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Lei M, Salvage SC, Jackson AP, Huang CLH. Cardiac arrhythmogenesis: roles of ion channels and their functional modification. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1342761. [PMID: 38505707 PMCID: PMC10949183 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1342761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias cause significant morbidity and mortality and pose a major public health problem. They arise from disruptions in the normally orderly propagation of cardiac electrophysiological activation and recovery through successive cardiomyocytes in the heart. They reflect abnormalities in automaticity, initiation, conduction, or recovery in cardiomyocyte excitation. The latter properties are dependent on surface membrane electrophysiological mechanisms underlying the cardiac action potential. Their disruption results from spatial or temporal instabilities and heterogeneities in the generation and propagation of cellular excitation. These arise from abnormal function in their underlying surface membrane, ion channels, and transporters, as well as the interactions between them. The latter, in turn, form common regulatory targets for the hierarchical network of diverse signaling mechanisms reviewed here. In addition to direct molecular-level pharmacological or physiological actions on these surface membrane biomolecules, accessory, adhesion, signal transduction, and cytoskeletal anchoring proteins modify both their properties and localization. At the cellular level of excitation-contraction coupling processes, Ca2+ homeostatic and phosphorylation processes affect channel activity and membrane excitability directly or through intermediate signaling. Systems-level autonomic cellular signaling exerts both acute channel and longer-term actions on channel expression. Further upstream intermediaries from metabolic changes modulate the channels both themselves and through modifying Ca2+ homeostasis. Finally, longer-term organ-level inflammatory and structural changes, such as fibrotic and hypertrophic remodeling, similarly can influence all these physiological processes with potential pro-arrhythmic consequences. These normal physiological processes may target either individual or groups of ionic channel species and alter with particular pathological conditions. They are also potentially alterable by direct pharmacological action, or effects on longer-term targets modifying protein or cofactor structure, expression, or localization. Their participating specific biomolecules, often clarified in experimental genetically modified models, thus constitute potential therapeutic targets. The insights clarified by the physiological and pharmacological framework outlined here provide a basis for a recent modernized drug classification. Together, they offer a translational framework for current drug understanding. This would facilitate future mechanistically directed therapeutic advances, for which a number of examples are considered here. The latter are potentially useful for treating cardiac, in particular arrhythmic, disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha C. Salvage
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Antony P. Jackson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L.-H. Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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The complexity of clinically-normal sinus-rhythm ECGs is decreased in equine athletes with a diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6822. [PMID: 32321950 PMCID: PMC7176685 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63343-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine athletes have a pattern of exercise which is analogous to human athletes and the cardiovascular risks in both species are similar. Both species have a propensity for atrial fibrillation (AF), which is challenging to detect by ECG analysis when in paroxysmal form. We hypothesised that the proarrhythmic background present between fibrillation episodes in paroxysmal AF (PAF) might be detectable by complexity analysis of apparently normal sinus-rhythm ECGs. In this retrospective study ECG recordings were obtained during routine clinical work from 82 healthy horses and from 10 horses with a diagnosis of PAF. Artefact-free 60-second strips of normal sinus-rhythm ECGs were converted to binary strings using threshold crossing, beat detection and a novel feature detection parsing algorithm. Complexity of the resulting binary strings was calculated using Lempel-Ziv (‘76 & ‘78) and Titchener complexity estimators. Dependence of Lempel-Ziv ‘76 and Titchener T-complexity on the heart rate in ECG strips obtained at low heart rates (25–60 bpm) and processed by the feature detection method was found to be significantly different in control animals and those diagnosed with PAF. This allows identification of horses with PAF from sinus-rhythm ECGs with high accuracy.
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3
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Quinidine Rebooted. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019; 5:383-386. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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4
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Ni H, Zhang H, Grandi E, Narayan SM, Giles WR. Transient outward K + current can strongly modulate action potential duration and initiate alternans in the human atrium. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2019; 316:H527-H542. [PMID: 30576220 PMCID: PMC6415821 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00251.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Efforts to identify the mechanisms for the initiation and maintenance of human atrial fibrillation (AF) often focus on changes in specific elements of the atrial "substrate," i.e., its electrophysiological properties and/or structural components. We used experimentally validated mathematical models of the human atrial myocyte action potential (AP), both at baseline in sinus rhythm (SR) and in the setting of chronic AF, to identify significant contributions of the Ca2+-independent transient outward K+ current ( Ito) to electrophysiological instability and arrhythmia initiation. First, we explored whether changes in the recovery or restitution of the AP duration (APD) and/or its dynamic stability (alternans) can be modulated by Ito. Recent reports have identified disease-dependent spatial differences in expression levels of the specific K+ channel α-subunits that underlie Ito in the left atrium. Therefore, we studied the functional consequences of this by deletion of 50% of native Ito (Kv4.3) and its replacement with Kv1.4. Interestingly, significant changes in the short-term stability of the human atrial AP waveform were revealed. Specifically, this K+ channel isoform switch produced discontinuities in the initial slope of the APD restitution curve and appearance of APD alternans. This pattern of in silico results resembles some of the changes observed in high-resolution clinical electrophysiological recordings. Important insights into mechanisms for these changes emerged from known biophysical properties (reactivation kinetics) of Kv1.4 versus those of Kv4.3. These results suggest new approaches for pharmacological management of AF, based on molecular properties of specific K+ isoforms and their changed expression during progressive disease. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Clinical studies identify oscillations (alternans) in action potential (AP) duration as a predictor for atrial fibrillation (AF). The abbreviated AP in AF also involves changes in K+ currents and early repolarization of the AP. Our simulations illustrate how substitution of Kv1.4 for the native current, Kv4.3, alters the AP waveform and enhances alternans. Knowledge of this "isoform switch" and related dynamics in the AF substrate may guide new approaches for detection and management of AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Ni
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California , Davis, California
| | - Henggui Zhang
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom
| | - Eleonora Grandi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California , Davis, California
| | - Sanjiv M Narayan
- Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University , Stanford, California
| | - Wayne R Giles
- Faculties of Kinesiology and Medicine, University of Calgary , Calgary, Alberta , Canada
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5
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Alexeenko V, Fraser JA, Dolgoborodov A, Bowen M, Huang CLH, Marr CM, Jeevaratnam K. The application of Lempel-Ziv and Titchener complexity analysis for equine telemetric electrocardiographic recordings. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2619. [PMID: 30796330 PMCID: PMC6385502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38935-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of equine electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings is complicated by the absence of agreed abnormality classification criteria. We explore the applicability of several complexity analysis methods for characterization of non-linear aspects of electrocardiographic recordings. We here show that complexity estimates provided by Lempel-Ziv ’76, Titchener’s T-complexity and Lempel-Ziv ’78 analysis of ECG recordings of healthy Thoroughbred horses are highly dependent on the duration of analysed ECG fragments and the heart rate. The results provide a methodological basis and a feasible reference point for the complexity analysis of equine telemetric ECG recordings that might be applied to automate detection of equine arrhythmias in equine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Alexeenko
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7AL, United Kingdom.,Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - James A Fraser
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Mark Bowen
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom.,Division of Cardiovascular Biology, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Celia M Marr
- Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Exning, CB8 7NN, Suffolk, United Kingdom
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7AL, United Kingdom. .,Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, United Kingdom.
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6
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Ni H, Rajamani S, Giles WR. Novel regulation of the mammalian cardiac Na + channel by dipeptidyl peptidase 10 interactions: An editorial comment. Int J Cardiol 2019; 284:74-76. [PMID: 30827732 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H Ni
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - S Rajamani
- Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - W R Giles
- Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
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7
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Wang W, Zhang S, Ni H, Garratt CJ, Boyett MR, Hancox JC, Zhang H. Mechanistic insight into spontaneous transition from cellular alternans to arrhythmia-A simulation study. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006594. [PMID: 30500818 PMCID: PMC6291170 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac electrical alternans (CEA), manifested as T-wave alternans in ECG, is a clinical biomarker for predicting cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. However, the mechanism underlying the spontaneous transition from CEA to arrhythmias remains incompletely elucidated. In this study, multiscale rabbit ventricular models were used to study the transition and a potential role of INa in perpetuating such a transition. It was shown CEA evolved into either concordant or discordant action potential (AP) conduction alternans in a homogeneous one-dimensional tissue model, depending on tissue AP duration and conduction velocity (CV) restitution properties. Discordant alternans was able to cause conduction failure in the model, which was promoted by impaired sodium channel with either a reduced or increased channel current. In a two-dimensional homogeneous tissue model, a combined effect of rate- and curvature-dependent CV broke-up alternating wavefronts at localised points, facilitating a spontaneous transition from CEA to re-entry. Tissue inhomogeneity or anisotropy further promoted break-up of re-entry, leading to multiple wavelets. Similar observations have also been seen in human atrial cellular and tissue models. In conclusion, our results identify a mechanism by which CEA spontaneously evolves into re-entry without a requirement for premature ventricular complexes or pre-existing tissue heterogeneities, and demonstrated the important pro-arrhythmic role of impaired sodium channel activity. These findings are model-independent and have potential human relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Shanzhuo Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Haibo Ni
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Clifford J. Garratt
- Manchester Heart Centre, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mark R. Boyett
- Manchester Heart Centre, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jules C. Hancox
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, and Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Henggui Zhang
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Space Institute of Southern China, Shenzhen, China
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Li M, Chadda KR, Matthews GDK, Marr CM, Huang CLH, Jeevaratnam K. Cardiac electrophysiological adaptations in the equine athlete-Restitution analysis of electrocardiographic features. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29522557 PMCID: PMC5844547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercising horses uniquely accommodate 7–8-fold increases in heart rate (HR). The present experiments for the first time analysed the related adaptations in action potential (AP) restitution properties recorded by in vivo telemetric electrocardiography from Thoroughbred horses. The horses were subjected to a period of acceleration from walk to canter. The QRS durations, and QT and TQ intervals yielded AP conduction velocities, AP durations (APDs) and diastolic intervals respectively. From these, indices of active, λ = QT/(QRS duration), and resting, λ0 = TQ/(QRS duration), AP wavelengths were calculated. Critical values of QT and TQ intervals, and of λ and λ0 at which plots of these respective pairs of functions showed unity slope, were obtained. These were reduced by 38.9±2.7% and 86.2±1.8%, and 34.1±3.3% and 85.9±1.2%, relative to their resting values respectively. The changes in λ were attributable to falls in QT interval rather than QRS duration. These findings both suggested large differences between the corresponding critical (129.1±10.8 or 117.4±5.6 bpm respectively) and baseline HRs (32.9±2.1 (n = 7) bpm). These restitution analyses thus separately identified concordant parameters whose adaptations ensure the wide range of HRs over which electrophysiological activation takes place in an absence of heart block or arrhythmias in equine hearts. Since the horse is amenable to this in vivo electrophysiological analysis and displays a unique wide range of heart rates, it could be a novel cardiac electrophysiology animal model for the study of sudden cardiac death in human athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengye Li
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Karan R. Chadda
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Celia M. Marr
- Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Exning, Suffolk, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L.-H. Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Division of Cardiovascular Biology, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Valli H, Ahmad S, Fraser JA, Jeevaratnam K, Huang CLH. Pro-arrhythmic atrial phenotypes in incrementally paced murine Pgc1β -/- hearts: effects of age. Exp Physiol 2017; 102:1619-1634. [PMID: 28960529 PMCID: PMC5725712 DOI: 10.1113/ep086589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
New Findings What is the central question of this study? Can we experimentally replicate atrial pro‐arrhythmic phenotypes associated with important chronic clinical conditions, including physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, compromising mitochondrial function, and clarify their electrophysiological basis? What is the main finding and its importance? Electrocardiographic and intracellular cardiomyocyte recording at progressively incremented pacing rates demonstrated age‐dependent atrial arrhythmic phenotypes in Langendorff‐perfused murine Pgc1β−/− hearts for the first time. We attributed these to compromised action potential conduction and excitation wavefronts, whilst excluding alterations in recovery properties or temporal electrophysiological instabilities, clarifying these pro‐arrhythmic changes in chronic metabolic disease.
Atrial arrhythmias, most commonly manifesting as atrial fibrillation, represent a major clinical problem. The incidence of atrial fibrillation increases with both age and conditions associated with energetic dysfunction. Atrial arrhythmic phenotypes were compared in young (12–16 week) and aged (>52 week) wild‐type (WT) and peroxisome proliferative activated receptor, gamma, coactivator 1 beta (Ppargc1b)‐deficient (Pgc1β−/−) Langendorff‐perfused hearts, previously used to model mitochondrial energetic disorder. Electrophysiological explorations were performed using simultaneous whole‐heart ECG and intracellular atrial action potential (AP) recordings. Two stimulation protocols were used: an S1S2 protocol, which imposed extrasystolic stimuli at successively decremented intervals following regular pulse trains; and a regular pacing protocol at successively incremented frequencies. Aged Pgc1β−/− hearts showed greater atrial arrhythmogenicity, presenting as atrial tachycardia and ectopic activity. Maximal rates of AP depolarization (dV/dtmax) were reduced in Pgc1β−/− hearts. Action potential latencies were increased by the Pgc1β−/− genotype, with an added interactive effect of age. In contrast, AP durations to 90% recovery (APD90) were shorter in Pgc1β−/− hearts despite similar atrial effective recovery periods amongst the different groups. These findings accompanied paradoxical decreases in the incidence and duration of alternans in the aged and Pgc1β−/− hearts. Limiting slopes of restitution curves of APD90 against diastolic interval were correspondingly reduced interactively by Pgc1β−/− genotype and age. In contrast, reduced AP wavelengths were associated with Pgc1β−/− genotype, both independently and interacting with age, through the basic cycle lengths explored, with the aged Pgc1β−/− hearts showing the shortest wavelengths. These findings thus implicate AP wavelength in possible mechanisms for the atrial arrhythmic changes reported here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haseeb Valli
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shiraz Ahmad
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James A Fraser
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,PU-RCSI School of Medicine, Perdana University, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Valli H, Ahmad S, Chadda KR, Al-Hadithi ABAK, Grace AA, Jeevaratnam K, Huang CLH. Age-dependent atrial arrhythmic phenotype secondary to mitochondrial dysfunction in Pgc-1β deficient murine hearts. Mech Ageing Dev 2017; 167:30-45. [PMID: 28919427 PMCID: PMC5652526 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ageing and several age-related chronic conditions including obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and represent independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF). MATERIALS AND METHODS Atrial arrhythmogenesis was investigated in Langendorff-perfused young (3-4 month) and aged (>12 month), wild type (WT) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ coactivator-1β deficient (Pgc-1β-/-) murine hearts modeling age-dependent chronic mitochondrial dysfunction during regular pacing and programmed electrical stimulation (PES). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The Pgc-1β-/- genotype was associated with a pro-arrhythmic phenotype progressing with age. Young and aged Pgc-1β-/- hearts showed compromised maximum action potential (AP) depolarization rates, (dV/dt)max, prolonged AP latencies reflecting slowed action potential (AP) conduction, similar effective refractory periods and baseline action potential durations (APD90) but shortened APD90 in APs in response to extrasystolic stimuli at short stimulation intervals. Electrical properties of APs triggering arrhythmia were similar in WT and Pgc-1β-/- hearts. Pgc-1β-/- hearts showed accelerated age-dependent fibrotic change relative to WT, with young Pgc-1β-/- hearts displaying similar fibrotic change as aged WT, and aged Pgc-1β-/- hearts the greatest fibrotic change. Mitochondrial deficits thus result in an arrhythmic substrate, through slowed AP conduction and altered repolarisation characteristics, arising from alterations in electrophysiological properties and accelerated structural change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haseeb Valli
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
| | - Shiraz Ahmad
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
| | - Karan R Chadda
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7AL, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Ali B A K Al-Hadithi
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew A Grace
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7AL, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom; PU-RCSI School of Medicine, Perdana University, 43400, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, United Kingdom; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom.
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Ahmad S, Valli H, Edling CE, Grace AA, Jeevaratnam K, Huang CLH. Effects of ageing on pro-arrhythmic ventricular phenotypes in incrementally paced murine Pgc-1β -/- hearts. Pflugers Arch 2017; 469:1579-1590. [PMID: 28821956 PMCID: PMC5691113 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-017-2054-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A range of chronic clinical conditions accompany cardiomyocyte energetic dysfunction and constitute independent risk factors for cardiac arrhythmia. We investigated pro-arrhythmic and arrhythmic phenotypes in energetically deficient C57BL mice with genetic ablation of the mitochondrial promoter peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1β (Pgc-1β), a known model of ventricular arrhythmia. Pro-arrhythmic and cellular action potential (AP) characteristics were compared in intact Langendorff-perfused hearts from young (12–16 week) and aged (> 52 week), wild-type (WT) and Pgc-1β−/− mice. Simultaneous electrocardiographic and intracellular microelectrode recordings were made through successive trains of 100 regular stimuli at progressively incremented heart rates. Aged Pgc-1β−/− hearts displayed an increased incidence of arrhythmia compared to other groups. Young and aged Pgc-1β−/− hearts showed higher incidences of alternans in both AP activation (maximum AP upshoot velocity (dV/dt)max and latency), recovery (action potential duration (APD90) and resting membrane potential (RMP) characteristics compared to WT hearts. This was particularly apparent at lower pacing frequencies. These findings accompanied reduced (dV/dt)max and increased AP latency values in the Pgc-1β−/− hearts. APs observed prior to termination of the protocol showed lower (dV/dt)max and longer AP latencies, but indistinguishable APD90 and RMPs in arrhythmic compared to those in non-arrhythmic hearts. APD restitution analysis showed that Pgc-1β−/− and WT hearts showed similar limiting gradients. However, Pgc-1β−/− hearts had shortened plateau AP wavelengths, particularly in aged Pgc-1β−/− hearts. Pgc-1β−/− hearts therefore show pro-arrhythmic instabilities attributable to altered AP conduction and activation rather than recovery characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiraz Ahmad
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.
| | - Haseeb Valli
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Charlotte E Edling
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7AL, UK
| | - Andrew A Grace
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7AL, UK
- PU-RCSI School of Medicine, Perdana University, 43400, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK.
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Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias can follow disruption of the normal cellular electrophysiological processes underlying excitable activity and their tissue propagation as coherent wavefronts from the primary sinoatrial node pacemaker, through the atria, conducting structures and ventricular myocardium. These physiological events are driven by interacting, voltage-dependent, processes of activation, inactivation, and recovery in the ion channels present in cardiomyocyte membranes. Generation and conduction of these events are further modulated by intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, and metabolic and structural change. This review describes experimental studies on murine models for known clinical arrhythmic conditions in which these mechanisms were modified by genetic, physiological, or pharmacological manipulation. These exemplars yielded molecular, physiological, and structural phenotypes often directly translatable to their corresponding clinical conditions, which could be investigated at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and whole animal levels. Arrhythmogenesis could be explored during normal pacing activity, regular stimulation, following imposed extra-stimuli, or during progressively incremented steady pacing frequencies. Arrhythmic substrate was identified with temporal and spatial functional heterogeneities predisposing to reentrant excitation phenomena. These could arise from abnormalities in cardiac pacing function, tissue electrical connectivity, and cellular excitation and recovery. Triggering events during or following recovery from action potential excitation could thereby lead to sustained arrhythmia. These surface membrane processes were modified by alterations in cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and energetics, as well as cellular and tissue structural change. Study of murine systems thus offers major insights into both our understanding of normal cardiac activity and its propagation, and their relationship to mechanisms generating clinical arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory and the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Tse G, Liu T, Li KHC, Laxton V, Chan YWF, Keung W, Li RA, Yan BP. Electrophysiological Mechanisms of Brugada Syndrome: Insights from Pre-clinical and Clinical Studies. Front Physiol 2016; 7:467. [PMID: 27803673 PMCID: PMC5067537 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Brugada syndrome (BrS), is a primary electrical disorder predisposing affected individuals to sudden cardiac death via the development of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation (VT/VF). Originally, BrS was linked to mutations in the SCN5A, which encodes for the cardiac Na+ channel. To date, variants in 19 genes have been implicated in this condition, with 11, 5, 3, and 1 genes affecting the Na+, K+, Ca2+, and funny currents, respectively. Diagnosis of BrS is based on ECG criteria of coved- or saddle-shaped ST segment elevation and/or T-wave inversion with or without drug challenge. Three hypotheses based on abnormal depolarization, abnormal repolarization, and current-load-mismatch have been put forward to explain the electrophysiological mechanisms responsible for BrS. Evidence from computational modeling, pre-clinical, and clinical studies illustrates that molecular abnormalities found in BrS lead to alterations in excitation wavelength (λ), which ultimately elevates arrhythmic risk. A major challenge for clinicians in managing this condition is the difficulty in predicting the subset of patients who will suffer from life-threatening VT/VF. Several repolarization risk markers have been used thus far, but these neglect the contributions of conduction abnormalities in the form of slowing and dispersion. Indices incorporating both repolarization and conduction and based on the concept of λ have recently been proposed. These may have better predictive values than the existing markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Tse
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tong Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic-Molecular Function of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Ka H. C. Li
- Faculty of Medicine, Newcastle UniversityNewcastle, UK
| | - Victoria Laxton
- Intensive Care Department, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS TrustLondon, UK
| | - Yin W. F. Chan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Wendy Keung
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Consortium, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Ronald A. Li
- Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Karolinska InstitutetSolna, Sweden
| | - Bryan P. Yan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityMelbourne, VIC, Australia
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Ning F, Luo L, Ahmad S, Valli H, Jeevaratnam K, Wang T, Guzadhur L, Yang D, Fraser JA, Huang CLH, Ma A, Salvage SC. The RyR2-P2328S mutation downregulates Nav1.5 producing arrhythmic substrate in murine ventricles. Pflugers Arch 2015; 468:655-65. [PMID: 26545784 PMCID: PMC4792352 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-015-1750-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) predisposes to ventricular arrhythmia due to altered Ca2+ homeostasis and can arise from ryanodine receptor (RyR2) mutations including RyR2-P2328S. Previous reports established that homozygotic murine RyR2-P2328S (RyR2S/S) hearts show an atrial arrhythmic phenotype associated with reduced action potential (AP) conduction velocity and sodium channel (Nav1.5) expression. We now relate ventricular arrhythmogenicity and slowed AP conduction in RyR2S/S hearts to connexin-43 (Cx43) and Nav1.5 expression and Na+ current (INa). Stimulation protocols applying extrasystolic S2 stimulation following 8 Hz S1 pacing at progressively decremented S1S2 intervals confirmed an arrhythmic tendency despite unchanged ventricular effective refractory periods (VERPs) in Langendorff-perfused RyR2S/S hearts. Dynamic pacing imposing S1 stimuli then demonstrated that progressive reductions of basic cycle lengths (BCLs) produced greater reductions in conduction velocity at equivalent BCLs and diastolic intervals in RyR2S/S than WT, but comparable changes in AP durations (APD90) and their alternans. Western blot analyses demonstrated that Cx43 protein expression in whole ventricles was similar, but Nav1.5 expression in both whole tissue and membrane fractions were significantly reduced in RyR2S/S compared to wild-type (WT). Loose patch-clamp studies similarly demonstrated reduced INa in RyR2S/S ventricles. We thus attribute arrhythmogenesis in RyR2S/S ventricles resulting from arrhythmic substrate produced by reduced conduction velocity to downregulated Nav1.5 reducing INa, despite normal determinants of repolarization and passive conduction. The measured changes were quantitatively compatible with earlier predictions of linear relationships between conduction velocity and the peak INa of the AP but nonlinear relationships between peak INa and maximum Na+ permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Ning
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiraz Ahmad
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Haseeb Valli
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Kamalan Jeevaratnam
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Duke of Kent Building, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7TE, UK
- Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Tingzhong Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Laila Guzadhur
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
- Niche Science and Technology, Falstaff House, Bardolph Road, Richmond, UK
| | - Dandan Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, People's Republic of China
| | - James A Fraser
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Aiqun Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
| | - Samantha C Salvage
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.
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15
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Matthews GDK, Guzadhur L, Sabir IN, Grace AA, Huang CLH. Action potential wavelength restitution predicts alternans and arrhythmia in murine Scn5a(+/-) hearts. J Physiol 2013; 591:4167-88. [PMID: 23836691 PMCID: PMC3779110 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.254938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Reductions in cardiac action potential wavelength, and the consequent wavebreak, have been implicated in arrhythmogenesis. Tachyarrhythmias are more common in the Brugada syndrome, particularly following pharmacological challenge, previously modelled using Scn5a+/− murine hearts. Propagation latencies and action potential durations (APDs) from monophasic action potential recordings were used to assess wavelength changes with heart rate in Langendorff-perfused wild-type (WT) and Scn5a+/− hearts. Recordings were obtained from right (RV) and left (LV) ventricular, epicardial and endocardial surfaces during incremental pacing, before and following flecainide or quinidine challenge. Conduction velocities (θ′), action potential wavelengths (λ′= APD ×θ′), and their corresponding alternans depended non-linearly upon diastolic interval (DI). Maximum θ′ was lower in Scn5a+/− RV epicardium than endocardium. Flecainide further reduced θ′, accentuating this RV conduction block. Quinidine reduced maximum θ′ in WT and caused earlier conduction failure in the RV of both Scn5a+/− and WT. Use of recovery wavelengths (λ′0= DI ×θ′) rather than DI, provided novel λ restitution plots of λ′ against λ′0, which sum to a basic cycle distance permitting feedback analysis. λ′ restitution gradient better correlated with alternans magnitude than either APD or θ restitution gradient. The large differences in θ′ and APD restitution contrasted with minor differences in maximum λ′ between epi- and endocardia of untreated hearts, and quinidine-treated WT hearts. Strikingly, all regions and conditions converged to a common instability point, implying a conserved relationship. Flecainide or quinidine decreased the pacing rates at which this occurred, through reducing basic cycle distance, in the Scn5a+/− RV epicardium, directly predictive of its arrhythmic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth D K Matthews
- G. D. K. Matthews: Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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16
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Huang CLH. Andrew Fielding Huxley (1917-2012). J Physiol 2012; 590:3415-20. [PMID: 22855053 PMCID: PMC3547259 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.238923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L-H Huang
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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