scholarly journals Ionic Mechanisms of Impulse Propagation Failure in the FHF2-Deficient Heart

2020 ◽  
Vol 127 (12) ◽  
pp. 1536-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Park ◽  
Akshay Shekhar ◽  
John Santucci ◽  
Gabriel Redel-Traub ◽  
Sergio Solinas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Sodium Current ◽  
Conduction Block ◽  
Tissue Level ◽  
Axial Current ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Impulse Propagation ◽  
Ionic Mechanisms ◽  
Gap Junctional

Rationale: FHFs (fibroblast growth factor homologous factors) are key regulators of sodium channel (Na V ) inactivation. Mutations in these critical proteins have been implicated in human diseases including Brugada syndrome, idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias, and epileptic encephalopathy. The underlying ionic mechanisms by which reduced Na v availability in Fhf2 knockout ( Fhf2 KO ) mice predisposes to abnormal excitability at the tissue level are not well defined. Objective: Using animal models and theoretical multicellular linear strands, we examined how FHF2 orchestrates the interdependency of sodium, calcium, and gap junctional conductances to safeguard cardiac conduction. Methods and Results: Fhf2 KO mice were challenged by reducing calcium conductance (gCa V ) using verapamil or by reducing gap junctional conductance (Gj) using carbenoxolone or by backcrossing into a cardiomyocyte-specific Cx43 (connexin 43) heterozygous background. All conditions produced conduction block in Fhf2 KO mice, with Fhf2 wild-type ( Fhf2 WT ) mice showing normal impulse propagation. To explore the ionic mechanisms of block in Fhf2 KO hearts, multicellular linear strand models incorporating FHF2-deficient Na v inactivation properties were constructed and faithfully recapitulated conduction abnormalities seen in mutant hearts. The mechanisms of conduction block in mutant strands with reduced gCa V or diminished Gj are very different. Enhanced Na v inactivation due to FHF2 deficiency shifts dependence onto calcium current (I Ca ) to sustain electrotonic driving force, axial current flow, and action potential (AP) generation from cell-to-cell. In the setting of diminished Gj, slower charging time from upstream cells conspires with accelerated Na v inactivation in mutant strands to prevent sufficient downstream cell charging for AP propagation. Conclusions: FHF2-dependent effects on Na v inactivation ensure adequate sodium current (I Na ) reserve to safeguard against numerous threats to reliable cardiac impulse propagation.

Dynamic changes of cardiac conduction during rapid pacing

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (4) ◽  
pp. H1796-H1811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandar A. Kondratyev ◽  
Julien G. C. Ponard ◽  
Adelina Munteanu ◽  
Stephan Rohr ◽  
Jan P. Kucera
Keyword(s):  
Ventricular Myocytes ◽  
Conduction Block ◽  
Pump Current ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Abrupt Decrease ◽  
Rate Dependent ◽  
Ionic Mechanisms ◽  
Inward Currents

Slow conduction and unidirectional conduction block (UCB) are key mechanisms of reentry. Following abrupt changes in heart rate, dynamic changes of conduction velocity (CV) and structurally determined UCB may critically influence arrhythmogenesis. Using patterned cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes grown on microelectrode arrays, we investigated the dynamics of CV in linear strands and the behavior of UCB in tissue expansions following an abrupt decrease in pacing cycle length (CL). Ionic mechanisms underlying rate-dependent conduction changes were investigated using the Pandit-Clark-Giles-Demir model. In linear strands, CV gradually decreased upon a reduction of CL from 500 ms to 230–300 ms. In contrast, at very short CLs (110–220 ms), CV first decreased before increasing again. The simulations suggested that the initial conduction slowing resulted from gradually increasing action potential duration (APD), decreasing diastolic intervals, and increasing postrepolarization refractoriness, which impaired Na+ current ( INa) recovery. Only at very short CLs did APD subsequently shorten again due to increasing Na+/K+ pump current secondary to intracellular Na+ accumulation, which caused recovery of CV. Across tissue expansions, the degree of UCB gradually increased at CLs of 250–390 ms, whereas at CLs of 180–240 ms, it first increased and subsequently decreased. In the simulations, reduction of inward currents caused by increasing intracellular Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations contributed to UCB progression, which was reversed by increasing Na+/K+ pump activity. In conclusion, CV and UCB follow intricate dynamics upon an abrupt decrease in CL that are determined by the interplay among INa recovery, postrepolarization refractoriness, APD changes, ion accumulation, and Na+/K+ pump function.

Doxorubicin induces EGF receptor-dependent downregulation of gap junctional intercellular communication in rat liver epithelial cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 386 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kotb Abdelmohsen ◽  
Claudia von Montfort ◽  
Dominik Stuhlmann ◽  
P. Arne Gerber ◽  
Ulrich K.M. Decking ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Rat Liver ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Egf Receptor ◽  
Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication ◽  
Erk Activation ◽  
Liver Epithelial Cells ◽  
Rat Liver Epithelial Cells ◽  
Gap Junctional

Abstract Exposure of rat liver epithelial cells to doxorubicin, an anthraquinone derivative widely employed in cancer chemotherapy, led to a dose-dependent decrease in gap junctional intercellular communication (GJC). Gap junctions are clusters of inter-cellular channels consisting of connexins, the major connexin in the cells used being connexin-43 (Cx43). Doxorubicin-induced loss of GJC was mediated by activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1 and ERK-2, as demonstrated using inhibitors of ERK activation. Furthermore, activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor by doxorubicin was responsible for ERK activation and the subsequent attenuation of GJC. Inhibition of GJC, however, was not by direct phosphorylation of Cx43 by ERK-1/2, whereas menadione, a 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative that was previously demonstrated to activate the same EGF receptor-dependent pathway as doxorubicin, resulting in downregulation of GJC, caused strong phos-phorylation of Cx43 at serines 279 and 282. Thus, ERK-dependent downregulation of GJC upon exposure to quinones may occur both by direct phosphorylation of Cx43 and in a phosphorylation-independent manner.

scholarly journals Aberrant Deactivation-Induced Gain of Function in TRPM4 Mutant Is Associated with Human Cardiac Conduction Block

Cell Reports ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 724-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenying Xian ◽  
Xin Hui ◽  
Qinghai Tian ◽  
Hongmei Wang ◽  
Alessandra Moretti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conduction Block ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Gain Of Function

scholarly journals Evolutionarily conserved intercalated disc protein Tmem65 regulates cardiac conduction and connexin 43 function

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Parveen Sharma ◽  
Cynthia Abbasi ◽  
Savo Lazic ◽  
Allen C. T. Teng ◽  
Dingyan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Intercalated Disc ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved

scholarly journals Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Accelerate Malignant Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via Connexin 43-Formed Unidirectional Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 315-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Luo ◽  
Yanmei Luo ◽  
Naiquan Mao ◽  
Guolin Huang ◽  
Cuifang Teng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Small Cell ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Cancer Associated Fibroblasts ◽  
Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication ◽  
Small Cell Lung ◽  
Metabolic Coupling ◽  
Gap Junctional

Background/Aims: Gap junctions, which are assembled by connexins, can directly connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells and enable gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) as well as metabolic coupling between neighboring cells. Here, we investigated the role of connexin 43 (Cx43) and its derived GJIC in the interplay between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Methods: CAFs and NSCLC cells were co-cultured with direct contact and separated using flow cytometry. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and the expression and activity of PKM-2 and LDH-A in sorted CAFs were measured by a colorimetric assay, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression and the migration and invasion of sorted NSCLC cells were detected by western blotting, wound width, and Transwell assays. Pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and citric acid levels, ATP levels, and LDH-B and α-KG activity in sorted NSCLC cells were determined by a colorimetric or fluorometric assay and ELISA, respectively. Functional GJIC between cells and the subcellular location of connexins were detected by a “Parachute” assay and immunofluorescence. Levels of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B in tissue from patients with NSCLC were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cx43 accumulated in the plasma membrane, which favored the assembly of asymmetric unidirectional GJIC from CAFs to NSCLC cells. CAFs underwent increased aerobic glycolysis and promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In contrast, NSCLC cells experienced enhanced oxidative phosphorylation upon CAF stimulation, with an increase in ATP generation and thereby activation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways. Metabolic coupling between CAFs and NSCLC cells was under the strict control of Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC. Patients with high tri-expression of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B had the shortest overall survival and relapse-free survival compared with those with individual overexpression or high bi-expression. Conclusion: Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC plays a critical role in mediating close metabolic cooperation between CAFs and NSCLC cells to support the malignant progression of NSCLC.

scholarly journals Non-ohmic tissue conduction in cardiac electrophysiology: upscaling the non-linear voltage-dependent conductance of gap junctions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Hurtado ◽  
Javiera Jilberto ◽  
Grigory Panasenko
Keyword(s):  
Computational Complexity ◽  
Gap Junctions ◽  
Cardiac Tissue ◽  
Tissue Level ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Junctional Coupling ◽  
Organ Level ◽  
Electrical Propagation

AbstractGap junctions are key mediators of the intercellular communication in cardiac tissue, and their function is vital to sustain normal cardiac electrical activity. Conduction through gap junctions strongly depends on the hemichannel arrangement and transjunctional voltage, rendering the intercellular conductance highly non-Ohmic. Despite this marked non-linear behavior, current tissue-level models of cardiac conduction are rooted on the assumption that gap-junctions conductance is constant (Ohmic), which results in inaccurate predictions of electrical propagation, particularly in the low junctional-coupling regime observed under pathological conditions. In this work, we present a novel non-Ohmic multiscale (NOM) model of cardiac conduction that is suitable for tissue-level simulations. Using non-linear homogenization theory, we develop a conductivity model that seamlessly upscales the voltage-dependent conductance of gap junctions, without the need of explicitly modeling gap junctions. The NOM model allows for the simulation of electrical propagation in tissue-level cardiac domains that accurately resemble that of cell-based microscopic models for a wide range of junctional coupling scenarios, recovering key conduction features at a fraction of the computational complexity. A unique feature of the NOM model is the possibility of upscaling the response of non-symmetric gap-junction conductance distributions, which result in conduction velocities that strongly depend on the direction of propagation, thus allowing to model the normal and retrograde conduction observed in certain regions of the heart. We envision that the NOM model will enable organ-level simulations that are informed by sub- and inter-cellular mechanisms, delivering an accurate and predictive in-silico tool for understanding the heart function.Author summaryThe heart relies on the propagation of electrical impulses that are mediated gap junctions, whose conduction properties vary depending on the transjunctional voltage. Despite this non-linear feature, current mathematical models assume that cardiac tissue behaves like an Ohmic (linear) material, thus delivering inaccurate results when simulated in a computer. Here we present a novel mathematical multiscale model that explicitly includes the non-Ohmic response of gap junctions in its predictions. Our results show that the proposed model recovers important conduction features modulated by gap junctions at a fraction of the computational complexity. This contribution represents an important step towards constructing computer models of a whole heart that can predict organ-level behavior in reasonable computing times.

scholarly journals TNF-α plus IL-1β Induces Opposite Regulation of Hemichannels and Gap Junctions in Mesangial Cells Through a RhoA/ROCK-dependent Pathway

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia M. Lucero ◽  
Marcelo A. León ◽  
Paola Fernández ◽  
Juan A. Orellana ◽  
Victoria Velarde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Mesangial Cells ◽  
Thiobarbituric Acid ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Cell Coupling ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions ◽  
Junctional Communication ◽  
Junctional Coupling ◽  
Gap Junctional

Connexin 43 (Cx43) is expressed in kidneys and constitutes a feedforward mechanism leading to inflammation in other tissues where they form hemichannels and gap junction channels. However, the possible functional relationship between these membrane channels and their role in damaged renal cells remains unknown. Here, analyses of ethidium uptake and thiobarbituric acid reactive species revealed that TNF-α plus IL-1β increase Cx43 hemichannel activity and oxidative stress in MES-13 cells, a cell line derived from mesangial cells. The latter also was accompanied by a reduction in gap junctional communication, whereas western blotting analysis showed a progressive increase of phosphorylated MYPT (a substrate of RhoA/ROCK) and Cx43 upon TNF-α/IL-1β treatment. Additionally, inhibition of RhoA/ROCK strongly diminished the TNF-α/IL-1β-induced activation of Cx43 hemichannels and reduction in gap junctional coupling. We propose that activation of Cx43 hemichannels and inhibition of cell coupling during pro-inflammatory conditions could contribute to oxidative stress and damage of mesangial cells via the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

Sodium channel kinetic changes that produce Brugada syndrome or progressive cardiac conduction system disease

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. H399-H407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu-Shan Zhang ◽  
Joseph Tranquillo ◽  
Valentina Neplioueva ◽  
Nenad Bursac ◽  
Augustus O. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Action Potential ◽  
Sodium Channel ◽  
Brugada Syndrome ◽  
Sodium Current ◽  
Conduction System ◽  
Cardiac Conduction ◽  
Cardiac Conduction System ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
System Disease ◽  
Conduction System Disease

Some mutations of the sodium channel gene NaV1.5 are multifunctional, causing combinations of LQTS, Brugada syndrome and progressive cardiac conduction system disease (PCCD). The combination of Brugada syndrome and PCCD is uncommon, although they both result from a reduction in the sodium current. We hypothesize that slow conduction is sufficient to cause S-T segment elevation and undertook a combined experimental and theoretical study to determine whether conduction slowing alone can produce the Brugada phenotype. Deletion of lysine 1479 in one of two positively charged clusters in the III/IV inter-domain linker causes both syndromes. We have examined the functional effects of this mutation using heterologous expression of the wild-type and mutant sodium channel in HEK-293-EBNA cells. We show that ΔK1479 shifts the potential of half-activation, V1/2m, to more positive potentials ( V1/2m = −36.8 ± 0.8 and −24.5 ± 1.3 mV for the wild-type and ΔK1479 mutant respectively, n = 11, 10). The depolarizing shift increases the extent of depolarization required for activation. The potential of half-inactivation, V1/2h, is also shifted to more positive potentials ( V1/2h = −85 ± 1.1 and −79.4 ± 1.2 mV for wild-type and ΔK1479 mutant respectively), increasing the fraction of channels available for activation. These shifts are quantitatively the same as a mutation that produces PCCD only, G514C. We incorporated experimentally derived parameters into a model of the cardiac action potential and its propagation in a one dimensional cable (simulating endo-, mid-myocardial and epicardial regions). The simulations show that action potential and ECG changes consistent with Brugada syndrome may result from conduction slowing alone; marked repolarization heterogeneity is not required. The findings also suggest how Brugada syndrome and PCCD which both result from loss of sodium channel function are sometimes present alone and at other times in combination.

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