In-vitro negative chronotropic and inotropic effects of a novel dihydropyridine derivative, CD-832, in the guinea-pig: comparison with calcium-channel antagonists

The cardiac work-loop technique: An in vitro model for identifying and profiling drug-induced changes in inotropy using rat papillary muscles

The cardiac work-loop technique closely mimics the intrinsic in vivo movement and characteristics of cardiac muscle function. In this study, six known inotropes were profiled using the work-loop technique to evaluate the potential of this method to predict inotropy. Papillary muscles from male Sprague-Dawley rats were mounted onto an organ bath perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Following optimisation, work-loop contractions were performed that included an initial stabilisation period followed by vehicle control or drug administration. Six known inotropes were tested: digoxin, dobutamine, isoprenaline, flecainide, verapamil and atenolol. Muscle performance was evaluated by calculating power output during work-loop contraction. Digoxin, dobutamine and isoprenaline caused a significant increase in power output of muscles when compared to vehicle control. Flecainide, verapamil and atenolol significantly reduced power output of muscles. These changes in power output were reflected in alterations in work loop shapes. This is the first study in which changes in work-loop shape detailing for example the activation, shortening or passive re-lengthening have been linked to the mechanism of action of a compound. This study has demonstrated that the work-loop technique can provide an important novel method with which to assess detailed mechanisms of drug-induced effects on cardiac muscle contractility.

Amlodipine reduces AngII-induced aortic aneurysms and atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine effects of amlodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, on development of angiotensin II (AngII)-induced vascular pathologies.

Methods and Results

Male LDL receptor -/- mice were infused with vehicle, amlodipine (5 mg/kg/d), AngII (1,000 ng/kg/min), or AngII + amlodipine for 4 weeks through osmotic pumps (n=10/group). Mice were fed a saturated fat-enriched diet for 1 week prior to pump implantation and during 4 weeks of infusion. Infusion of amlodipine resulted in plasma concentrations of 32 ± 2 ng/ml and 27 ± 2 ng/ml for mice in saline + amlodipine and AngII + amlodipine groups, respectively. This infusion rate of amlodipine did not affect AngII-induced increases in systolic blood pressure. Three of 10 (30%) mice infused with AngII died of aortic rupture, while aortic rupture did not occur in mice co-infused with AngII + amlodipine. Suprarenal aortic width and intimal area of ascending aortas were measured to define aortic aneurysms. In the absence of AngII infusion, amlodipine did not change suprarenal aortic width and ascending aortic area. Infusion of AngII led to profound increases of suprarenal aortic width (saline + vehicle versus AngII + vehicle: 0.86 ± 0.02 versus 1.72 ± 0.26 mm; P=0.0006), whereas co-infusion of AngII and amlodipine diminished abdominal dilation (1.02 ± 0.14 mm; P=0.003). As expected, AngII infusion increased mean intimal area of ascending aortas (saline + vehicle versus AngII + vehicle: 8.5 ± 0.3 versus 12.5 ± 1.1 mm²; P=0.001), while co-infusion of AngII and amlodipine ablated dilation of the ascending aorta (8.6 ± 0.2 mm²; P=0.03). Co-administration of amlodipine also significantly attenuated AngII-induced atherosclerosis in the thoracic region as quantified by percent lesion area (AngII + vehicle versus AngII + amlodipine: 5.8 ± 2.1 % versus 0.3 ± 0.1%; P=0.05).

Conclusions

Amlodipine inhibited AngII-induced aortic aneurysms in both the abdominal and ascending regions, and atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice.

Cardioprotective effect of MCC-135 is associated with inhibition of Ca2+ overload in ischemic/reperfused hearts

Calcium (Ca2+) overload is an important pathophysiological factor in myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury. We investigated the effects of a cardioprotective drug, MCC-135, 5-methyl-2-(1-piperazinyl) benzenesulfonic acid monohydrate, on (1) cardiac contractile dysfunction and Ca2+ overload induced by ischemia and reperfusion, and (2) the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in Langendorff-perfused rat hearts. Low-flow 45-min ischemia and 30-min reperfusion decreased developed tension and increased ventricular Ca2+ content, effects which were ameliorated by MCC-135 and amiloride given after reperfusion. Combination of intracellular Na+ overload induced by monensin (Na+ ionophore; 5 microM) and zero-flow 15-min ischemia followed by 30-min reperfusion resulted in a decrease in developed tension and in the intracellular Na+-dependent increase in ventricular Ca2+ content. MCC-135 and the highest dose of amiloride given after reperfusion reduced the increase in ventricular Ca2+ content, whereas developed tension was increased only with MCC-135. These results suggest that the cardioprotective effect of MCC-135 in ischemia/reperfusion is associated with suppression of Ca2+ overload and is attributable to inhibition of intracellular Na+-dependent Ca2+ influx via the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger.

Modulation of action potential by [Ca2+]i in modeled rat atrial and guinea pig ventricular myocytes

We simulated mechanisms that increase Ca2+ transients with two models: the Luo-Rudy II model for guinea pig (GP) ventricle (GP model) representing long action potential (AP) myocytes and the rat atrial (RA) model exemplifying myocytes with short APs. The interventions were activation of stretch-gated cationic channels, increase of intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i), simulated bet-adrenoceptor stimulation, and Ca2+ accumulation into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). In the RA model, interventions caused an increase of AP duration. In the GP model, AP duration decreased except in the simulated beta-stimulation where it lengthened APs as in the RA model. We conclude that the changes in the APs are significantly contributed by the increase of the Ca2+ transient itself. The AP duration is controlled differently in cardiac myocytes with short and long AP durations. With short APs, an increase of the Ca2+ transient promotes an inward current via Na+/Ca2+-exchanger lengthening the AP. This effect is similar regardless of the mechanism causing the increase of the Ca2+ transient. With long APs the Ca2+ transient increase decreases the AP duration via inactivation of the L-type Ca2+ current. However, L-type current increase (as with beta-stimulation) increases the AP duration despite the simultaneous Ca2+ transient augmentation. The results explain the dispersion of AP changes in myocytes with short and long APs during interventions increasing the Ca2+ transients.