[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Lower heart rate is associated with better survival in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), a disease mostly caused by sepsis. The benefits of heart rate reduction by ivabradine during MODS, a selective inhibitor of pacemaker current If, are currently being investigated in the MODIfY clinical trial. As If is impaired by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin), a trigger of sepsis, we aimed to explore If blocking potency of ivabradine under elevated endotoxin levels in human atrial cardiomyocytes. Treatment of myocytes with S-LPS (containing the lipid A moiety, a core oligosaccharide and an O-polysaccharide chain) but not R595 (an O-chain lacking LPS-form) caused If inhibition under acute and chronic septic conditions. The specific interaction of S-LPS but not R595 to pacemaker channels HCN2 and HCN4 proves necessity of O-chain for S-LPS-HCN interaction. The efficacy of ivabradine to block If was reduced under septic conditions, an observation that correlated with lower intracellular ivabradine concentrations in S-LPS- but not R595-treated cardiomyocytes. Computational analysis using a sinoatrial pacemaker cell model revealed that despite a reduction of If under septic conditions, ivabradine further decelerated pacemaking activity. This novel finding, i.e. If inhibition by ivabradine under elevated endotoxin levels in vitro, may provide a molecular understanding for the efficacy of this drug on heart rate reduction under septic conditions in vivo, e.g. the MODIfY clinical trial.
Full-text · Article · Jul 2014 · Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Extracardiac factors of heart rate variability have commonly been investigated using linear and nonlinear methods for a long time. Recently, intracardiac mechanisms on an electrophysiological basis have been found to be also important. This work is focused on the evaluation of complex measures of temporal signals gained with microelectrode measurements of embryonic chick heart aggregates. Septic conditions were mimicked in vitro by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration in order to investigate the influence on beat to beat variability. Surrogate data analysis revealed high statistical significances for normalized complexity measures.
No preview · Article · Jul 2013 · Conference proceedings: ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conference
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Thienopyridines (ticlopidine, clopidogrel) are frequently used drugs in antiplatelet therapy and have been shown to exert a more pronounced negative inotropic effect than thienopyrimidinones. We hypothesized that these differences are due to a differential impact of thienopyridines and thienopyrimidinones on L-type calcium current at the single-cell level. The effects of thienopyridines and thienopyrimidinones were studied on L-type calcium current and action potential parameters with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in isolated myocytes from guinea pig ventricle and human atrial appendage. Ticlopidine showed the greatest impact on the L-type calcium current in guinea pig myocytes. It significantly reduced L-type calcium current density as well as shifted half maximal inactivation potential to more negative potentials compared to clopidogrel (at 30 μmol/L) and to all thienopyrimidinones (30 and 100 μmol/L). Clopidogrel significantly reduced the L-type calcium current density as well as shifted the half maximal inactivation potential to more negative potentials compared to all thienopyrimidinones at 100 μmol/L only. In contrast, thienopyrimidinones did not affect L-type calcium current properties. The significant different effects of thienopyridines and thienopyrimidinones could also be demonstrated in human atrial myocytes. The more pronounced negative inotropic effect of thienopyridines is well explained by our results demonstrating a differential impairment of L-type calcium current by thienopyridines and thienopyrimidinones. L-type calcium current impairment by thienopyridines may be of special relevance for patients with cardiac diseases characterized by ionic remodelling.
No preview · Article · Dec 2010 · Archiv für Experimentelle Pathologie und Pharmakologie
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Microglia, the immunocompetent cells of the CNS, are rapidly activated in response to injury and microglia migration towards and homing at damaged tissue plays a key role in CNS regeneration. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is involved in signaling events evoking microglia responses through cognate G protein-coupled receptors. Here we show that human immortalized C13NJ microglia express LPA receptor subtypes LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3 on mRNA and protein level. LPA activation of C13NJ cells induced Rho and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and enhanced cellular ATP production. In addition, LPA induced process retraction, cell spreading, led to pronounced changes of the actin cytoskeleton and reduced cell motility, which could be reversed by inhibition of Rho activity. To get an indication about LPA-induced global alterations in protein expression patterns a 2-D DIGE/LC-ESI-MS proteomic approach was applied. On the proteome level the most prominent changes in response to LPA were observed for glycolytic enzymes and proteins regulating cell motility and/or cytoskeletal dynamics. The present findings suggest that naturally occurring LPA is a potent regulator of microglia biology. This might be of particular relevance in the pathophysiological context of neurodegenerative disorders where LPA concentrations can be significantly elevated in the CNS.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: In sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), a severe prognostically relevant cardiac autonomic dysfunction exists, as manifested by a strong attenuation of sympathetically and vagally mediated heart rate variability (HRV). The mechanisms underlying this attenuation are not limited to the nervous system. They also include alterations of the cardiac pacemaker cells on a cellular level. As shown in human atrial cardiomyocytes, endotoxin interacts with cardiac hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) ion channels, which mediate the pacemaker current If and play an important role in transmitting sympathetic and vagal signals on heart rate and HRV. Moreover, endotoxin sensitizes cardiac HCN channels to sympathetic signals. These findings identify endotoxin as a pertinent modulator of the autonomic nervous regulation of heart function. In MODS, the vagal pathway of the autonomic nervous system is particularly compromised, leading to an attenuation of the cholinergic antiinflammatory reflex. An amelioration of the blunted vagal activity appears to be a promising novel therapeutic target to achieve a suppression of the inflammatory state and thereby an improvement of prognosis in MODS patients. Preliminary data revealed therapeutic benefits (increased survival rates and improvements of the depressed vagal activity) of the administration of statins, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with MODS.
Full-text · Article · May 2009 · Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: LPSs trigger the development of sepsis by gram-negative bacteria and cause a variety of biological effects on host cells, including alterations on ionic channels. Because heart rate variability is reduced in human sepsis and endotoxemia, we hypothesized that LPS affects the pacemaker current I(f) in human heart, which might--at least in part--explain this phenomenon. Isolated human myocytes from right atrial appendages were incubated for 6 to 10 h with LPS (1 and 10 microg/mL) and afterwards used to investigate the pacemaker current I(f). I(f) was measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique (at 37 degrees C). Incubation of atrial myocytes with 10 microg/mL LPS was found to significantly impair I(f) by suppressing the current at membrane potentials positive to -80 mV and slowing down current activation, but without effecting maximal current conductance. Furthermore, in incubated cells (10 microg/mL), the response of I(f) to [beta]-adrenergic stimulation (1 microM isoproterenol) was significantly larger compared with control cells (shift of half-maximal activation voltage to more positive potentials amounted to -10 and -14 mV in untreated and treated cells, respectively). Simulations using a spontaneously active sinoatrial cell model demonstrated that LPS-induced I(f) impairment reduced the responsiveness of the model cell to fluctuations of autonomic input. This study showed a direct impact of LPS on the cardiac pacemaker current I(f). The LPS-induced I(f) impairment may contribute to the clinically observed reduction in heart rate variability under septic conditions and in cardiac diseases such as heart failure, where endotoxin can be of pathophysiological relevance.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: It was our aim to investigate effects of human LDL, copper-, or AAPH-oxidized over different periods of time to different degrees (ox-LDL), on viability and electrophysiological parameters of isolated ventricular myocytes of guinea pigs.
Guinea pig ventricular myocytes were incubated with ox-LDL or native LDL (at 0.5 mg/ml) for 12 h, and afterwards myocyte damage, action potentials, and transmembrane ion currents were studied (at 37 degrees C).
Ox-LDL was found to induce severe myocyte damage, whereas native LDL had no effect. Myocyte damage was dependent on the content of total lipid hydroperoxides in both copper-oxidized and AAPH-oxidized LDL. Incubation with ox-LDL led to intense contractile and electrophysiological effects including prolongation of action potential duration, depolarization of resting membrane potential, spontaneous activity, generation of afterdepolarizations, and modification of transmembrane ion currents (e.g. inward rectifier, calcium, and background currents).
Ox-LDL induced cell damage and irregular electrical activity in ventricular myocytes. These effects were dependent on the lipid hydroperoxide content of ox-LDL and were similar to oxidative stress (OS) induced by various OS-generating systems. The observed effects may play a role for functional cardiac abnormalities in patients with increased ox-LDL levels.
Full-text · Article · May 2005 · Cardiovascular Research
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: The left human atrium plays an important role in initiation of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the hyperpolarization activated cation current (I(f)) is a candidate for contributing to abnormal automaticity. However, electrophysiological data concerning I(f) are not available in this cardiac region and we therefore investigated I(f) in human left atrial tissue.
Human atrial myocytes were isolated from the left atrial appendage (LAA) and the left atrial wall (LAW) obtained from patients undergoing open heart surgery. I(f) was measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique.
I(f) densities between -70 and -110 mV were found to be significantly higher in LAA than in LAW cells. Furthermore, in the group of LAA cells the half maximal activation potential (V(1/2)) was found to be less negative (V(1/2) of -84.3+/-1.9 mV, n=14/9) compared to LAW cells (V(1/2) of -97.8+/-2.1 mV, n=28/9). Beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation with isoproterenol (1 microM) caused an acceleration of current activation and a V(1/2) shift to more positive potentials in cells of both regions (LAA: 8.8+/-2.3 mV, n=6/4 and LAW: 8.9+/-2.6 mV, n=6/4). Simulations using a mathematical model of the human atrial myocyte demonstrated that I(f) was able to induce spontaneous activity in the model at a regular rhythm due to the interplay of I(f), Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange current and Ca(2+) release of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR).
Our study revealed the presence of I(f) in left atrial myocytes and showed that I(f) parameters depend on atrial region. I(f) current densities were sufficient to convert the mathematical model of a quiescent human atrial cell into a "pacemaker cell". These data support the hypothesis of I(f) as a contributor to abnormal automaticity in human atrial tissue.
Preview · Article · Dec 2004 · Cardiovascular Research
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: The aim of this investigation was to study L-type and T-type Ca(2+) current (I(CaL) and I(CaT)) in short-term cultured adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes. The isolated myocytes were suspended in serum-supplemented medium up to 5 days. Using whole-cell patch clamp techniques ICaL and ICaT were studied by applying voltage protocols from different holding potentials (-40 and -90 mV). After 5 days in culture the myocytes still showed their typical rod shaped morphology but a decline in cell membrane capacitance (26 %). The peak density of ICaT was reduced significantly between day 0 (-1.6+/-0.37 pA/pF, n=9) and day 5 (-0.4+/-0.13 pA/pF, n=11), whereas peak ICaL density revealed no significant differences during culturing. The I(CaT)/I(CaL) ratio dropped from 0.13 at day 0 to 0.05 at day 5. Compared with day 0 I(CaL) the steady state inactivation curve of day 1, day 3 and day 5 myocytes was slightly shifted to more negative potentials. Our data indicate that guinea pig ventricular L-type and T-type Ca(2+) channels are differently regulated in culture.
Preview · Article · Feb 2004 · Physiological research / Academia Scientiarum Bohemoslovaca
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: I(f) was shown to be present in adult human atrial and ventricular myocytes but data obtained from infant myocytes are lacking. We have studied I(f) in isolated ventricular myocytes from children undergoing surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF; n = 5; mean age: 15.3 months). All recordings were made with the patch clamp technique in the whole cell mode at a temperature of 36-37 degrees C. A modified Tyrode solution containing 25 mM KCl was used to amplify I(f). Considering I(f) to be present when its current density at -120 mV was greater than 0.5 pA/pF, I(f) could be found in 28 out of 32 myocytes (88%). The mean current density was -2.01 +/- 0.3 pA/pF (mean +/- S.E.M.). First current activation occurred at -70 mV and I(f) could be reversibly inhibited by superfusing the myocytes with CsCl (2 mM). Half maximal activation (V(1/2)) of I(f) was at -80.3 +/- 1.0 mV (n = 28). Beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation with isoproterenol (1 microM) caused an acceleration of current activation and a shift of V(1/2) by 7.88 +/- 1.8 mV (n = 10) to less negative potentials. This study provides first evidence that the hyperpolarization-activated pacemaker current I(f) is present in infant human ventricular myocytes. Our results suggest that I(f) in ventricle of infants suffering from TOF has similar properties as I(f) in adult ventricle.
No preview · Article · Dec 2003 · Archiv für Kreislaufforschung