Age-dependent changes in myosin composition correlate with enhanced economy of contraction in guinea-pig hearts

1. The composition of myosin heavy chains (MHCs) was investigated in young (1- to 8-week old) and mature (9- to 26-week-old) guinea-pigs using two monoclonal antibodies directed specifically against alpha-MHC and beta-MHC. In addition, maximum force and the rate of ATP consumption during isometric contraction were measured in chemically skinned trabeculae taken from the same hearts. 2. An age-dependent shift in the MHC composition was found. The alpha-MHC fraction decreased from 0.17 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- S.E.M.; n = 24) in young to 0.04 +/- 0.01 (n = 43) in mature hearts. This shift wits correlated with a decrease in tension cost (i.e. ATP consumption per second per trabecula volume/force per cross-sectional area) from 4.1 +/-0.2 mmol kN(-1) m(-1) s(-1) (n = 23) in young to 2.5 +/- 0.1 mmol kN(-1) m(-1) s(-1) (n = 57) in mature hearts. 3. From the results it follows that the slow beta-MHC isoform, which predominates in hearts of mature guinea-pigs, is about 5 times more economical than the fast alpha-MHC isoform. Calcium sensitivity of force and;LTP consumption decreased with age, but stabilized within a few weeks after birth. The pronounced dependence of cardiac energetics on MHC composition should be taken into account in long-term studies of cardiac overload.