Inhibition of intercellular coupling stabilizes spiral-wave reentry, whereas enhancement of the coupling destabilizes the reentry in favor of early termination.

Spiral-wave (SW) reentry is a major organizing principle of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF). We tested a hypothesis that pharmacological modification of gap junction (GJ) conductance affects the stability of SW reentry in a two-dimensional (2D) epicardial ventricular muscle layer prepared by endocardial cryoablation of Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts. Action potential signals were recorded and analyzed by high-resolution optical mapping. Carbenoxolone (CBX; 30 µM) and rotigaptide (RG, 0.1 µM) were used to inhibit and enhance GJ coupling, respectively. CBX decreased the space constant (λ) by 36%, whereas RG increased it by 22-24% (n = 5; P < 0.01). During centrifugal propagation, there was a linear relationship between the wavefront curvature (κ) and local conduction velocity (LCV): LCV = LCV(0) - D·κ (D, diffusion coefficient; LCV(0), LCV at κ = 0). CBX decreased LCV(0) and D by 27 ± 3 and 57 ± 3%, respectively (n = 5; P < 0.01). RG increased LCV(0) and D by 18 ± 3 and 54 ± 5%, respectively (n = 5, P < 0.01). The regression lines with and without RG crossed, resulting in a paradoxical decrease of LCV with RG at κ > ~60 cm(-1). SW reentry induced after CBX was stable, and the incidence of sustained VTs (>30 s) increased from 38 ± 4 to 85 ± 4% after CBX (n = 18; P < 0.01). SW reentry induced after RG was characterized by decremental conduction near the rotation center, prominent drift and self-termination by collision with the anatomical boundaries, and the incidence of sustained VTs decreased from 40 ± 5 to 17 ± 6% after RG (n = 13; P < 0.05). These results suggest that decreased intercellular coupling stabilizes SW reentry in 2D cardiac muscle, whereas increased coupling facilitates its early self-termination.

Pharmacological blockade of IKs destabilizes spiral-wave reentry under ß-adrenergic stimulation in favor of its early termination.

We tested a hypothesis that an enhancement of I(Ks) may play a pivotal role in ventricular proarrhythmia under high sympathetic activity. A 2-dimensional ventricular muscle layer was prepared in rabbit hearts, and action potential signals were analyzed by optical mapping. During constant stimulation, isoproterenol (ISP, 0.1 µM) significantly shortened action potential duration (APD); chromanol 293B (30 µM), a selective I(Ks)-blocker, reversed the APD shortening. VTs induced in the presence of ISP lasted longer than in the control, and this was reversed by 293B. E-4031 (0.1 µM), a selective I(Kr)-blocker, did not cause such reversal. Spiral-wave (SW) reentry with ISP was characterized by more stable rotation around a shorter functional block line (FBL) than in the control. After application of 293B, SW reentry was destabilized, and rotation around a longer FBL with prominent drift reappeared. The APD abbreviation by ISP close to the rotation center was more pronounced than in the periphery, leading to an opposite APD gradient (center < periphery) compared with controls. This effect was also reversed by 293B. In conclusion, ß-adrenergic stimulation stabilizes SW reentry most likely though an enhancement of I(Ks). Blockade of I(Ks) may be a promising therapeutic modality in prevention of ventricular tachyarrhythmias under high sympathetic activity.

Bepridil facilitates early termination of spiral-wave reentry in two-dimensional cardiac muscle through an increase of intercellular electrical coupling.

Bepridil is effective for conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm and in the treatment of drug-refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias. We investigated the effects of bepridil on electrophysiological properties and spiral-wave (SW) reentry in a 2-dimensional ventricular muscle layer of isolated rabbit hearts by optical mapping. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) induced in the presence of bepridil (1 µM) terminated earlier than in the control. Bepridil increased action potential duration (APD) by 5% - 8% under constant pacing and significantly increased the space constant. There was a linear relationship between the wavefront curvature (κ) and local conduction velocity: LCV = LCV0 - D·κ (D, diffusion coefficient; LCV0, LCV at κ = 0). Bepridil significantly increased D and LCV0. The regression lines with and without bepridil crossed at κ = 20 - 40 cm⁻¹, resulting in a paradoxical decrease of LCV at κ > 40 cm⁻¹. Dye transfer assay in cultured rat cardiomyocytes confirmed that bepridil increased intercellular coupling. SW reentry in the presence of bepridil was characterized by decremental conduction near the rotation center, prominent drift, and self-termination by collision with boundaries. These results indicate that bepridil causes an increase of intercellular coupling and a moderate APD prolongation, and this combination compromises wavefront propagation near the rotation center of SW reentry, leading to its drift and early termination.

Atrial selectivity in Na+channel blockade by acute amiodarone.

AIMS: Na(+) channel blockers are often used to treat atrial fibrillation (AF), but may sometimes cause ventricular contractile dysfunction. However, amiodarone, a multi-channel blocker with Na(+) channel block, causes less contractile dysfunction. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Na(+) channel block by amiodarone is selective in atrial myocytes (AM) compared with ventricular myocytes (VM). METHODS AND RESULTS: Na(+) currents (INa) were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp technique in isolated rabbit AM and VM. Amiodarone inhibited INa in AM (IC50: 1.8 ± 1.1 µM; n = 8) much more than in VM (40.4 ± 11.9 µM; n = 7, P < 0.01). Amiodarone at 10 µM shifted the steady-state inactivation relationship in AM (-16.2 ± 1.7 mV shift, n = 12) compared with VM (-5.9 ± 0.7 mV shift; n = 13; P < 0.01). For mexiletine, the inhibition of INa and inactivation curve shifts were comparable for AM and VM. The effects of amiodarone and mexiletine on conduction velocity (CV) in Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were evaluated using an optical mapping system. The decrease of CV by 3 µM amiodarone was significantly larger in the atrium (-18.9 ± 3.8% change; n = 5) compared with the ventricle (-3.7 ± 3.7%; n = 5; P < 0.01). In contrast, mexiletine reduced CV equally in the atrium and the ventricle. CONCLUSION: Amiodarone preferentially inhibits INa of AM compared with VM. Atrial selective Na(+) channel block by amiodarone may contribute to treating AF with less effect on ventricular contractility than other Na(+) channel blockers.