Adrenergic stimulation of the heart during inhibition of phosphocreatine or adenylate pathways of energy transfer in cardiomyocytes

: Functional and metabolic response of an isovolumically perfused heart of a rat to isoproterenol (0.1 microM) has been studied. A heart with the normal content of adenine nucleotides (AN) and phosphocreatine (PCr) as well as that with the 5-fold reduced AN content (with 2-deoxyglucose treatment) significantly increased cardiac work index (PRP), maximal contraction rate (MCR) and maximal relaxation rate (MRR) (by 50, 30-40 and 100-150%, respectively). The effect was preserved for all the period of the hormone action (30 min) and was followed by a temporary decrease in the PCr content. The heart with an inhibited unidirectional flux of metabolites through creative kinase (CK) and normal level of AN responded to the hormone by the slower and decelerated growth of the function and in the heart with almost completely iodoacetamide (IAAm)-blocked CK the functional response was minimal and transient. In the latter a significant and irreversible decline in PCr and ATP content and a concomitant rise of inorganic phosphate took place. Both basal and isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity remained unchanged after IAAm treatment. An increase in PRP correlated with the elevation of the cytosolic ADP concentration, however, correlation was not uniform for different experimental groups. These data show significance of the creatine kinase system not only for maintenance of maximal work but also for a rapid functional response to the catecholamine stimulation.