Comparison of the Effects Exerted by Luminal Ca²⁺ on the Sensitivity of the Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor to Caffeine and Cytosolic Ca

Ca²⁺ released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptor type 2 (RYR2) is the key determinant of cardiac contractility. Although activity of RYR2 channels is primary controlled by Ca²⁺ entry through the plasma membrane, there is growing evidence that Ca²⁺ in the lumen of the SR can also be effectively involved in the regulation of RYR2 channel function. In the present study, we investigated the effect of luminal Ca²⁺ on the response of RYR2 channels reconstituted into a planar lipid membrane to caffeine and Ca²⁺ added to the cytosolic side of the channel. We performed two sets of experiments when the channel was exposed to either luminal Ba²⁺ or Ca²⁺. The given ion served also as a charge carrier. Luminal Ca²⁺ effectively shifted the EC₅₀ for caffeine sensitivity to a lower concentration but did not modify the response of RYR2 channels to cytosolic Ca²⁺. Importantly, luminal Ca²⁺ exerted an effect on channel gating kinetics. Both the open and closed dwell times were considerably prolonged over the whole range (response to caffeine) or the partial range (response to cytosolic Ca²⁺) of open probability. Our results provide strong evidence that an alteration of the gating kinetics is the result of the interaction of luminal Ca²⁺ with the luminally located Ca²⁺ regulatory sites on the RYR2 channel complex.