Abstract

The generation of free oxygen radicals from the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system produced a decrease in the steady-state calcium load of canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and an increase in the SR passive calcium permeability. This effect of free oxygen radicals was completely inhibited by superoxide dismutase, a scavenger of superoxide anion radical (.O2-). Treatment of intact SR with a specific calmodulin antagonist, compound 48/80 or W-7, lead to the enhancement of the free oxygen radical-mediated reduction of steady-state calcium accumulation with little effect on passive calcium permeability and Ca,Mg-adenosine triphosphatase activity. The effects of free oxygen radicals and the calmodulin antagonists on steady-state calcium accumulation, but not on passive calcium permeability, were only observed in the presence of the endogenous calmodulin of SR vesicles. These results indicate that stimulation by .O2- and/or a closely related species of free oxygen radical of the passive calcium leak pathway is not calmodulin-dependent and is not a potent way of changing the steady-state calcium accumulation. Hence, we propose that calmodulin-dependent component of calcium fluxes in cardiac SR vesicles is modified directly by free oxygen radicals, and that free oxygen radicals can reduce steady-state calcium accumulation due to increased calcium release through a calcium efflux pathway which is inhibited by calmodulin, but not due to reduced catalytic activity of the pump.