Differential activation of protein kinase A in various regions of myocardium during sepsis.

Changes in the activities of protein kinase A (PKA) (cAMP-dependent protein kinase) in various regions of rat myocardium during different cardiodynamic phases of sepsis were studied in an attempt to understand the pathophysiology of cardiac dysfunction during sepsis. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Experiments were divided into three groups: control, early sepsis, and late sepsis. Early and late sepsis refers to those animals sacrificed at 9 and 18 hr, respectively, after CLP. Cardiac PKA was extracted and partially purified by acid precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. PKA was eluted from DEAE-cellulose column with a linear NaCl gradient. Two types of PKA, Type I (eluted at low ionic strength) and Type II (eluted at high ionic strength), were collected, and their activities were determined based on the rate of incorporation of [gamma-32P]ATP into histone. Under physiological conditions, Type I PKA activities were unevenly distributed (left atrium > right atrium > pacemaker region > left ventricle > right ventricle > ventricular septum) while Type II PKA activities were evenly distributed among different regions of myocardium. During early sepsis, Type I PKA activities remained unchanged while Type II PKA activities were activated by 32 and 70% in right atrium and pacemaker regions, respectively. During late sepsis, Type I PKA activities were stimulated by 228% in ventricular septum while Type II PKA activities were not affected. These data demonstrate that different PKA activities exist in various regions of the myocardium and that PKA activities were preferentially activated in certain areas during the progression of sepsis. Since PKA plays an important role in the regulation of myocardial function and metabolism, the activation of PKA in different regions of myocardial during different stages of sepsis may contribute to the altered cardiac function during the progression of sepsis.