Phospholamban (PLB) can be phosphorylated at Ser
16by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and at Thr 17 by Ca 2؉ -calmodulin-dependent protein kinase during -agonist stimulation. A previous study indicated that mutation of S16A in PLB resulted in lack of Thr 17 phosphorylation and attenuation of the -agonist stimulatory effects in perfused mouse hearts. To further delineate the functional interplay between dual-site PLB phosphorylation, we generated transgenic mice expressing the T17A mutant PLB in the cardiac compartment of the null background. Lines expressing similar levels of T17A mutant, S16A mutant, or wild-type PLB in the null background were characterized in parallel.
Phospholamban (PLB)1 is a low molecular weight phosphoprotein in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Dephosphorylated PLB is an inhibitor of the affinity of SERCA2 for Ca 2ϩ , and phosphorylation of PLB during -adrenergic stimulation relieves its inhibitory effects on SERCA2 (1, 2). The physiological importance of PLB has been elucidated through the generation of genetically engineered mouse models with alterations in cardiac PLB expression levels (3, 4). Ablation of PLB was associated with significantly enhanced Ca 2ϩ affinity of SERCA2 and myocardial performance (3, 5, 6). The elevated basal contractile parameters could be minimally stimulated by -agonists (3, 7), whereas there were no alterations in the -receptor signaling pathway or the phosphorylation states of other major cardiac phosphoproteins (8). On the other hand, overexpression of PLB was associated with significant depression of contractile parameters, which could be reversed upon phosphorylation of PLB during -agonist stimulation (4). These results indicate that PLB is a key regulator of cardiac function and a prominent mediator of the -adrenergic effects in the myocardium.In vitro studies have shown that PLB can be phosphorylated on Ser 10 by protein kinase C, Ser 16 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), and Thr 17 by Ca 2ϩ -calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII) (1, 9, 10). Each phosphorylation is associated with stimulation of the apparent affinity of SERCA2 for Ca 2ϩ . In vivo studies have shown that only Ser 16 and Thr 17 are phosphorylated in cardiac myocytes or perfused hearts (11, 12), whereas phosphorylation of PLB by protein kinase C has not been detected in vivo. Phosphorylation of PLB by PKA and CaMKII occurs during -agonist exposure, although the relative contribution of each phosphorylation to the cardiac stimulatory effects is not presently clear. Each phosphorylation appears to occur independently of the other (13-16). Some studies have reported additive effects of PKA and CaMKII phosphorylation of PLB on SR Ca 2ϩ transport (13,14,17,18), whereas others (16, 19) have proposed that maximal stimulation of the Ca 2ϩ pump occurs by phosphorylation at a single site, and additional phosphorylation of the other site does not further stimulate the pump activity.Several in vivo studies have shown that Ser 16 phosphorylation or dephosphorylation precede...