Physiological changes induced in cardiac myocytes by cytotoxic T lymphocytes
The lethal hit induced by viral specific, sensitized, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) attacking virus-infected heart cells is important in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis and reflects the key role of CTL in this immune response. The mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Studies of the physiological changes induced in mengovirus-infected, cultured, neonatal, rat heart cells by CTL that had been previously sensitized by the same virus are presented. The CTL were obtained from spleens of mengovirus-infected, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) matched adult rats. Cell wall motion was measured by an optical method, action potentials with intracellular microelectrodes, and total exchangeable calcium content by /sup 45/Ca tracer measurements after loading the myocytes with /sup 45/Ca and then exposing them to CTL. After 50 min (mean time) of exposing mengovirus-infected myocytes to the CTL, the mechanical relaxation of the myocyte was slowed, with a subsequent slowing of beating rate and a reduced amplitude of contraction. Impaired relaxation progressed, and prolonged oscillatory contractions lasting up to several seconds appeared, with accompanying oscillations in the prolonged plateau phase of the action potentials. Arrest of the myocyte contractions appeared 98 min (mean time) after exposure to CTL. It is concluded that infection of cultured myocytes with mengovirus predisposes them to attack by mengovirus specific CTL, and that persistent dysfunction of the myocyte is preceded by reversible changes in membrane potential and contraction. This is suggestive of an altered calcium handling by the myocytes possibly resulting in the cytotoxic effect.
- Research Organization:
- Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- OSTI ID:
- 6468893
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Physiol.; (United States), Vol. 252:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
1,25 (OH) sub 2 vitamin D sub 3 -induced sup 45 Ca uptake in vascular myocytes cultured from spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats
The H{sub 1}–H{sub 2} domain of the α{sub 1} isoform of Na{sup +}–K{sup +}–ATPase is involved in ouabain toxicity in rat ventricular myocytes
Related Subjects
CALCIUM 45
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
PATHOGENESIS
CELL CULTURES
HEART
LYMPHOCYTES
PHYSIOLOGY
RATS
TOXICITY
VIRAL DISEASES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CALCIUM ISOTOPES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LEUKOCYTES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
NUCLEI
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques