Long-term testosterone deficiency modifies myofilament and calcium-handling proteins and promotes diastolic dysfunction in the aging mouse heart

The impact of long-term gonadectomy (GDX) on cardiac contractile function was explored in the setting of aging. Male mice were subjected to bilateral GDX or sham operation (4 wk) and investigated at 16–18 mo of age. Ventricular myocytes were field stimulated (2 Hz, 37°C). Peak Ca2+transients (fura 2) and contractions were similar in GDX and sham-operated mice, although Ca2+transients (50% decay time: 45.2 ± 2.3 vs. 55.6 ± 3.1 ms, P < 0.05) and contractions (time constant of relaxation: 39.1 ± 3.2 vs. 69.5 ± 9.3 ms, P < 0.05) were prolonged in GDX mice. Action potential duration was increased in myocytes from GDX mice, but this did not account for prolonged responses, as Ca2+transient decay was slow even when cells from GDX mice were voltage clamped with simulated “sham” action potentials. Western blots of proteins involved in Ca2+sequestration and efflux showed that Na+/Ca2+exchanger and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 2 protein levels were unaffected, whereas phospholamban was dramatically higher in ventricles from aging GDX mice (0.24 ± 0.02 vs. 0.86 ± 0.13, P < 0.05). Myofilament Ca2+sensitivity at physiological Ca2+was similar, but phosphorylation of essential myosin light chain 1 was reduced by ≈50% in ventricles from aging GDX mice. M-mode echocardiography showed no change in systolic function (e.g., ejection fraction). Critically, pulse-wave Doppler echocardiography showed that GDX slowed isovolumic relaxation time (12.9 ± 0.9 vs. 16.9 ± 1.0 ms, P < 0.05), indicative of diastolic dysfunction. Thus, dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+and myofilament dysfunction contribute to deficits in contraction in hearts from testosterone-deficient aging mice. This suggests that low testosterone helps promote diastolic dysfunction in the aging heart. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The influence of long-term gonadectomy on contractile function was examined in aging male hearts. Gonadectomy slowed the decay of Ca2+transients and contractions in ventricular myocytes and slowed isovolumic relaxation time, demonstrating diastolic dysfunction. Underlying mechanisms included Ca2+dysregulation, elevated phospholamban protein levels, and hypophosphorylation of a myofilament protein, essential myosin light chain. Testosterone deficiency led to intracellular Ca2+dysregulation and myofilament dysfunction, which may facilitate diastolic dysfunction in the setting of aging.