Mitochondrial A‐kinase anchoring proteins in cardiac ventricular myocytes

Compartmentation of cAMP signaling is a critical factor for maintaining the integrity of receptor‐specific responses in cardiac myocytes. This phenomenon relies on various factors limiting cAMP diffusion. Our previous work in adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVMs) indicates that PKA regulatory subunits anchored to the outer membrane of mitochondria play a key role in buffering the movement of cytosolic cAMP. PKA can be targeted to discrete subcellular locations through the interaction of both type I and type II regulatory subunits with A‐kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). The purpose of this study is to identify which AKAPs and PKA regulatory subunit isoforms are associated with mitochondria in ARVMs. Quantitative PCR data demonstrate that mRNA for dual specific AKAP1 and 2 (D‐AKAP1 & D‐AKAP2), acyl‐CoA‐binding domain‐containing 3 (ACBD3), optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) are most abundant, while Rab32, WAVE‐1, and sphingosine kinase type 1 interacting protein (SPHKAP) were barely detectable. Biochemical and immunocytochemical analysis suggests that D‐AKAP1, D‐AKAP2, and ACBD3 are the predominant mitochondrial AKAPs exposed to the cytosolic compartment in these cells. Furthermore, we show that both type I and type II regulatory subunits of PKA are associated with mitochondria. Taken together, these data suggest that D‐AKAP1, D‐AKAP2, and ACBD3 may be responsible for tethering both type I and type II PKA regulatory subunits to the outer mitochondrial membrane in ARVMs. In addition to regulating PKA‐dependent mitochondrial function, these AKAPs may play an important role by buffering the movement of cAMP necessary for compartmentation.