim to compare the effects of stretch on isometric tension/Ca2+ transient in the right ventricular trabeculae of control (CONT) and hypertensive (MCT, monocrotaline application) adult male and female rats. The treatment with MCT resulted in RV hypertrophy in males only. Blunted active force-length relation and substantially prolonged twitch were found in MCT-males but not MCT-females (vs same-sex CONT). Ca2+ transient was prolonged in both MCT-treated groups but extremely so in the MCT-males. The gradual stretch resulted in a distinct “bump” on Ca2+ transient decline in CONT and MCT-treated groups. The integral magnitude of the “bump” was unaffected by the treatment with MCT in males or females but was larger in males vs females. The rate of “bump” development was significantly slower in MCT-males. In conclusion, the sex-specific differences in the stretch-dependent regulation of [Ca2+] i may underlie preservation of the Frank–Starling mechanism in female rat myocardium in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction: Information on the force-length relation of intact myocytes from different regions of the heart is scarce. We therefore studied myocytes, isolated from apical and basal areas of guinea pig left and right ventricles (cell numbers: LVA 22, LVB 29, RVA 11, RVB 12). Methods: Force-length relations were measured by attaching carbon fibers to myocytes, allowing application of diastolic stretch while measuring passive and active force.1 Cells were kept at 36±1°C and paced at 2 Hz. Recorded forces were normalized to cell cross-sectional area and used to construct end-diastolic, end-systolic and active tension-length relations (EDTL, ESTL and ATL=ESTL-EDTL; respectively). In addition, the ratio of the slopes of ESTL and EDTL was used as a cross-section independent factor to characterise the Frank-Starling Gain (FSG) in individual cells. Results: For all tissue regions ESTL, EDTL and, hence, ATL, are linear over the range of end-diastolic sarcomere lengths studied (1.88-2.15 μm). Plotting the slope values of ATL vs. EDTL for all cells shows a positive correlation (slope 1.29, R2=0.24, 74 cells). In addition, FSG is larger than one for all cells studied: RVB 3.91±0.54), RVA (2.84±0.30), LVB (2.77±0.17), and LVA (3.20±0.24). Conclusions: Using the carbon fiber technique, it is possible to probe length-dependence of passive and active tension at the single cell level, without the interference of extracellular structures. The Frank-Starling Gain varies between the different regions of the heart and the positive correlation between ATL and EDTL confirms that in intact cells passive force bearing structures (such as titin) are likely to play a role in modulating length dependent activation.[1] Iribe et al, Force-length relations in isolated intact cardiomyocytes subjected to dynamic changes in mechanical load. AJP 2007/292:1487-1497.