Amira Ponce Zumino

Action potential changes under varied [Na+]0 and [Ca2+]0 indicating the existence of two inward currents in cells of the rabbit atrioventricular node.

In the perfused rabbit heart,the upstroke of the transmembrane action potential of fibers of the atrioventricular (AV) node presents two distinct components. The first depends strongly on extracellular sdoium concentration, but the degree to which it is activated is influenced by extracellular calcium, as indicated by the correlation between its Vmax and [Ca2+]0. The second component depends on calcium and sodium concentrations and is blocked by Mn ions. An analysis comparing action potentials from atrial (A), atrionodal (AN), and nodal (N) fibers shows that the second component of the upstroke of the action potential contributes 12%, 27%, and 34% to the total depolarization. The results suggest that the upstroke of the nodal action potential results from the activation of two inward currents, as in ordinary cardiac fibers. We postulate that (1) the degree of steady state inactivation of gNa is larger in N than in A fibers because of the low resting potential of the former, and (2) the contribution of the second channel to the upstroke depends on the time course of the previous depolarization and the potential level at which this component is activated.

Effects of TTX and verapamil on the upstroke components of the action potential from the atrioventricular node of the rabbit

Abstract The effects of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and verapamil on atrial, atrionodal and nodal action potentials were studied in the perfused rabbit heart. Control recordings from atrionodal and nodal fibers showed that the upstroke was composed of a fast depolarization (phase I) followed by a slow depolarization (phase II). The amplitude of these phases and their maximum rate of rise ( V max ), as well as action potential amplitude and resting potential, were determined under control conditions and in the presence of TTX (0.3 μ m ) or verapamil (1.1 μ m . TTX selectively depressed phase I in the action potentials from all fiber types. Concomitantly, the amplitude of phase II increased, but its V max did not change. In contrast, the effects of verapamil were limited to phase II, its V max , and the plateau. The slow depolarization was greatly depressed or abolished in the nodal action potential under verapamil. These results support the hypothesis that the fast sodium channel is present in the membrane of nodal cells and that the upstroke of the nodal action potential results from the activation of two inward currents, but the fast inward current contributes less to depolarization in nodal than in atrial fibers because of the low resting potential of the former. It is estimated that the slow inward current contributes about 40% of the total depolarization in nodal fibers.

MAGNESIUM : EFFECTS ON REPERFUSION ARRHYTHMIAS AND MEMBRANE POTENTIAL IN ISOLATED RAT HEARTS

The effects of Mg2+ concentration (Mg2+∘, 0, 1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 mM) on the incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias and on the cellular electrical activity were studied in spontaneously beating rat hearts. The surface electrogram and the membrane potential were recorded in control conditions, during 10 min of regional ischemia (ligature of the left anterior descending coronary artery), and on reflow. Changes in Mg2+∘ did not alter action potential morphology but the depolarization induced by ischemia decreased with increasing Mg2+∘. In hearts perfused with Mg2+ free solution or 1.2 mM subthreshold delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) were often detected during ischemia. Moreover, DADs could be identified as initial events in the production of extrabeats or tachycardia appearing on reperfusion under these conditions. Chaotic electrical activity during fibrillation precluded the observation of DADs. The overall incidence (1 fibrillation) was similar in both groups. At high Mg2+∘, subthreshold DADs were occasionally observed during ischemia and often on reperfusion where they did not lead to the development of overt arrhythmias. Consequently, the incidence, severity, and duration of arrhythmic episodes on reflow was markedly reduced. Raising Mg2+∘ only on reperfusion did not prevent the development of arrhythmias, whose morphology in the intracellular recordings was similar to that found in hearts perfused without Mg2+ or with 1.2 mM. The recovery of sinus rhythm after 10 min of reperfusion was linearly related to Mg2+∘. Our data strengthen the view that reperfusion arrhythmias belong to the Ca2+ mediated non reentrant type and suggest that Mg2+ counteracts these arrhythmias by depressing cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations. Besides, it appears that raising Mg2+∘ reduces ischemic K+∘ accumulation. The resu ic potential of the Ca2+i oscillations induced by reperfusion.

Effects of barium and 5-hydroxydecanoate on the electrophysiologic response to acute regional ischemia and reperfusion in rat hearts.

The aim of this work was to investigate the role of the inward rectifying (K1) and the sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (K-ATP) channels in the electrical response to regional ischemia and the subsequent development of ventricular tachyarrhythmias on reflow (RA). Surface electrograms (ECG) and the transmembrane potential from subepicardial left ventricular cells were recorded in spontaneously beating rat hearts perfused with buffer alone (controls) or exposed to 100 μM BaCl2 or 100 μM 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) to block either K1 or K-ATP channels respectively. After 20 min of equilibration and 10 min of control recordings, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 10 min. This was followed by reperfusion. The effects of regional ischemia as well as those of reperfusion (10 min) were recorded throughout. In the three groups, ischemia induced a modest decrease in heart rate and a sharp reduction in resting potential within 3 min. The latter as well as the accompanying depression of propagated electrical activity were enhanced by Ba2+. A partial recovery of the resting potential was observed in all groups during the last 2 min of coronary occlusion. Concomitantly, a slight reduction in the action potential duration was found in the control hearts. This effect was blocked by 5-HD. Under Barium the action potential duration increased by a factor of 3 and its ischemic variations were minimized. Severe sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias developed on reflow in the controls and in the 5-HD exposed hearts. Barium limited the duration of arrhythmic episodes to a few seconds. Our data indicate that the initial electrical effects of ischemia are unrelated to activation of ATP sensitive K+ channels and that gK1 dominates the K+ membrane conductance at this stage. Furthermore, they show that action potential lengthening limits the duration of arrhythmic episodes triggered by reperfusion. This suggests that electrical heterogeneity plays an important role in the perpetuation of reperfusion arrhythmias.

Differential electrophysiologic effects of global and regional ischemia and reperfusion in perfused rat hearts. Effects of Mg2+ concentration

The effects of regional and global ischemia on cellular electrical activity and on arrhythmias induced by reperfusion were studied at different Mg2+ concentrations (Mg2+o, 0, 1.2, and 4.8 mM) in perfused rat hearts. Surface electrograms and transmembrane potentials were recorded during control, 10 min of ischemia (perfusion arrest or coronary ligation), and reperfusion. Increasing Mg2+o from 0-4.8 mM decreased heart rate, did not alter action potential morphology, and had a strong antiarrhythmic action on reperfusion following coronary ligation. At low and normal Mg2+o, the incidence of tachyarrhythmias was between 70 and 80%. Global ischemia led to progressive atrioventricular block and the final ventricular beating rate was similar at all Mg2+o despite unequal initial values. The severity of arrhythmias was similar to that found after regional ischemia in Mg2+o = 0, but much lower at normal and high Mg2+o. The resting depolarization induced by coronary ligation decreased as Mg2+o was raised, but such a relation was not seen during global ischemia where the depolarization was less marked. The action potential duration did not vary with the ventricular rate between 160 and 380 beats per min but increased considerably when sinus rate was markedly slowed (40 to 80 bpm) by raising Mg2+o to 9.6 mM. Our data show that a high Mg2+o exerts a strong protection against reperfusion arrhythmias regardless of the type of ischemia. Modulation of the sinus rhythm by Mg2+ may contribute to its protective effect by decreasing K+o accumulation and Na+i loading during ischemia.

Effects of hypoxia and altered K0 on the membrane potential of rabbit ventricle

The upstroke of the ventricular action potential in the rabbit consists of two depolarizing components with different rates of rise. The effects of hypoxia on the resting potential (RP); the upstroke phases (I and II) and the maximum rate of rise of phase I (V max) were studied at different external K concentrations (K0). Perfused hearts were submitted to N2-equilibrated media containing 1.5 to 10 mM K0. Exposure of oxygenated hearts to different K0 changed the regenerative response from a fast rising action potential at 1.5 mM K0 to a depressed fast response at 7.5 and 10 mM K0. Hypoxia decreased the action potential amplitude (APA) at all K concentrations. In K0 less than or equal to 5 mM the reduction of APA was due to a decrease in the amplitude of phase II of the upstroke but the maximum rate of rise (V max) did not change. In contrast, phase I of the upstroke was markedly depressed by hypoxia in high K0, but phase II was unmodified and its V max compared well with values reported for other normoxic cardiac cells. Hyperkalemia per se did not slow conduction during normoxia but increased conduction time in hypoxia. The resting potential of hypoxic cells was closer to the K equilibrium potential than in the control. The RP v. Ko/Ki relation suggested that electrogenic Na extrusion persists in hypoxia. The electrogenic fraction of the resting potential as determined from pump inhibition with 10(-4) M ouabain amounted to -6 mV. Our results did not indicate whether the differential effects of hypoxia on the upstroke components were potential dependent or were related to direct effects of K+ on the ionic currents that determine the action potential. The persistence of phase II during hypoxia in partly depolarized cells may assure the maintenance of propagated electrical activity under conditions that are likely to be encountered in vivo during cardiac ischemia.

Background K+ currents and response to metabolic inhibition during early development in rat cardiocytes

The effects of metabolic inhibition on K+ background currents and action potential duration were investigated in neonatal rat ventricle cells during early development. Action potentials and ionic currents were measured with the patch clamp technique in current and voltage clamp mode in cells isolated with collagenase from 1 day and 7 day old rats. During the first postnatal week, the cell surface increased from 1700 to 2210 µm2 and the membrane hyperpolarized from -66.1 to -72.0 mV. Concomitantly the action potential shortened and the plateau became more negative. Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation (50 µM 2,4 DNP) or of glycolysis in 1 day old rats (5 mM 2-deoxyglucose, 2-DG) also shortened the action potential by about 50% after 5 min exposure. The background current measured in the absence of INa, ICa,L, and Ito included: (1) an inward rectifying component whose I/V curves crossed over when measured in 6, 15, or 30 mM [K]o and showed an increase in slope conductance when [K]o was raised. Inward rectification was abolished by 2.4 mM Ba2+ in 1 day old cells and by 0.2 mM one week after birth; (2) a glibenclamide (100 µM) sensitive component that developed with time after membrane rupture (5-10 min) showing a higher current density in 7 than in 1 day old animals (1.4 vs 0.2 µA · cm-2 at -50 mV); and (3) a small and almost linear leak component of comparable amplitude in both age groups. Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation with 2.5 µM carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone induced the development of background currents with different properties in both age groups: An inwardly rectifying Ba2+ sensitive current in 1 day old cells and a glibenclamide sensitive outwardly rectifying current in the 7 day old group. In contrast, exposure to 5 mM 2-DG provoked in all cells the development of an outwardly rectifying current that was blocked by glibenclamide. We conclude that the electrophysiologic response to metabolic inhibition is determined by the relative importance of the metabolic pathways present which in turn depends on the developmental state of the cells.

4-Aminopyridine: effects on electrical activity during ischemia and reperfusion in perfused rat hearts.

We investigated the effects of 2 and 4 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, – blocker of the transient outward current Ito) on the electrophysiological response to regional ischemia and reperfusion. Spontaneously beating rat hearts were subjected to coronary occlusion (10 min) followed by reperfusion. The surface electrogram and the membrane potential from subepicardial left ventricular cells were recorded throughout. The basal effect of 4-AP was a dose dependent increase in the action potential duration (APD90) without changes in the resting potential or the heart rate. During early ischemia resting depolarization (from 87.4 ± 1.9–70.1 ± 2.5 mV in the controls) was enhanced by 4 mM, 4-AP (84.3 ± 1.4 mV vs. 61.7 ± 1.3 mV) whereas APD90 increased by 73.5%. These effects resulted in a marked reduction in the duration of diastolic intervals that led to conduction failure and aborted responses. A partial recovery was found by the end of ischemia concomitant with APD90 shortening in both, control and 4-AP treated hearts. On reperfusion, 4-AP did not influence the initial incidence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias but decreased their duration from 531.5 ± 56.3–260.7 ± 100 sec (2 mM) and to 75.6 ± 10.5 sec (4 mM). These data confirm others obtained by Henry et al. [11] in isolated cells indicating that ischemia induces sequential changes in several K+ conductances. In addition, they show that changes in action potential characteristics may exert beneficial effects on reperfusion arrhythmias by acting on the arrhythmic substrate without suppressing the trigger mechanism.