Mechanisms by Which Ranolazine Terminates Paroxysmal but Not Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Acute antiarrhythmic effects of SGLT2 inhibitors-dapagliflozin lowers the excitability of atrial cardiomyocytes

In recent years, SGLT2 inhibitors have become an integral part of heart failure therapy, and several mechanisms contributing to cardiorenal protection have been identified. In this study, we place special emphasis on the atria and investigate acute electrophysiological effects of dapagliflozin to assess the antiarrhythmic potential of SGLT2 inhibitors. Direct electrophysiological effects of dapagliflozin were investigated in patch clamp experiments on isolated atrial cardiomyocytes. Acute treatment with elevated-dose dapagliflozin caused a significant reduction of the action potential inducibility, the amplitude and maximum upstroke velocity. The inhibitory effects were reproduced in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, and were more pronounced in atrial compared to ventricular cells. Hypothesizing that dapagliflozin directly affects the depolarization phase of atrial action potentials, we examined fast inward sodium currents in human atrial cardiomyocytes and found a significant decrease of peak sodium current densities by dapagliflozin, accompanied by a moderate inhibition of the transient outward potassium current. Translating these findings into a porcine large animal model, acute elevated-dose dapagliflozin treatment caused an atrial-dominant reduction of myocardial conduction velocity in vivo. This could be utilized for both, acute cardioversion of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episodes and rhythm control of persistent atrial fibrillation. In this study, we show that dapagliflozin alters the excitability of atrial cardiomyocytes by direct inhibition of peak sodium currents. In vivo, dapagliflozin exerts antiarrhythmic effects, revealing a potential new additional role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of atrial arrhythmias.

Panoramic Endocardial Optical Mapping Demonstrates Serial Rotors Acceleration and Increasing Complexity of Activity During Onset of Cholinergic Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Activation during onset of atrial fibrillation is poorly understood. We aimed at developing a panoramic optical mapping system for the atria and test the hypothesis that sequential rotors underlie acceleration of atrial fibrillation during onset.

Methods and Results

Five sheep hearts were Langendorff perfused in the presence of 0.25 µmol/L carbachol. Novel optical system recorded activations simultaneously from the entire left and right atrial endocardial surfaces. Twenty sustained (>40 s) atrial fibrillation episodes were induced by a train and premature stimuli protocol. Movies obtained immediately (Initiation stage) and 30 s (Early Stabilization stage) after premature stimulus were analyzed. Serial rotor formation was observed in all sustained inductions and none in nonsustained inductions. In sustained episodes maximal dominant frequency increased from (mean±SD) 11.5±1.74 Hz during Initiation to 14.79±1.30 Hz at Early Stabilization (P<0.0001) and stabilized thereafter. At rotor sites, mean cycle length (CL) during 10 prerotor activations increased every cycle by 0.53% (P=0.0303) during Initiation and 0.34% (P=0.0003) during Early Stabilization. In contrast, CLs at rotor sites showed abrupt decreases after the rotors appearances by a mean of 9.65% (P<0.0001) during both stages. At Initiation, atria‐wide accelerations and decelerations during rotors showed a net acceleration result whereby post‐rotors atria‐wide minimal CL (CLmin) were 95.5±6.8% of the prerotor CLmin (P=0.0042). In contrast, during Early Stabilization, there was no net acceleration in CLmin during accelerating rotors (prerotor=84.9±11.0% versus postrotor=85.8±10.8% of Initiation, P=0.4029). Levels of rotor drift distance and velocity correlated with atria‐wide acceleration. Nonrotor phase singularity points did not accelerate atria‐wide activation but multiplied during Initiation until Early Stabilization. Increasing number of singularity points, indicating increased complexity, correlated with atria‐wide CLmin reduction (P<0.0001).

Conclusions

Novel panoramic optical mapping of the atria demonstrates shortening CL at rotor sites during cholinergic atrial fibrillation onset. Atrial fibrillation acceleration toward Early Stabilization correlates with the net result of atria‐wide accelerations during drifting rotors activity.

Calcium Signaling Silencing in Atrial Fibrillation: Implications for Atrial Sodium Homeostasis

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, affecting more than 33 million people worldwide. Despite important advances in therapy, AF's incidence remains high, and treatment often results in recurrence of the arrhythmia. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular changes that (1) trigger AF and (2) occur after the onset of AF will help to identify novel therapeutic targets. Over the past 20 years, a large body of research has shown that intracellular Ca2+ handling is dramatically altered in AF. While some of these changes are arrhythmogenic, other changes counteract cellular arrhythmogenic mechanisms (Calcium Signaling Silencing). The intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+])i is a key regulator of intracellular Ca2+ handling in cardiac myocytes. Despite its importance in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ handling, little is known about [Na+]i, its regulation, and how it might be changed in AF. Previous work suggests that there might be increases in the late component of the atrial Na+ current (INa,L) in AF, suggesting that [Na+]i levels might be high in AF. Indeed, a pharmacological blockade of INa,L has been suggested as a treatment for AF. Here, we review calcium signaling silencing and changes in intracellular Na+ homeostasis during AF. We summarize the proposed arrhythmogenic mechanisms associated with increases in INa,L during AF and discuss the evidence from clinical trials that have tested the pharmacological INa,L blocker ranolazine in the treatment of AF.

Modulation of the effects of class Ib antiarrhythmics on cardiac NaV1.5-encoded channels by accessory NaVβ subunits

Native myocardial voltage-gated sodium (Na_V) channels function in macromolecular complexes comprising a pore-forming (α) subunit and multiple accessory proteins. Here, we investigated the impact of accessory Na_Vβ1 and Na_Vβ3 subunits on the functional effects of 2 well-known class Ib antiarrhythmics, lidocaine and ranolazine, on the predominant Na_V channel α subunit, Na_V1.5, expressed in the mammalian heart. We showed that both drugs stabilized the activated conformation of the voltage sensor of domain-III (DIII-VSD) in Na_V1.5. In the presence of Na_Vβ1, the effect of lidocaine on the DIII-VSD was enhanced, whereas the effect of ranolazine was abolished. Mutating the main class Ib drug-binding site, F1760, affected but did not abolish the modulation of drug block by Na_Vβ1/β3. Recordings from adult mouse ventricular myocytes demonstrated that loss of Scn1b (Na_Vβ1) differentially affected the potencies of lidocaine and ranolazine. In vivo experiments revealed distinct ECG responses to i.p. injection of ranolazine or lidocaine in WT and Scn1b-null animals, suggesting that Na_Vβ1 modulated drug responses at the whole-heart level. In the human heart, we found that SCN1B transcript expression was 3 times higher in the atria than ventricles, differences that could, in combination with inherited or acquired cardiovascular disease, dramatically affect patient response to class Ib antiarrhythmic therapies.

Electrophysiological effects of ranolazine in a goat model of lone atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

There is still an unmet need for pharmacologic treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) with few effects on ventricular electrophysiology. Ranolazine is an antiarrhythmic drug reported to have strong atrial selectivity.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the electrophysiological effects of ranolazine in atria with AF-induced electrical remodeling in a model of lone AF in awake goats.

METHODS

Electrode patches were implanted on the atrial epicardium of 8 Dutch milk goats. Experiments were performed at baseline and after 2 and 14 days of electrically maintained AF. Several electrophysiological parameters and AF episode duration were measured during infusion of vehicle and different doses of ranolazine (target plasma levels 4, 8, and 16 μM, respectively).

RESULTS

The highest dose of ranolazine significantly prolonged atrial effective refractory period and decreased atrial conduction velocity at baseline and after 2 days of AF. After 2 weeks of AF, ranolazine prolonged the p5 and p50 of AF cycle length distribution in a dose-dependent manner but was not effective in restoring sinus rhythm. No adverse ventricular arrhythmic events (eg, premature ventricular beats or signs of hemodynamic instability) were observed during infusion of ranolazine at any point in the study.

CONCLUSION

The lowest investigated dose of ranolazine, which is expected to block both late I_Na and atrial peak I_Na, had no effect on the investigated electrophysiological parameters. The highest dose affected both atrial and ventricular electrophysiological parameters at different stages of AF-induced remodeling but was not efficacious in cardioverting AF to sinus rhythm in a goat model of lone AF.

Antiarrhythmic Effect of Ranolazine in Combination with Selective NCX-Inhibition in an Experimental Model of Atrial Fibrillation

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a combination of ranolazine with different selective inhibitors of the Na⁺/Ca²⁺-exchanger (NCX) in an established experimental model of atrial fibrillation (AF). Eighteen hearts of New Zealand white rabbits were retrogradely perfused. Atrial catheters were used to record monophasic action potentials (aPRR). Hearts were paced at three different cycle lengths. Thereby, atrial action potential durations (aAPD₉₀), atrial effective refractory periods (aERP) and atrial post-repolarization refractoriness were obtained. Isoproterenol and acetylcholine were employed to increase the occurrence of AF. Thereafter, the hearts were assigned to two groups (n = 9 each group) and additionally perfused with a combination of 10 µM ranolazine and 1 µM of the selective NCX-inhibitor ORM-10103 (group A: Rano-ORM) or 10 µM ranolazine and 1 µM of another NCX-inhibitor, SEA0400 (group B: Rano-SEA). The infusion of Iso/ACh led to a shortening of aAPD₉₀, aERP, aPRR and the occurrence of AF episodes was significantly increased. Additional perfusion with ranolazine and ORM-10103 (group A) significantly prolonged the refractory periods and aPRR and AF episodes were effectively reduced. In group B, Rano-SEA led to a slight decrease in aAPD₉₀ while aERP and aPRR were prolonged. The occurrence of AF episodes was consecutively reduced. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the effect of ranolazine combined with different selective NCX-inhibitors in an isolated whole-heart model of AF. Both combinations prolonged aERP and aPRR and thereby suppressed the induction of AF.

Ranolazine depresses conduction of rapid atrial depolarizations in a beating rabbit heart model

PURPOSE

Previous clinical studies have shown that ranolazine (RAN) added to amiodarone (AMIO) might accelerate the termination of recent-onset atrial fibrillation. This study was undertaken to delineate possible mechanisms that contribute to the enhancement of the antiarrhythmic efficacy of RAN-AMIO coadministration.

METHODS

Ten rabbits were anesthetized and two monophasic action potential (MAP) catheters were sequentially inserted into the right atrium. One MAP electrode was used to pace and record; the other electrode was used only for recording MAP from an adjacent atrial region. Intraatrial conduction time (IACT), 2:1 intraatrial conduction block (IACB), and atrial post-repolarization refractoriness (aPRR) were consecutively determined by high-rate atrial burst pacing and programmed stimulation, respectively. All parameters were evaluated during baseline and following AMIO (3 mg/kg iv) or AMIO+RAN (2.4 mg/kg iv bolus +0.134 mg/kg/min maintenance infusion).

RESULTS

The IACT remained unchanged post AMIO compared with baseline (37.6 ± 3.8 vs 36.4 ± 2.4 ms), whereas the addition of RAN to AMIO significantly prolonged IACT (50.4 ± 3.6 ms, p < .001). The pacing cycle length producing 2:1 IACB was 101.2 ± 21.7 ms at baseline , 117.5 ± 15 ms after AMIO (p = 0.265), and 150 ± 14 ms after AMIO+RAN (p < .001). Baseline aPRR was longer following AMIO treatment (35 ± 5 vs 50 ± 9 ms, p < .01) but remarkably prolonged with RAN supplementation (105 ± 11 ms, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

RAN significantly prolonged the propagation time of rapid atrial depolarizations and potentiated the AMIO-induced moderate increases in aPRR. These mechanisms possibly contribute to the earlier termination of atrial fibrillation when RAN is co-administered with AMIO.

Optical Mapping-Validated Machine Learning Improves Atrial Fibrillation Driver Detection by Multi-Electrode Mapping

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be maintained by localized intramural reentrant drivers. However, AF driver detection by clinical surface-only multielectrode mapping (MEM) has relied on subjective interpretation of activation maps. We hypothesized that application of machine learning to electrogram frequency spectra may accurately automate driver detection by MEM and add some objectivity to the interpretation of MEM findings.

METHODS

Temporally and spatially stable single AF drivers were mapped simultaneously in explanted human atria (n=11) by subsurface near-infrared optical mapping (NIOM; 0.3 mm² resolution) and 64-electrode MEM (higher density or lower density with 3 and 9 mm² resolution, respectively). Unipolar MEM and NIOM recordings were processed by Fourier transform analysis into 28 407 total Fourier spectra. Thirty-five features for machine learning were extracted from each Fourier spectrum.

RESULTS

Targeted driver ablation and NIOM activation maps efficiently defined the center and periphery of AF driver preferential tracks and provided validated annotations for driver versus nondriver electrodes in MEM arrays. Compared with analysis of single electrogram frequency features, averaging the features from each of the 8 neighboring electrodes, significantly improved classification of AF driver electrograms. The classification metrics increased when less strict annotation, including driver periphery electrodes, were added to driver center annotation. Notably, f1-score for the binary classification of higher-density catheter data set was significantly higher than that of lower-density catheter (0.81±0.02 versus 0.66±0.04, P<0.05). The trained algorithm correctly highlighted 86% of driver regions with higher density but only 80% with lower-density MEM arrays (81% for lower-density+higher-density arrays together).

CONCLUSIONS

The machine learning model pretrained on Fourier spectrum features allows efficient classification of electrograms recordings as AF driver or nondriver compared with the NIOM gold-standard. Future application of NIOM-validated machine learning approach may improve the accuracy of AF driver detection for targeted ablation treatment in patients.

Animal Models of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in humans and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Despite its prevalence, our mechanistic understanding is incomplete, the therapeutic options have limited efficacy, and are often fraught with risks. A better biological understanding of AF is needed to spearhead novel therapeutic avenues. Although "natural" AF is nearly nonexistent in most species, animal models have contributed significantly to our understanding of AF and some therapeutic options. However, the impediments of animal models are also apparent and stem largely from the differences in basic physiology as well as the complexities underlying human AF; these preclude the creation of a "perfect" animal model and have obviated the translation of animal findings. Herein, we review the vast array of AF models available, spanning the mouse heart (weighing 1/1000th of a human heart) to the horse heart (10× heavier than the human heart). We attempt to highlight the features of each model that bring value to our understanding of AF but also the shortcomings and pitfalls. Finally, we borrowed the concept of a SWOT analysis from the business community (which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and applied this introspective type of analysis to animal models for AF. We identify unmet needs and stress that is in the context of rapidly advancing technologies, these present opportunities for the future use of animal models.