Pucar, Darko

Although ischemic preconditioning induces bioenergetic tolerance and thereby remodels energy metabolism that is crucial for postischemic recovery of the heart, the molecular components associated with preservation of cellular energy production, transfer, and utilization are not fully understood. Here myocardial bioenergetic dynamics were assessed by18O-assisted31P-NMR spectroscopy in control or preconditioned hearts from wild-type (WT) or Kir6.2-knockout (Kir6.2-KO) mice that lack metabolism-sensing sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+(KATP) channels. In WT vs. Kir6.2-KO hearts, preconditioning induced a significantly higher total ATP turnover (232 ± 20 vs. 155 ± 15 nmol · mg protein−1· min−1), ATP synthesis rate (58 ± 3 vs. 46 ± 3%18O labeling of γ-ATP), and ATP consumption rate (51 ± 4 vs. 31 ± 4%18O labeling of Pi) after ischemia-reperfusion. Moreover, preconditioning preserved cardiac creatine kinase-catalyzed phosphotransfer in WT (234 ± 26 nmol · mg protein−1· min−1) but not Kir6.2-KO (133 ± 18 nmol · mg protein−1· min−1) hearts. In contrast with WT hearts, preconditioning failed to preserve contractile recovery in Kir6.2-KO hearts, as tight coupling between postischemic performance and high-energy phosphoryl transfer was compromised in the KATP-channel-deficient myocardium. Thus intact KATPchannels are integral in ischemic preconditioning-induced protection of cellular energetic dynamics and associated cardiac performance.

Deletion of the major adenylate kinase AK1 isoform, which catalyzes adenine nucleotide exchange, disrupts cellular energetic economy and compromises metabolic signal transduction. However, the consequences of deleting the AK1 gene on cardiac energetic dynamics and performance in the setting of ischemia-reperfusion have not been determined. Here, at the onset of ischemia, AK1 knockout mice hearts displayed accelerated loss of contractile force compared with wild-type controls, indicating reduced tolerance to ischemic stress. On reperfusion, AK1 knockout hearts demonstrated reduced nucleotide salvage, resulting in lower ATP, GTP, ADP, and GDP levels and an altered metabolic steady state associated with diminished ATP-to-Piand creatine phosphate-to-Piratios. Postischemic AK1 knockout hearts maintained ∼40% of β-phosphoryl turnover, suggesting increased phosphotransfer flux through remaining adenylate kinase isoforms. This was associated with sustained creatine kinase flux and elevated cellular glucose-6-phosphate levels as the cellular energetic system adapted to deletion of AK1. Such metabolic rearrangements, along with sustained ATP-to-ADP ratio and total ATP turnover rate, maintained postischemic contractile recovery of AK1 knockout hearts at wild-type levels. Thus deletion of the AK1 gene reveals that adenylate kinase phosphotransfer supports myocardial function on initiation of ischemic stress and safeguards intracellular nucleotide pools in postischemic recovery.

Reaction to stress requires feedback adaptation of cellular functions to secure a response without distress, but the molecular order of this process is only partially understood. Here, we report a previously unrecognized regulatory element in the general adaptation syndrome. Kir6.2, the ion-conducting subunit of the metabolically responsive ATP-sensitive potassium (K ATP ) channel, was mandatory for optimal adaptation capacity under stress. Genetic deletion of Kir6.2 disrupted K ATP channel-dependent adjustment of membrane excitability and calcium handling, compromising the enhancement of cardiac performance driven by sympathetic stimulation, a key mediator of the adaptation response. In the absence of Kir6.2, vigorous sympathetic challenge caused arrhythmia and sudden death, preventable by calcium-channel blockade. Thus, this vital function identifies a physiological role for K ATP channels in the heart.

Transduction of energetic signals into membrane electrical events governs vital cellular functions, ranging from hormone secretion and cytoprotection to appetite control and hair growth. Central to the regulation of such diverse cellular processes are the metabolism sensing ATP-sensitive K + (K ATP ) channels. However, the mechanism that communicates metabolic signals and integrates cellular energetics with K ATP channel-dependent membrane excitability remains elusive. Here, we identify that the response of K ATP channels to metabolic challenge is regulated by adenylate kinase phosphotransfer. Adenylate kinase associates with the K ATP channel complex, anchoring cellular phosphotransfer networks and facilitating delivery of mitochondrial signals to the membrane environment. Deletion of the adenylate kinase gene compromised nucleotide exchange at the channel site and impeded communication between mitochondria and K ATP channels, rendering cellular metabolic sensing defective. Assigning a signal processing role to adenylate kinase identifies a phosphorelay mechanism essential for efficient coupling of cellular energetics with K ATP channels and associated functions.