RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Phosphodiesterases (PDE) critically regulate myocardial cAMP and cGMP levels. PDE2 is stimulated by cGMP to hydrolyze cAMP, mediating a negative crosstalk between both pathways. PDE2 upregulation in heart failure contributes to desensitization to ß-adrenergic overstimulation. After isoprenaline (ISO) injections, PDE2 overexpressing mice (PDE2 OE) were protected against ventricular arrhythmia. Here, we investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of PDE2 OE on susceptibility to arrhythmias. METHODS: Cellular arrhythmia, ion currents, and Ca2+-sparks were assessed in ventricular cardiomyocytes from PDE2 OE and WT littermates. RESULTS: Under basal conditions, action potential (AP) morphology were similar in PDE2 OE and WT. ISO stimulation significantly increased the incidence of afterdepolarizations and spontaneous APs in WT, which was markedly reduced in PDE2 OE. The ISO-induced increase in ICaL seen in WT was prevented in PDE2 OE. Moreover, the ISO-induced, Epac- and CaMKII-dependent increase in INaL and Ca2+-spark frequency was blunted in PDE2 OE, while the effect of direct Epac activation was similar in both groups. Finally, PDE2 inhibition facilitated arrhythmic events in ex vivo perfused WT hearts after reperfusion injury. CONCLUSION: Higher PDE2 abundance protects against ISO-induced cardiac arrhythmia by preventing the Epac- and CaMKII-mediated increases of cellular triggers. Thus, activating myocardial PDE2 may represent a novel intracellular anti-arrhythmic therapeutic strategy in HF.
Assuntos
Arritmias Cardíacas/genética , Proteína Quinase Tipo 2 Dependente de Cálcio-Calmodulina/genética , Nucleotídeo Cíclico Fosfodiesterase do Tipo 2/genética , Fatores de Troca do Nucleotídeo Guanina/genética , Potenciais de Ação/efeitos dos fármacos , Potenciais de Ação/genética , Animais , Antiarrítmicos/farmacologia , Arritmias Cardíacas/induzido quimicamente , Arritmias Cardíacas/patologia , Cálcio/metabolismo , AMP Cíclico/genética , GMP Cíclico/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/genética , Coração/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Isoproterenol/toxicidade , Camundongos , Miócitos Cardíacos/efeitos dos fármacos , Miócitos Cardíacos/metabolismoRESUMO
The proprotein convertase subtilisin / kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays an important role in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) metabolism. Subjects harboring loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding for PCSK9 display markedly reduced LDL-C plasma levels. PCSK9 is secreted by the liver, binds to the LDL receptor and, following endocytosis, induces lysosomal degradation of the receptor together with the bound LDL-C. Current PCSK9 inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies that specifically absorb PCSK9. Subsequently, instead of being degraded the receptor can dissociate from LDL-C and recycle, consecutively resulting in an increased hepatocyte LDL receptor density and higher LDL-C clearance. In clinical trials, the PCSK9 inhibitors alirocumab and evolocumab induced reductions in LDL-C of up to 70 % in statin-treated as well as statin-naïve patients. So far, serious side effects (requiring cessation of drug treatment) occurred only in rare cases. Since this new class of lipid lowering drugs promises a high potential benefit, they have been approved by the EMA even before completion of the studies addressing clinically relevant endpoints like cardiovascular events and mortality. Therefore, the expected publication of these study results in 2017 may allow a better assessment of the efficacy and safety of PCSK9 inhibitors.