Citrate alters Ca channel gating and selectivity in rabbit ventricular myocytes

Addition of 10 mM citrate at constant free extracellular Ca concentration [( Ca]o; 2 mM) reduced contraction in rabbit ventricular muscle and isolated myocytes. We have recently shown that extracellular citrate decreases contraction and Ca current (ICa) in cardiac muscle by a direct effect on Ca channels rather than by Ca buffering per se [D. M. Bers, L. V. Hryshko, S. M. Harrison, and D. Dawson. Am. J. Physiol. 260 (Cell Physiol. 29): C900-C909, 1991]. Citrate rapidly depressed peak ICa and shifted both the peak ICa and the apparent reversal potential (Erev) to more negative potentials. When the impermeant cations, tetraethylammonium or N-methylglucamine were used instead of intracellular Cs, the citrate-induced shift in Erev was reduced or eliminated but depression of ICa was still observed. Thus citrate appears to alter the selectivity (PCa/PCs) of the Ca channel and reduce ICa. We also studied the effects of citrate on Na current through the Ca channel, observed when the divalent cation concentration is submicromolar. This current, termed INS for nonspecific, also exhibited leftward shifts in peak INS and smaller changes in Erev in the presence of citrate. However, neither peak INS nor single-channel conductance were affected by citrate. Thus the reduced PCa/PCs is due primarily to alteration of Ca permeation rather than monovalent cation permeation. Activation and inactivation curves for both ICa and INS were shifted toward more negative potentials by citrate. The shifts in gating and peak current to more negative membrane potentials would be consistent with a surface charge effect. The much larger shift in Erev for ICa (than for INS) is consistent with a reduction in Ca selectivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)