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Myofibrillar and Nonmyofibrillar Myocardial Proteins of Copper-Deficient Rats¹

Richard J. McCormick^*, George D. Ovecka and Denis M. Medeiros^,2

^* Department of Animal Science Department of Home Economics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071

Myofibrillar and nonmyofibrillar proteins from hearts of copper-adequate (n = 9) and copper-deficient (n = 10) rats were compared. Male weanling Long-Evans rats were fed copper-deficient or copper-adequate diets for 9 wk. Twelve additional rats were fed similar diets and cardiac tissue was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Ventricular myocytes were glycerinated and homogenized in 0.1 M KCl and 1.5% Triton X-100, and suspensions were centrifuged at 1100 x g. The supernatant was removed and designated Triton X-100-soluble nonmyofibrillar protein, and the pellet was resuspended and recentrifuged several times to obtain myofibrillar protein. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis was conducted on both protein fractions. Densitometer scans of SDS-PAGE pherograms of myofibrillar protein revealed no significant difference between copper-adequate and copper-deficient groups. Similar analysis of nonmyofibrillar protein revealed a consistent decrease or diminished level of a 23-kDa polypeptide among copper-deficient rat hearts. These results may be consistent with the findings that demonstrated fragementation of mitochondrial cristae and an increased area occupied by mitochondria in copper-deficient rat hearts.

KEY WORDS: • copper deficiency • cardiac hypertrophy • myofibrillar proteins • heart • male rats

¹ Supported by National Science Foundation grant no. R11-8610680 and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute grant no. 5 R01 HL34286 to D. M. Medeiros (PI) and R. J. McCormick (Co-PI).

² Address reprint requests to Denis M. Medeiros, Dept. of Human Nutrition and Food Management, The Ohio State University, 265 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.

Manuscript received 28 April 1989. Revision accepted 29 June 1989.