Photolysis of the novel inotropes EMD 57033 and EMD 57439: evidence that Ca2+ sensitization and phosphodiesterase inhibition depend upon the same enantiomeric site.

1. We studied the effects of flash photolysis on the novel enantiomeric cardiac inotropes EMD 57033 (a calcium sensitizer) and EMD 57439 (a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor) in rat isolated ventricular trabeculae. 2. In skinned trabeculae, EMD 57439 had no effect on force production, consistent with lack of an active cyclic AMP system in this preparation. In contrast, EMD 57033 potentiated force at partial and maximal activation. A single flash of near u.v. light given at partial activation (30-70%) reduced force potentiation by 52.4 +/- 5.2%. No effect was produced by flashes in the presence of EMD 57439 or in the absence of either drug. 3. The time course of relaxation induced by EMD 57033 photolysis was indistinguishable from that obtained on deactivating the muscle by rapidly lowering Ca2+ using photolysis of the caged chelator of calcium, diazo-2. 4. In intact, twitching trabeculae, EMD 57033 increased diastolic and peak force and slowed relaxation. These effects were simultaneously reduced by a light flash. In these muscles EMD 57439 reduced force, without affecting the twitch time course. These effects were also reduced by a light flash. 5. The u.v. absorbance spectra of EMD 57033 and EMD 57439 were identical. After photolysis optical density decreased substantially and the peak shifted from 320 nm to 280 nm. 6. The proton n.m.r. spectra of these compounds were identical. The main change post-photolysis was a decrease in the proton signal associated with the enantiomeric carbon atom. 7. This novel manipulation of the molecular structure of EMD 57033 and EMD 57439 within an experiment thus provides direct evidence linking calcium sensitization to a particular molecular structure. The three main effects of the sensitizer on the twitch were simultaneously abolished and may be mechanistically linked. Flash photolysis may be a useful tool for further investigations of the actions of these compounds. In particular, flash photolysis of the sensitizer represents a novel method of rapidly deactivating cardiac muscle.