Effects of K+ channel blockers on the action potential of hypoxic rabbit myocardium.

1. In order to assess the role of different ionic currents in hypoxia-induced action potential shortening, we investigated the effects of blockers of voltage-dependent and ATP-sensitive K(+)-channel on the membrane potential of hypoxic rabbit hearts and papillary muscles. The response to blocking of the inward rectifier was studied at three external K+ concentration: 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mM. 2. Hypoxia produced a progressive decline in action potential duration (APD) that levelled off after 15 to 20 min. Steady state APD values at 25% and 95% repolarization (APD25 and APD95) were 26.0 +/- 1.9% and 42.2 +/- 2.4% of controls respectively. 3. Tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM) delayed but did not reduce APD shortening at the steady state. 4. Blocking of IK1 with a mixture of 0.2 mM Ba2+ and 4 mM Cs+ lengthened APD in normoxia and prevented APD95 shortening in hypoxia. The APD25 shortening was significantly attenuated at all [K]o. 5. Glibenclamide (Glib, 30 microM) did not prevent APD shortening, but produced a progressive action potential (AP) lengthening after 15 min of hypoxia. Steady levels of 48 +/- 3.5% and 62 +/- 5.0% of controls for APD25 and APD95 respectively were reached after 45 min. 6. The relation between APD25 and pacing rate was determined in normoxic and hypoxic papillary muscles and the effects of 2 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) were examined. Hypoxia attenuated the APD25 shortening currently observed when the stimulation rate was lowered from 1 to 0.1 Hz without altering the plateau reduction occurring at frequencies above 2 Hz. These effects were potentiated by 4-AP.7. Our data suggest that the accelerated AP repolarization in hypoxic rabbit myocardium represents a delicate balance of several outward currents: IKI, IK-ATP. and at least one yet unidentified current component rather insensitive to changes in [K]o and to K+ channel blockers.

Insulin and the resting potential of hypoxic substrate-deprived myocardium.

Insulin stimulates ionic transport by the sodium pump and induces hyperpolarization in skeletal and cardiac muscle among other cells. The insulin-induced hyperpolarization in most cases can be inhibited by exposure to cardiac glycosides or metabolic inhibition. However, extracellular accumulation of K ions leaking from hypoxic cells in superfused preparations may distort the effects of insulin on the resting potential. We used standard microelectrode techniques and perfused rabbit hearts submitted to hypoxia and substrate deprivation to reinvestigate the effects of insulin (6.4 nM) on the membrane potential. The membrane depolarized by about 6 mV and the action potential was reduced to a sharp spike without overshoot. Insulin restored the resting potential to control values but did not change the action potential configuration substantially. The insulin-induced repolarization was not due to reuptake of potassium as revealed by spectrophotometric determinations of myocardial K content. In addition, the diffusion component of the resting potential measured after inhibition of the sodium pump with 10(-4) M ouabain was not modified by insulin. Our results suggest that an increase in the contribution of electrogenic Na extrusion to the resting potential underlies the repolarizing effect of insulin of hypoxic substrate-deprived myocardium.