Adrenergic stimulation of rat hearts with severely reduced cytosolic adenine nucleotide pool and [ATP]/[ADP]ratio.

The effect of severe reduction of cytosolic adenine nucleotide (AdN) pool and [ATP]/[ADP] ratio (by 2-deoxyglucose treatment) on functional and metabolic responses of isovolumic rat heart to increased energy demand induced by coronary flow (CF) rise and isoproterenol (Iso) addition has been investigated. AdN-depleted hearts had reduced phosphocreatine (PCr, by 80%), ATP (by 75%), [ATP]/[ADP] (24 times) and pressure-rate product (PRP, by 60%). An elevation of CF was followed by the increase in PRP in control and AdN-depleted hearts by 40–45% with unchanged metabolic parameters. At increased CF, Iso caused a further rise in PRP in both groups due to elevation of heart rate; however maximal levels of PRP in the AdN-depleted group still remained lower than that of control (by 40%). Only in control experiments was Iso addition accompanied by an increase in the difference between left-vetricular end- and minimal diastolic pressure, cytosolic [Pi] and [ADP], and some decrease in PCr and [ATP]/[ADP]. These data imply that severely reduced cytosolic [ATP]/[ADP] does not prevent acceleration of Ca2+ turnover by Iso in cardiomyocytes, it but restricts maximal force development affecting the myofibrils.