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Liang D, Xue Z, Xue J, Xie D, Xiong K, Zhou H, Zhang F, Su X, Wang G, Zou Q, Liu Y, Yang J, Ma H, Peng L, Zeng C, Li G, Wang L, Chen YH. Sinoatrial node pacemaker cells share dominant biological properties with glutamatergic neurons. Protein Cell 2021; 12:545-556. [PMID: 33548033 PMCID: PMC8225718 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-020-00820-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the heart normally begins in the sinoatrial node (SAN). Electrical impulses spontaneously released by SAN pacemaker cells (SANPCs) trigger the contraction of the heart. However, the cellular nature of SANPCs remains controversial. Here, we report that SANPCs exhibit glutamatergic neuron-like properties. By comparing the single-cell transcriptome of SANPCs with that of cells from primary visual cortex in mouse, we found that SANPCs co-clustered with cortical neurons. Tissue and cellular imaging confirmed that SANPCs contained key elements of glutamatergic neurotransmitter system, expressing genes encoding glutamate synthesis pathway (Gls), ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (Grina, Gria3, Grm1 and Grm5), and glutamate transporters (Slc17a7). SANPCs highly expressed cell markers of glutamatergic neurons (Snap25 and Slc17a7), whereas Gad1, a marker of GABAergic neurons, was negative. Functional studies revealed that inhibition of glutamate receptors or transporters reduced spontaneous pacing frequency of isolated SAN tissues and spontaneous Ca2+ transients frequency in single SANPC. Collectively, our work suggests that SANPCs share dominant biological properties with glutamatergic neurons, and the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system may act as an intrinsic regulation module of heart rhythm, which provides a potential intervention target for pacemaker cell-associated arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Liang
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Zhigang Xue
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.,Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200065, China
| | - Jinfeng Xue
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Duanyang Xie
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ke Xiong
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Huixing Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Fulei Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xuling Su
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qicheng Zou
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Honghui Ma
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Luying Peng
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Chunyu Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Neurology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Yi-Han Chen
- Department of Cardiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China. .,Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China. .,Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China. .,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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