Chronic Sympathetic Hyperactivity Triggers Electrophysiological Remodeling and Disrupts Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Heart

Sci Rep. 2020 May 14;10(1):8001. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-64949-7.

Abstract

The sympathetic nervous system is essential for maintenance of cardiac function via activation of post-junctional adrenergic receptors. Prolonged adrenergic receptor activation, however, has deleterious long-term effects leading to hypertrophy and the development of heart failure. Here we investigate the effect of chronic adrenergic receptors activation on excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) in ventricular cardiomyocytes from a previously characterized mouse model of chronic sympathetic hyperactivity, which are genetically deficient in the adrenoceptor α2A and α2C genes (ARDKO). When compared to wild-type (WT) cardiomyocytes, ARDKO displayed reduced fractional shortening (~33%) and slower relaxation (~20%). Furthermore, ARDKO cells exhibited several electrophysiological changes such as action potential (AP) prolongation (~50%), reduced L-type calcium channel (LCC) current (~33%), reduced outward potassium (K+) currents (~30%), and increased sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX) activity (~52%). Consistent with reduced contractility and calcium (Ca2+) currents, the cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) transient from ARDKO animals was smaller and decayed slower. Importantly, no changes were observed in membrane resting potential, AP amplitude, or the inward K+ current. Finally, we modified our existing cardiac ECC computational model to account for changes in the ARDKO heart. Simulations suggest that cellular changes in the ARDKO heart resulted in variable and dyssynchronous Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release therefore altering [Ca2+]i transient dynamics and reducing force generation. In conclusion, chronic sympathetic hyperactivity impairs ECC by changing the density of several ionic currents (and thus AP repolarization) causing altered Ca2+ dynamics and contractile activity. This demonstrates the important role of ECC remodeling in the cardiac dysfunction secondary to chronic sympathetic activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Signaling
  • Cardiac Electrophysiology*
  • Excitation Contraction Coupling*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Heart Diseases / etiology
  • Heart Diseases / metabolism
  • Heart Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Sympathetic Nervous System / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Calcium