A "wringing" endorsement for myosin phosphorylation in the heart

Abstract

On average, the human heart beats 100,000 times a day and it is in a person's best interest to have the heart move blood as efficiently as possible. For example, imagine a wet rag: squeezing the rag in your fist does not remove as much water as wringing the same rag between two hands. Thus, in hearts as in rags, torsional wringing, as opposed to squeezing, more thoroughly empties the heart of blood. Recent reports indicate that the activity and the distribution of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in the myocardium is key to this process. MLCK-dependent phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain (R-LC), a subunit of the myosin molecule, may lead to increased force and power of contraction. It is the asymmetric distribution of MLCK in the myocardium that allows for torsional wringing rather than squeezing. Specifically targeting MLCK expression in the heart might, in the future, lead to promising therapies that counteract cardiomyopathy.