Altered Expression of Cardiac Myosin Isozymes Associated with the Malignant Hyperthermia Genotype in Swine

Abstract

Background Anesthetic-induced malignant hyperthermia (MH) in humans and pigs is associated with dramatic alterations in cardiac function. However, it remains controversial as to whether MH-associated cardiac symptoms represent a primary difference of myocardium or a secondary alteration consequent to increases in the hyperthermic stress. Here the authors describe changes in myosin isoform expression in the hearts of MH-susceptible pigs with and without prior exposure to halothane. Methods One group of pigs was diagnosed as MH susceptible by halothane challenge and Hal-1843 nucleotide examination. To determine if there is an effect of halothane exposure, another group of pigs was diagnosed by simple MH genotyping without exposure to halothane. After diagnosis and genotyping, animals with and without exposure to halothane were killed to study cardiac myosin isozyme distributions, cardiac myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, and the steepness of the Ca2+-ATPase activity relation in the hearts of normal and susceptible pigs. The altered myosin isozyme expression was analyzed by pyrophosphate gel electrophoresis. Results Malignant hyperthermia-susceptible animals with the prior halothane challenge showed an increased V1 myosin (-44%) expression, increased myofibrillar ATPase activity (-25%) and increased steepness of the Ca2+-ATPase activity relation. Without exposure to halothane, no change of myofibrillar ATPase activity was found in the hearts of different genotyped pigs, but there was a small increase in expression of V1 myosin (-5%) in the mutant (TT). Conclusions The potential modulation of V1 myosin expression occurs in the hearts of MH-susceptible pigs. The added stress by halothane challenge would further cause a V3 --> V1 shift, which may be attributed to the long-term effects of hyperthermic stress.