Pharmacological Modulation and (Patho)Physiological Roles of TRPM4 Channel-Part 2: TRPM4 in Health and Disease.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) is a unique member of the TRPM protein family and, similarly to TRPM5, is Ca2+ sensitive and permeable for monovalent but not divalent cations. It is widely expressed in many organs and is involved in several functions; it regulates membrane potential and Ca2+ homeostasis in both excitable and non-excitable cells. This part of the review discusses the currently available knowledge about the physiological and pathophysiological roles of TRPM4 in various tissues. These include the physiological functions of TRPM4 in the cells of the Langerhans islets of the pancreas, in various immune functions, in the regulation of vascular tone, in respiratory and other neuronal activities, in chemosensation, and in renal and cardiac physiology. TRPM4 contributes to pathological conditions such as overactive bladder, endothelial dysfunction, various types of malignant diseases and central nervous system conditions including stroke and injuries as well as in cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, hypertrophy, and ischemia-reperfusion injuries. TRPM4 claims more and more attention and is likely to be the topic of research in the future.

Frequency-dependent effects of omecamtiv mecarbil on cell shortening of isolated canine ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a myosin activator agent developed for the treatment of heart failure. OM was reported to increase left ventricular ejection fraction and systolic ejection time, but little is known about the effect of heart rate on the action of OM. The present study, therefore, was designed to investigate the effects of OM on unloaded cell shortening and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) transients as a function of the pacing frequency. Isolated cardiomyocytes were stimulated at various frequencies under steady-state conditions. Cell length was monitored by an optical edge detector and changes in [Ca2+]i were followed using the Ca2+-sensitive dye Fura-2. At the pacing frequency of 1 Hz, OM (1-10 µM) significantly decreased both diastolic and systolic cell length, however, fractional shortening was augmented only by 1 µM OM. Time to peak tension and time of 90% relaxation were progressively increased by OM. At the frequency of 2 Hz, diastolic cell length was reduced by 10 µM OM to a larger extent than systolic cell length, resulting in a significantly decreased fractional shortening under these conditions. OM had no effect on the parameters of the [Ca2+]i transient at any pacing frequency. The results suggest that supratherapeutic concentrations of OM may decrease rather than increase the force of cardiac contraction especially in tachycardic patients.

Effects of the PKC inhibitors chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I (GF 109203X) on delayed rectifier K+ currents.

Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors are useful tools for studying PKC-dependent regulation of ion channels. For this purpose, high PKC specificity is a basic requirement excluding any direct interaction between the PKC inhibitor and the ion channel. In the present study, the effects of two frequently applied PKC inhibitors, chelerythine and bisindolylmaleimide I, were studied on the rapid and slow components of the delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Kr) and I(Ks)) in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes and on the human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) channels expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. The whole cell version of the patch clamp technique was used in all experiments. Chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I (both 1 µM) suppressed I(Kr) in canine ventricular cells. This inhibition developed rapidly, suggesting a direct drug-channel interaction. In HEK cells heterologously expressing hERG channels, chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I blocked hERG current in a concentration-dependent manner, having EC(50) values of 0.11 ± 0.01 and 0.76 ± 0.04 µM, respectively. Both chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I strongly modified gating kinetics of hERG--voltage dependence of activation was shifted towards more negative voltages and activation was accelerated. Deactivation was slowed by bisindolylmaleimide I but not by chelerythrine. I(Ks) was not significantly altered by bisindolylmaleimide I and chelerythrine. No significant effect of 0.1 µM bisindolylmaleimide I or 0.1 µM PMA (PKC activator) was observed on I(Kr) arguing against significant contribution of PKC to regulation of I(Kr). It is concluded that neither chelerythrine nor bisindolylmaleimide I is suitable for selective PKC blockade due to their direct blocking actions on the hERG channel.

ATP/UTP activate cation-permeable channels with TRPC3/7 properties in rat cardiomyocytes.

Extracellular purines and pyrimidines have major effects on cardiac rhythm and contraction. ATP/UTP are released during various physiopathological conditions, such as ischemia, and despite degradation by ectonucleotidases, their interstitial concentrations can markedly increase, a fact that is clearly associated with arrhythmia. In the present whole cell patch-clamp analysis on ventricular cardiomyocytes isolated from various mammalian species, ATP and UTP elicited a sustained, nonselective cationic current, I(ATP). UDP was ineffective, whereas 2'(3')-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)-ATP was active, suggesting that P2Y(2) receptors are involved. I(ATP) resulted from the binding of ATP(4-) to P2Y(2) purinoceptors. I(ATP) was maintained after ATP removal in the presence of guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and was inhibited by U-73122, a PLC inhibitor. Single-channel openings are rather infrequent under basal conditions. ATP markedly increased opening probability, an effect prevented by U-73122. Two main conductance levels of 14 and 23 pS were easily distinguished. Similarly, in fura-2-loaded cardiomyocytes, Mn(2+) quenching and Ba(2+) influx were significant only in the presence of ATP or UTP. Adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes expressed transient receptor potential channel TRPC1, -3, -4, and -7 mRNA and the TRPC3 and TRPC7 proteins that coimmunoprecipitated. Finally, the anti-TRPC3 antibody added to the patch pipette solution inhibited I(ATP). In conclusion, activation of P2Y(2) receptors, via a G protein and stimulation of PLCbeta, induces the opening of heteromeric TRPC3/7 channels, leading to a sustained, nonspecific cationic current. Such a depolarizing current could induce cell automaticity and trigger the arrhythmic events during an early infarct when ATP/UTP release occurs. These results emphasize a new, potentially deleterious role of TRPC channel activation.

Asymmetrical distribution of ion channels in canine and human left-ventricular wall: epicardium versus midmyocardium.

The aim of the present study was to compare the distribution of ion currents and the major underlying ion channel proteins in canine and human subepicardial (EPI) and midmyocardial (MID) left-ventricular muscle. Ion currents and action potentials were recorded from canine cardiomyocytes derived from the very superficial EPI and central MID regions of the left ventricle. Amplitude, duration and the maximum velocity of depolarization of the action potential were significantly greater in MID than EPI myocytes, whereas phase-1 repolarization was more pronounced in the EPI cells. Amplitudes of the transient outwards K+ current (29.5+/-1.5 vs. 19.0+/-2.3 pA/pF at +50 mV) and the slow component of the delayed rectifier K+ current (10.3+/-2.3 vs. 6.5+/-1.0 pA/pF at +50 mV) were significantly larger in EPI than in MID myocytes under whole-cell voltage-clamp conditions. The densities of the inwards rectifier K+ current, rapid delayed rectifier K+ current and L-type Ca2+ current were similar in both cell types. Expression of channel proteins in both canine and human ventricular myocardium was determined by Western blotting. In the canine heart, the expression of Kv4.3, Kv1.4, KChIP2 and KvLQT1 was significantly higher, and that of Nav1.5 and MinK much lower, in EPI than in MID. No significant EPI-MID differences were observed in the expression of the other channel proteins studied (Kir2.1, alpha1C, HERG and MiRP1). Similar results were obtained in human hearts, although the HERG was more abundant in the EPI than in the MID layer. In the canine heart, the EPI-MID differences in ion current densities were proportional to differences in channel protein expression. Except for the density of HERG, the pattern of EPI-MID distribution of ion-channel proteins was identical in canine and human ventricles.