Hiroyasu Satoh

Review of Some Actions of Taurine on Ion Channels of Cardiac Muscle Cells and Others

1. Taurine has recently been known to protect against ischemia and heart failure. Taurine possesses plenty of actions on the ion channels and transports, but is very non-specific. 2. Taurine may directly and indirectly help to regulate the [Ca]i level by modulating the activity of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (also dependent on [Ca]i/[Ca]o), by regulation of Na+ channels, and secondly via Na-Ca exchange and Na(+)-taurine cotransport. 3. Taurine can prevent the Ca2+ ([Ca]o or [Ca]i)-induced cardiac functions. 4. Therefore, it seems possible that taurine could exert the potent cardioprotective actions even under the condition of low [Ca]i levels as well as under the Ca2+ overload condition. 5. The electrophysiological actions of taurine on cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, and neurons from recent studies are summarized.

Role of T-type Ca2+ channel inhibitors in the pacemaker depolarization in rabbit sino-atrial nodal cells

1. Effects of T-type Ca2+ channel inhibitors, Ni2+ and tetramethrin, on the spontaneous action potentials in rabbit sino-atrial nodal cells were examined. 2. The firing rate of spontaneous activity was 201 +/- 11 beats/min (n = 18). Experiments were performed at 36 degrees C. 3. Ni2+ (10(-5) to 10(-4) M) and tetramethrin (10(-7) to 5 x 10(-5) M) caused a negative chronotropic effect. Both inhibitors did not affect the maximum diastolic potential, and slowed the rate of depolarization during the diastole. 4. In the presence of TTX (10(-7) M), both inhibitors caused a stronger negative chronotropic effect, and hyperpolarized the maximum diastolic potential. The maximum rate of depolarization was enhanced, and the action potential duration (at 50% repolarization) was prolonged. The action potential amplitude was unaffected. Ni2+ had more potent actions than tetramethrin. 5. T-type and other Ca2+ channel inhibitors affected only the late phase of pacemaker potential, resulting in a negative chronotropic effect. 6. These results indicate that T-type Ca2+ channel inhibitors (Ni2+ and tetramethrin) slow the pacemaker depolarization at the late phase (but not at the initial phase), resulting in a negative chronotropic effect in the sino-atrial nodal cells.

Mechanisms for the vasodilations induced by Ginkgo biloba extract and its main constituent, bilobalide, in rat aorta.

Vasodilating actions of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) and bilobalide, a main constituent, were examined using rat aorta ring strips. GBE at the concentration ranges from 0.03 to 3 mg/ml had a potent concentration-dependent relaxation, reaching 70 +/- 4.5% (n = 6, P < 0.001) at 3 mg/ml. Bilobalide at 0.1 to 100 microM also caused the relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. At 100 microM, bilobalide caused dilation by 17.6 +/- 3.9% (n = 7, P < 0.05). NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA)(100 microM), an NO synthesis inhibitor, reduced the vasodilation of GBE (3 mg/ml) to 57.6 +/- 2.5% (n = 6, P < 0.05), and was accompanied with a decrease in the rate of relaxation. Tetraethylammonium (TEA)(100 microM), a Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel inhibitor, also decreased the GBE (3 mg/ml)-induced relaxation to 63.1 +/- 4.6% (n = 6), but not significantly. Indomethacin tended to reduce the GBE (3 mg/ml)-induced vasorelaxation to 67.3 +/- 4.1% (n = 6). In contrast, the vasorelaxation of GBE (3 mg/ml) was strongly attenuated to 53 +/- 6.1% (n = 7, P < 0.05) in Ca(2+)-free medium. Similarly, the vasorelaxation induced by bilobalide significantly decreased both by pretreatment with NO inhibitor (L-NMMA) and in Ca(2+)-free solution. These results indicate that the relaxation induced by GBE would be due to the inhibition of Ca(2+) influx through the Ca(2+) channel and the activation of NO release, and might be in part due to the inhibitions of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) current and PGI(2) release, in the endothelium and aortic vascular muscles. Bilobalide possesses the similar mechanisms for the vasodilation.

Electrophysiological actions of ryanodine on single rabbit sinoatrial nodal cells

1. Effects of ryanodine on the action potentials and the ionic currents in spontaneously beating single rabbit sinoatrial (SA) nodal cells were examined using current-clamp and whole-cell voltage-clamp techniques. 2. Cumulative administrations of ryanodine (10(-8) to 10(-4) M) caused a negative chronotropic effect in a concentration-dependent manner; the effect was not modified by atropine (10(-7) M). At 10(-6) M, ryanodine increased the action potential amplitude and the maximum rate of depolarization, and prolonged the duration of action potentials, significantly. The maximum diastolic potential was unaffected. 3. No arrhythmia occurred in the presence of ryanodine (10(-6) M) alone, but addition of either caffeine (10 mM) or high Ca2+ (10.8 mM) elicited arrhythmias. The incidence increased with an increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentration. 4. Ryanodine, at 10(-6) M, enhanced the Ca2+ current but, at 10(-5) M, inhibited it. Ryanodine inhibited the delayed rectifier K+ current and the hyperpolarization-activated inward current in a concentration-dependent manner. 5. In addition, ryanodine actually elevated the cytosolic Ca2+ level in the SA nodal cells loaded with Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent dye (fura-2). 6. These results indicate that ryanodine modulates the ionic currents (presumably dependent on cellular Ca2+ concentration), suggesting similar pharmacological properties to caffeine.

Cardiac Actions of Taurine as a Modulator of the Ion Channels

During ischemia, hypoxia and cardiac failure, the heart undergoes several adverse changes, including a reduction in taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid). Oral administration of taurine under these disease conditions would be expected to act like a mild cardiac glycoside. Taurine would exert improvement in the accumulation of [Na]i and the loss of alpha-amino acids. Nonetheless, when intracellular taurine content is raised, there would be the benefit of increased Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and increased Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile proteins, as well as possible changes in the action potential associated with the actions of taurine on ion channels. In fact, intracellular application of taurine produces the opposite actions to extracellularly administration of the amino acid. From our previous experiments, the electrophysiological actions of taurine on cardiac muscle cells include the following. (a) Prolongation of action potential duration (APD) at high [Ca]i and shortening of APD at low [Ca]i. In multicellular preparations, however, taurine did not always prevent [Ca]o-induced effects. (b) Stimulation of spontaneous activity at low intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca]i and [Ca]o), and vice versa. (c) Inhibition of the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa(L)) at high [Ca]i, and vice versa. (d) Enhancement of the T-type Ca2+ current (ICa(T)). (e) Inhibition of fast Na+ current (INa). (f) Enhancement of TTX-insensitive slow Na+ current. (g) Inhibition of delayed rectifier K+ current (IKrec) at high [Ca]i, and vice versa. (h) Enhancement of the transient outward current (Ito). (i) Inhibition of the ATP-sensitive K+ current (IK(ATP)). Since taurine acts on so many ion channels and transporters, it is clearly non-specific. Although it is very difficult to understand the diversity of taurines actions, it is possible that taurine can exert its potent cardioprotective actions under the conditions of low [Ca]i, as well as Ca2+ overload. Thus, although taurine-induced modulation of ion channels located on the cardiac cell membrane is complex, the multiple effects may combine to yield useful therapeutic results.

On electrophysiological responses to phorbol esters which stimulate protein kinase C in rabbit sino-atrial node cells.

SummaryEffects of phorbol esters on spontaneously beating rabbit sino-atrial (SA) node cells were investigated by means of voltage clamp technique. In a small SA node specimen, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) 10−7 mol/l lengthened the cycle length (CL) and at over 3 × 10−7 mol/l prolonged the action potential duration (APD). Action potential amplitude (APA), maximum diastolic potential (MDP) and maximum rate of rise (Vmax) were unaffected. Amiloride 10−3 mol/1, an inhibitor of Na+-H+ exchange, did not reverse the phorbol ester-induced effects. In voltage-clamp experiments, TPA 1-10 × 10−7 mol/l slightly increased the slow inward current (Isi) and the time-dependent inward current (Ih) which activates during hyperpolarization. The outward current and the tail current were reduced, although the activation curve was not shifted along the voltage axis. In the presence of 10−7 mol/l isoprenaline, TPA produced dysrhythmia and a transient inward current in voltage-clamp experiments. In the presence of 5 × 10−5 mol/l phenylephrine or 2 × 10−6 mol/l acetylcholine, TPA also elicited dysrhythmia. 4-betaphorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PBD) induced similar electrophysiological effects as TPA, but 4-alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate (PDD) never did so even in the presence of isoprenaline. These results suggest that TPA and PDB might mobilize intracellular Ca2+ via protein kinase C activation in the presence of isoprenaline, phenylephrine or acetylcholine, resulting in dysrhythmia due to delayed afterdepolarization.

Inhibition in L-type Ca2+ channel by stimulation of protein kinase C in isolated guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes.

1. Electrophysiological effects of phorbol esters on the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa(L)) in isolated single ventricular cells from guinea pig hearts were investigated. 2. In whole-cell voltage-clamped myocytes, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at 10(-7) M inhibited ICa(L). An antagonist of protein kinase C (PK-C), H-7, at 10(-5) M did not modify the TPA-induced inhibition. The time-course of inactivation process for ICa(L) was greatly slowed. 3. In cell-attached patch-clamp experiments, TPA (10(-7) M) also markedly decreased the opening of L-type Ca2+ channels. The conductance was unaffected. 4. Even H-7 (10(-5) M) alone inhibited the opening of the channels. Addition of TPA (10(-7)-10(-8) M) caused further decrease in the opening. 5. On the other hand, 4-alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate (not a PK-C activator) had no effect on the Ca2+ channels. 6. These results indicate that the PK-C activation induced by TPA greatly depresses the opening of L-type Ca2+ channels in ventricular cell membranes.

Cardioprotective actions of taurine against intracellular and extracellular calcium-induced effects.

The effects of taurine were modulated by the [Ca2+]i or/and [Ca2+]o levels, consistent with recent reports (10, 28, 31). Taurine may directly and indirectly regulate the [Ca2+]i level by modulating Ca2+ channels (dependent on [Ca2+]i/[Ca2+]o) and Na+ channel (via Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange). Thus, taurine antagonizes Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o or [Ca2+]i)-induced cardiac functions. The data for the effects of taurine on the ionic currents and action potentials (automaticity) are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. These results indicate that taurine exerts potent cardioprotective actions under the conditions induced by low Ca2+ level as well as by calcium overload. In conclusion, the effects of taurine are complex, there being a number of actions on cardiac muscle which may show the possible therapeutic use of this sulfur amino acid.

Electrophysiological actions of A23187 and X-537A in spontaneously beating and in voltage-clamped rabbit sino-atrial node preparations

SummaryElectrophysiological effects of calcium ionophores, A23187 and X-537A, on spontaneously beating and voltage-clamped rabbit sino-atrial node preparations were examined, using the voltage-clamp technique with two microelectrodes. (1)A23187 (administered cumulatively) increased the cycle length significantly at 3 × 10−6 and 10−5 mol/l, and X-537 only at 10−5 mol/l. Other action potential parameters were unaffected in the presence of these concentrations of either agent. At 2 × 10−5 mol/l, either agent prolonged the cycle length significantly, but increased the amplitude and the duration of the action potentials and the maximum diastolic potential not to any significant extent. Both X-537A and A23187, at 2 × 10−5 mol/l, induced a dysrhythmia, which in the former was probably due to delayed afterdepolarizations.(2)In voltage-clamped sino-atrial node cells, the holding current was shifted outwardly, to a greater extent in the presence of X-537A than A23187 at the same concentration (2 × 10−5 mol/l). The ionophores initially increased the slow inward current and then decreased it. The steady outward current was inhibited, and its activation curve was shifted to a more negative voltage range. X-537A caused a transient inward current and an inward tail current on repolarization to the holding potential.(3)At concentrations of 10 and 18 mmol/l [Ca2+]o or in the presence of isoprenaline 10−7 mol/l, these ionophores induced a more severe dysrhythmia. Conversely in the nominal absence of [Ca2+]o the regular rhythm was resumed.(4)These findings suggest that the calcium ionophores may induce a calcium overload intracellularly due to increases in not only Ca2+ transport into cell but also the slow inward current and Ca2+ release from internal stores, and may then modify the conductance of potassium channels due to elevation of [Ca2+]i.

Effect of propafenone on the membrane currents of rabbit sino-atrial node cells

The effects of propafenone (1-50 micrograms/ml) on the membrane potential and currents of the rabbit sino-atrial node were studied using the voltage clamp technique. Propafenone decreased the heart rate, amplitude of the action potential and maximum rate of depolarization. It also depolarized the maximum diastolic potential and the resting potential and prolonged the action potential duration dose dependently. On the current systems of the sino-atrial node, propafenone reduced the outward current (ik), the inward current activated by hyperpolarization (ih) and the slow inward current (is) dose dependently. The decrease in is and ik by propafenone was due to the reductions in their conductance, not to the changes in the voltage dependence of the inactivation of is or activation of ik. The decrease in ik might be the ionic mechanism of the negative chronotropic effect of propafenone.