scholarly journals DREADD technology reveals major impact of Gq signalling on cardiac electrophysiology

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (6) ◽  
pp. 1052-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Kaiser ◽  
Qinghai Tian ◽  
Michael Wagner ◽  
Monika Barth ◽  
Wenying Xian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Cardiac Electrophysiology ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Isolated Heart ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Muscle Creatine Kinase ◽  
Electrophysiological Properties ◽  
Transgenic Mouse Line

Abstract Aims Signalling via Gq-coupled receptors is of profound importance in many cardiac diseases such as hypertrophy and arrhythmia. Nevertheless, owing to their widespread expression and the inability to selectively stimulate such receptors in vivo, their relevance for cardiac function is not well understood. We here use DREADD technology to understand the role of Gq-coupled signalling in vivo in cardiac function. Methods and results We generated a novel transgenic mouse line that expresses a Gq-coupled DREADD (Dq) in striated muscle under the control of the muscle creatine kinase promotor. In vivo injection of the DREADD agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) resulted in a dose-dependent, rapid mortality of the animals. In vivo electrocardiogram data revealed severe cardiac arrhythmias including lack of P waves, atrioventricular block, and ventricular tachycardia. Following Dq activation, electrophysiological malfunction of the heart could be recapitulated in the isolated heart ex vivo. Individual ventricular and atrial myocytes displayed a positive inotropic response and arrhythmogenic events in the absence of altered action potentials. Ventricular tissue sections revealed a strong co-localization of Dq with the principal cardiac connexin CX43. Western blot analysis with phosphor-specific antibodies revealed strong phosphorylation of a PKC-dependent CX43 phosphorylation site following CNO application in vivo. Conclusion Activation of Gq-coupled signalling has a major impact on impulse generation, impulse propagation, and coordinated impulse delivery in the heart. Thus, Gq-coupled signalling does not only modulate the myocytes’ Ca2+ handling but also directly alters the heart’s electrophysiological properties such as intercellular communication. This study greatly advances our understanding of the plethora of modulatory influences of Gq signalling on the heart in vivo.

Cardiac responses of rats submitted to postnatal protein restriction

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiane Moisés Murça ◽  
Tatiana Soares dos Reis Magno ◽  
Marilda Luz de Andrade De Maria ◽  
Carolina Andrade Bragança Capuruço ◽  
Deoclécio Alves Chianca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Isolated Heart ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Protein Restriction ◽  
Fiber Density ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Male Wistar Rats

Undernutrition during critical stages of development and childhood has important effects on cardiovascular homeostasis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vivo and ex vivo cardiac function of rats submitted to postnatal protein restriction. Male Wistar rats (28 days old) were fed a regular (20%) or low-protein (6%) diet over 5 weeks. After this period, cardiac function was analyzed by echocardiography and isolated heart preparation. Furthermore, the density of cardiac noradrenergic fibers and hematological profile were evaluated. We found that malnourished rats exhibited elevated arterial blood pressure, increased fractional shortening (echocardiography), increased systolic tension, increased ±dT/dt (isolated heart technique), impaired diastolic function characterized by a slight increase in the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (echocardiography) and decreased diastolic tension (isolated heart technique), and cardiac hypertrophy evidenced by augmentation of the posterior left ventricular wall and discrete hematological changes. In addition, malnourished rats exhibited increased noradrenergic fiber density in their hearts (0.08% ± 0.02% area in control rats vs. 0.17% ± 0.03% area in malnourished rats). Our current data demonstrate that postnatal protein restriction causes cardiac adaptation characterized by an early overworking heart. This is at least in part mediated by an increase in the efferent sympathetic fibers to the heart. These findings provide important information for efforts to prevent and manage the consequences of undernutrition in the human population.

scholarly journals Cardiac Optical Mapping in Situ in Swine Models: A View of the Current Situation

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
pp. 620
Author(s):  
Irma Martišienė ◽  
Regina Mačianskienė ◽  
Rimantas Benetis ◽  
Jonas Jurevičius
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Optical Mapping ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Isolated Heart ◽  
Spatiotemporal Resolution ◽  
Electrophysiological Properties ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Large Animals

Optical mapping is recognized as a promising tool for the registration of electrical activity in the heart. Most cardiac optical mapping experiments are performed in ex vivo isolated heart models. However, the electrophysiological properties of the heart are highly influenced by the autonomic nervous system as well as humoral regulation; therefore, in vivo investigations of heart activity in large animals are definitely preferred. Furthermore, such investigations can be considered the last step before clinical application. Recently, two comprehensive studies have examined optical mapping approaches for pig hearts in situ (in vivo), likely advancing the methodological capacity to perform complex electrophysiological investigations of the heart. Both studies had the same aim, i.e., to develop high-spatiotemporal-resolution optical mapping suitable for registration of electrical activity of pig heart in situ, but the methods chosen were different. In this brief review, we analyse and compare the results of recent studies and discuss their translational potential for in situ cardiac optical mapping applications in large animals. We focus on the modes of blood circulation that are employed, the use of different voltage-sensitive dyes and their loading procedures, and ways of eliminating contraction artefacts. Finally, we evaluate the possible scenarios for optical mapping (OM) application in large animals in situ and infer which scenario is optimal.

scholarly journals Influence of genetic background on ex vivo and in vivo cardiac function in several commonly used inbred mouse strains

2010 ◽  
Vol 42A (2) ◽  
pp. 103-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Barnabei ◽  
Nathan J. Palpant ◽  
Joseph M. Metzger
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Inbred Mouse ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Inbred Strains ◽  
Mouse Strains ◽  
Inbred Mouse Strains ◽  
Cardiac Decompensation

Inbred mouse strains play a critical role in biomedical research. Genetic homogeneity within inbred strains and their general amenability to genetic manipulation have made them an ideal resource for dissecting the physiological function(s) of individual genes. However, the inbreeding that makes inbred mice so useful also results in genetic divergence between them. This genetic divergence is often unaccounted for but may be a confounding factor when comparing studies that have utilized distinct inbred strains. Here, we compared the cardiac function of C57BL/6J mice to seven other commonly used inbred mouse strains: FVB/NJ, DBA/2J, C3H/HeJ, BALB/cJ, 129X1/SvJ, C57BL/10SnJ, and 129S1/SvImJ. The assays used to compare cardiac function were the ex vivo isolated Langendorff heart preparation and in vivo real-time hemodynamic analysis using conductance micromanometry. We report significant strain-dependent differences in cardiac function between C57BL/6J and other commonly used inbred strains. C57BL/6J maintained better cardiac function than most inbred strains after ex vivo ischemia, particularly compared with 129S1/SvImJ, 129X1/SvJ, and C57BL/10SnJ strains. However, during in vivo acute hypoxia 129X1/SvJ and 129S1/SvImJ maintained relatively normal cardiac function, whereas C57BL/6J animals showed dramatic cardiac decompensation. Additionally, C3H/HeJ showed rapid and marked cardiac decompensation in response to esmolol infusion compared with effects of other strains. These findings demonstrate the complex effects of genetic divergence between inbred strains on cardiac function. These results may help inform analysis of gene ablation or transgenic studies and further demonstrate specific quantitative traits that could be useful in discovery of genetic modifiers relevant to cardiac health and disease.

Modulation of mouse cardiac function in vivo by eNOS and ANP

2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (3) ◽  
pp. H971-H981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Gyurko ◽  
Peter Kuhlencordt ◽  
Mark C. Fishman ◽  
Paul L. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Isolated Heart ◽  
Cardiac Contractility ◽  
Enos Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelium ◽  
Ventricular Relaxation ◽  
Nos Inhibitors

To study the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in cardiac function, we compared eNOS expression, contractility, and relaxation in the left ventricles of wild-type and eNOS-deficient mice. eNOS immunostaining is localized to the macro- and microvascular endothelium throughout the myocardium in wild-type mice and is absent in eNOS−/− mice. Whereas blood pressure is elevated in eNOS−/− mice, baseline cardiac contractility (dP/d t max) is similar in wild-type and eNOS−/− mice (9,673 ± 2,447 and 9,928 ± 1,566 mmHg/s, respectively). The β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (Iso) at doses of ≥1 ng causes enhanced increases in dP/d t max in eNOS−/− mice compared with wild-type controls in vivo ( P < 0.01) as well as in Langendorff isolated heart preparations ( P < 0.02). β-Adrenergic receptor binding (Bmax) is not significantly different in the two groups of animals (Bmax = 41.4 ± 9.4 and 36.1 ± 5.1 fmol/mg for wild-type and eNOS−/−). Iso-stimulated ventricular relaxation is also enhanced in the eNOS−/− mice, as measured by dP/d t min in the isolated heart. However, baseline ventricular relaxation is normal in eNOS−/− mice (τ = 5.2 ± 1.0 and 5.6 ± 1.5 ms for wild-type and eNOS−/−, respectively), whereas it is impaired in wild-type mice after NOS inhibition (τ = 8.3 ± 2.4 ms). cGMP levels in the left ventricle are unaffected by eNOS gene deletion (wild-type: 3.1 ± 0.8 pmol/mg, eNOS−/−: 3.1 ± 0.6 pmol/mg), leading us to examine the level of another physiological regulator of cGMP. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) expression is markedly upregulated in the eNOS−/− mice, and exogenous ANP restores ventricular relaxation in wild-type mice treated with NOS inhibitors. These results suggest that eNOS attenuates both inotropic and lusitropic responses to β-adrenergic stimulation, and it also appears to regulate baseline ventricular relaxation in conjunction with ANP.

Targeted inactivation of Gαi does not alter cardiac function or β-adrenergic sensitivity

2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (2) ◽  
pp. H569-H575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohit Jain ◽  
Chee Chew Lim ◽  
Kohzo Nagata ◽  
Vannessa M. Davis ◽  
David S. Milstone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Ventricular Myocytes ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cardiac Response ◽  
Similar Degree ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Isolated Hearts ◽  
Targeted Inactivation ◽  
Contractile Performance

Inhibitory Gαi protein increases in the myocardium during hypertrophy and has been associated with β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) desensitization, contractile dysfunction, and progression of cardiac disease. The role of Gαi proteins in mediating basal cardiac function and β-AR response in nonpathological myocardium, however, is uncertain. Transgenic mice with targeted inactivation of Gαi2 or Gαi3 were examined for in vivo cardiac function with the use of conscious echocardiography and for ex vivo cardiac response to inotropic stimulation with the use of Langendorff blood-perfused isolated hearts and adult ventricular cardiomyocytes. Echocardiography revealed that percent fractional shortening and heart rate were similar among wild-type, Gαi2 -null, and Gαi3 -null mice. Comparable baseline diastolic and contractile performance was also observed in isolated hearts and isolated ventricular myocytes from wild-type mice and mice lacking Gαi proteins. Isoproterenol infusion enhanced diastolic and contractile performance to a similar degree in wild-type, Gαi2 -null, and Gαi3 -null mice. These data demonstrate no observable role for inhibitory G proteins in mediating basal cardiac function or sensitivity to β-AR stimulation in nonpathological myocardium.

A new implantable tool for repeated assessment of supraventricular electrophysiology and atrial fibrillation susceptibility in freely moving rats

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Murninkas ◽  
Roni Gillis ◽  
Danielle I Lee ◽  
Sigal Elyagon ◽  
Nikhil Suresh Bhandarkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Electrophysiological Properties ◽  
Multiple Risk Factors ◽  
Electrophysiological Studies ◽  
Cycle Lengths ◽  
Major Factors

The complex pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) is governed by multiple risk factors in ways that are still elusive. Basic electrophysiological properties including atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and conduction velocity are major factors determining the susceptibility of the atrial myocardium to AF. Although there is a great need for affordable animal models in this field of research, in-vivo rodent studies are limited by technical challenges. Recently, we introduced an implantable system for long-term assessment of AF susceptibility in ambulatory rats. However, technical considerations did not allow us to perform concomitant supraventricular electrophysiology measurements. Here, we designed a novel quadripolar-electrode specifically adapted for comprehensive atrial studies in ambulatory rats. Electrodes were fabricated from medical-grade silicone, four platinum-iridium poles and stainless steel fixating pins. Initial quality validation was performed ex-vivo, followed by implantation in adult rats and repeated electrophysiological studies 1, 4 and 8 weeks post implantation. Capture threshold was stable. Baseline AERP values (38.1±2.3 and 39.5±2.0 using 70ms and 120ms S1-S1 cycle lengths, respectively) confirmed the expected absence of rate-adaptation in the unanesthetized state and validated our prediction that markedly higher values reported under anesthesia are non-physiological. Evaluation of AF substrate in parallel with electrophysiological parameters validated our recent finding of a gradual increase in AF susceptibility over-time and demonstrated that this phenomenon is associated with an electrical remodeling process characterized by AERP shortening. Our findings indicate that the miniature quadripolar-electrode is a potent new tool, which opens a window of opportunities for better utilization of rats in AF research.

scholarly journals Arrhythmia susceptibility in senescent rat hearts

2014 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Rossi ◽  
Silvana Baruffi ◽  
Domenico Corradi ◽  
Sergio Callegari ◽  
Ezio Musso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Electrophysiology ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Electrophysiological Properties ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Rat Hearts ◽  
Arrhythmogenic Substrate ◽  
Ventricular Activation

Cardiovascular disease increases with age as well as alterations of cardiac electrophysiological properties, but a detailed knowledge about changes in cardiac electrophysiology relevant to arrhythmogenesis in the elderly is relatively lacking. The aim of this study was to determine specific age-related changes in electrophysiological properties of the ventricles which can be related to a structural-functional arrhythmogenic substrate. Multiple epicardial electrograms were recorded on the ventricular surface of in vivo control and aged rats, while arrhythmia vulnerability was investigated by premature stimulation protocols. Single or multiple ectopic beats and sustained ventricular arrhythmias were frequently induced in aged but not in control hearts. Abnormal ventricular activation patterns during sinus rhythm and unchanged conduction velocity during point stimulation in aged hearts suggest the occurrence of impaired impulse conduction through the distal Purkinje system that might create a potential reentry substrate.

scholarly journals Reduction of cardiomyocyte S-nitrosylation by S-nitrosoglutathione reductase protects against sepsis-induced myocardial depression

2013 ◽  
Vol 304 (8) ◽  
pp. H1134-H1146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Y. Sips ◽  
Tomoya Irie ◽  
Lin Zou ◽  
Shohei Shinozaki ◽  
Michihiro Sakai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Myocardial Dysfunction ◽  
Endotoxic Shock ◽  
Protein S ◽  
Septic Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Myocardial Depression ◽  
Lps Challenge

Myocardial depression is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality in septic patients. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the development of septic cardiomyopathy, but also has protective effects. Recent evidence has indicated that NO exerts many of its downstream effects on the cardiovascular system via protein S-nitrosylation, which is negatively regulated by S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), an enzyme promoting denitrosylation. We tested the hypothesis that reducing cardiomyocyte S-nitrosylation by increasing GSNOR activity can improve myocardial dysfunction during sepsis. Therefore, we generated mice with a cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of GSNOR (GSNOR-CMTg mice) and subjected them to endotoxic shock. Measurements of cardiac function in vivo and ex vivo showed that GSNOR-CMTg mice had a significantly improved cardiac function after lipopolysaccharide challenge (LPS, 50 mg/kg) compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Cardiomyocytes isolated from septic GSNOR-CMTg mice showed a corresponding improvement in contractility compared with WT cells. However, systolic Ca2+ release was similarly depressed in both genotypes after LPS, indicating that GSNOR-CMTg cardiomyocytes have increased Ca2+ sensitivity during sepsis. Parameters of inflammation were equally increased in LPS-treated hearts of both genotypes, and no compensatory changes in NO synthase expression levels were found in GSNOR-overexpressing hearts before or after LPS challenge. GSNOR overexpression however significantly reduced total cardiac protein S-nitrosylation during sepsis. Taken together, our results indicate that increasing the denitrosylation capacity of cardiomyocytes protects against sepsis-induced myocardial depression. Our findings suggest that specifically reducing protein S-nitrosylation during sepsis improves cardiac function by increasing cardiac myofilament sensitivity to Ca2+.

scholarly journals Cardiac mTOR rescues the detrimental effects of diet-induced obesity in the heart after ischemia-reperfusion

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (12) ◽  
pp. H1530-H1539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshinori Aoyagi ◽  
Jason K. Higa ◽  
Hiroko Aoyagi ◽  
Naaiko Yorichika ◽  
Briana K. Shimada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Chow Diet ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Myocardial Scarring ◽  
Diet Induced Obesity ◽  
Normal Chow ◽  
Normal Chow Diet

Diet-induced obesity deteriorates the recovery of cardiac function after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. While mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key mediator of energy metabolism, the effects of cardiac mTOR in ischemic injury under metabolic syndrome remains undefined. Using cardiac-specific transgenic mice overexpressing mTOR (mTOR-Tg mice), we studied the effect of mTOR on cardiac function in both ex vivo and in vivo models of I/R injury in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. mTOR-Tg and wild-type (WT) mice were fed a HFD (60% fat by calories) for 12 wk. Glucose intolerance and insulin resistance induced by the HFD were comparable between WT HFD-fed and mTOR-Tg HFD-fed mice. Functional recovery after I/R in the ex vivo Langendorff perfusion model was significantly lower in HFD-fed mice than normal chow diet-fed mice. mTOR-Tg mice demonstrated better cardiac function recovery and had less of the necrotic markers creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in both feeding conditions. Additionally, mTOR overexpression suppressed expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNF-α, in both feeding conditions after I/R injury. In vivo I/R models showed that at 1 wk after I/R, HFD-fed mice exhibited worse cardiac function and larger myocardial scarring along myofibers compared with normal chow diet-fed mice. In both feeding conditions, mTOR overexpression preserved cardiac function and prevented myocardial scarring. These findings suggest that cardiac mTOR overexpression is sufficient to prevent the detrimental effects of diet-induced obesity on the heart after I/R, by reducing cardiac dysfunction and myocardial scarring.

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