Role of action potential configuration and the contribution of C²âºa and K⁺ currents to isoprenaline-induced changes in canine ventricular cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although isoprenaline (ISO) is known to activate several ion currents in mammalian myocardium, little is known about the role of action potential morphology in the ISO-induced changes in ion currents. Therefore, the effects of ISO on action potential configuration, L-type Ca²âº current (I(Ca)), slow delayed rectifier K⁺ current (I(Ks)) and fast delayed rectifier K⁺ current (I(Kr)) were studied and compared in a frequency-dependent manner using canine isolated ventricular myocytes from various transmural locations. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Action potentials were recorded with conventional sharp microelectrodes; ion currents were measured using conventional and action potential voltage clamp techniques. KEY RESULTS: In myocytes displaying a spike-and-dome action potential configuration (epicardial and midmyocardial cells), ISO caused reversible shortening of action potentials accompanied by elevation of the plateau. ISO-induced action potential shortening was absent in endocardial cells and in myocytes pretreated with 4-aminopyridine. Application of the I(Kr) blocker E-4031 failed to modify the ISO effect, while action potentials were lengthened by ISO in the presence of the I(Ks) blocker HMR-1556. Both action potential shortening and elevation of the plateau were prevented by pretreatment with the I(Ca) blocker nisoldipine. Action potential voltage clamp experiments revealed a prominent slowly inactivating I(Ca) followed by a rise in I(Ks) , both currents increased with increasing the cycle length. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The effect of ISO in canine ventricular cells depends critically on action potential configuration, and the ISO-induced activation of I(Ks) - but not I(Kr) - may be responsible for the observed shortening of action potentials.

Interaction between Ca(2+) channel blockers and isoproterenol on L-type Ca(2+) current in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes.

AIM: The aim of this work was to study antagonistic interactions between the effects of various types of Ca(2+) channel blockers and isoproterenol on the amplitude of L-type Ca(2+) current in canine ventricular cells. METHODS: Whole-cell version of the patch clamp technique was used to study the effect of isoproterenol on Ca(2+) current in the absence and presence of Ca(2+) channel-blocking agents, including nifedipine, nisoldipine, diltiazem, verapamil, CoCl(2) and MnCl(2) . RESULTS: Five micromolar Nifedipine, 1 µM nisoldipine, 10 µM diltiazem, 5 µM verapamil, 3 mM CoCl(2) and 5 mM MnCl(2) evoked uniformly a 90-95% blockade of Ca(2+) current in the absence of isoproterenol. Isoproterenol (100 nM) alone increased the amplitude of Ca(2+) current from 6.8 ± 1.3 to 23.7 ± 2.2 pA/pF in a reversible manner. Isoproterenol caused a marked enhancement of Ca(2+) current even in the presence of nifedipine, nisoldipine, diltiazem and verapamil, but not in the presence of CoCl(2) or MnCl(2) . CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the action of isoproterenol is different in the presence of organic and inorganic Ca(2+) channel blockers. CoCl(2) and MnCl(2) were able to fully prevent the effect of isoproterenol on Ca(2+) current, while the organic Ca(2+) channel blockers failed to do so. This has to be born in mind when the effects of organic Ca(2+) channel blockers are evaluated either experimentally or clinically under conditions of increased sympathetic tone.

Mechanism of reverse rate-dependent action of cardioactive agents.

Class 3 antiarrhythmic agents exhibit reverse rate-dependent lengthening of the action potential duration (APD), i.e. changes in APD are greater at longer than at shorter cycle lengths. In spite of the several theories developed to explain this reverse rate-dependency, its mechanism has been clarified only recently. The aim of the present study is to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for reverse rate-dependency in mammalian ventricular myocardium. Action potentials were recorded using conventional sharp microelectrodes from human, canine, rabbit, guinea pig, and rat ventricular myocardium in a rate-dependent manner. Rate-dependent drug-effects of various origin were studied using agents known to lengthen or shorten action potentials allowing thus to determine the drug-induced changes in APD as a function of the cycle length. Both drug-induced lengthening and shortening of action potentials displayed reverse rate-dependency in human, canine, and guinea pig preparations, but not in rabbit and rat myocardium. Similar results were obtained when repolarization was modified by injection of inward or outward current pulses in isolated canine cardiomyocytes. In contrast to reverse rate-dependence, drug-induced changes in APD well correlated with baseline APD values (i.e. that measured before the superfusion of drug or injection of current) in all of the preparations studied. Since the net membrane current (I(net)), determined from the action potential waveform at the middle of the plateau, was inversely proportional to APD, and consequently to cycle length, it is concluded that that reverse rate-dependency may simply reflect the inverse relationship linking I(net) to APD. In summary, reverse rate-dependency is an intrinsic property of drug action in the hearts of species showing positive APD - cycle length relationship, including humans. This implies that development of a pure K(+) channel blocking agent without reverse rate-dependent effects is not likely to be successful.

Effects of rosiglitazone on the configuration of action potentials and ion currents in canine ventricular cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In spite of its widespread clinical application, there is little information on the cellular cardiac effects of the antidiabetic drug rosiglitazone in larger experimental animals. In the present study therefore concentration-dependent effects of rosiglitazone on action potential morphology and the underlying ion currents were studied in dog hearts. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Standard microelectrode techniques, conventional whole cell patch clamp and action potential voltage clamp techniques were applied in enzymatically dispersed ventricular cells from dog hearts. KEY RESULTS: At concentrations ≥10 µM rosiglitazone decreased the amplitude of phase-1 repolarization, reduced the maximum velocity of depolarization and caused depression of the plateau potential. These effects developed rapidly and were readily reversible upon washout. Rosiglitazone suppressed several transmembrane ion currents, concentration-dependently, under conventional voltage clamp conditions and altered their kinetic properties. The EC(50) value for this inhibition was 25.2 ± 2.7 µM for the transient outward K(+) current (I(to)), 72.3 ± 9.3 µM for the rapid delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Kr)) and 82.5 ± 9.4 µM for the L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca) ) with Hill coefficients close to unity. The inward rectifier K(+) current (I(K1)) was not affected by rosiglitazone up to concentrations of 100 µM. Suppression of I(to), I(Kr), and I(Ca) was confirmed also under action potential voltage clamp conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Alterations in the densities and kinetic properties of ion currents may carry serious pro-arrhythmic risk in case of overdose with rosiglitazone, especially in patients having multiple cardiovascular risk factors, like elderly diabetic patients.

Effects of ß-adrenoceptor stimulation on delayed rectifier K(+) currents in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: While the slow delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Ks)) is known to be enhanced by the stimulation of ß-adrenoceptors in several mammalian species, phosphorylation-dependent regulation of the rapid delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Kr)) is controversial. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: In the present study, therefore, the effect of isoprenaline (ISO), activators and inhibitors of the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway on I(Kr) and I(Ks) was studied in canine ventricular myocytes using the whole cell patch clamp technique. KEY RESULTS: I (Kr) was significantly increased (by 30-50%) following superfusion with ISO, forskolin or intracellular application of PKA activator cAMP analogues (cAMP, 8-Br-cAMP, 6-Bnz-cAMP). Inhibition of PKA by Rp-8-Br-cAMP had no effect on baseline I(Kr). The stimulating effect of ISO on I(Kr) was completely inhibited by selective ß1-adrenoceptor antagonists (metoprolol and CGP-20712A), by the PKA inhibitor Rp-8-Br-cAMP and by the PKA activator cAMP analogues, but not by the EPAC activator 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP. In comparison, I(Ks) was increased threefold by the activation of PKA (by ISO or 8-Br-cAMP), and strongly reduced by the PKA inhibitor Rp-8-Br-cAMP. The ISO-induced enhancement of I(Ks) was decreased by Rp-8-Br-cAMP and completely inhibited by 8-Br-cAMP. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results indicate that the stimulation of ß1-adrenoceptors increases I(Kr), similar to I(Ks), via the activation of PKA in canine ventricular cells.