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Biophysical and molecular comparison of sodium current in cells isolated from canine atria and pulmonary vein

  • Ion channels, receptors and transporters
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Abstract

The collar of the pulmonary vein (PV) is the focal point for the initiation of atrial arrhythmias, but the mechanisms underlying how PV cells differ from neighboring left atrial tissue are unclear. We examined the biophysical and molecular properties of INa in cells isolated from the canine pulmonary sleeve and compared the properties to left atrial tissue. PV and left atrial myocytes were isolated and patch clamp techniques were used to record INa. Action potential recordings from either tissue type were made using high-resistance electrodes. mRNA was determined using quantitative RT-PCR and proteins were determined by Western blot. Analysis of the action potential characteristics showed that PV tissue had a lower Vmax compared with left atrial tissue. Fast INa showed that current density was slightly lower in PV cells compared with LA cells (−96 ± 18.7 pA/pF vs. −120 ± 6.7 pA/pF, respectively, p < 0.05). The recovery from inactivation of INa in PV cells was slightly slower but no marked difference in steady-state inactivation was noted. Analysis of late INa during a 225-ms pulse showed that late INa was significantly smaller in PV cells compared to LA cells at all measured time points into the pulse. These results suggest PV cells have lower density of both peak and late INa. Molecular analysis of Nav1.5 and the four beta subunits showed lower levels of Nav1.5 as well as Navβ1 subunits, confirming the biophysical findings. These data show that a lower density of INa may lead to depression of excitability and predispose the PV collar to re-entrant circuits under pathophysiological conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Judy Hefferon for excellent technical assistance in the isolation of myocytes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Cardiology, Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, 2150 Bleecker Street, Utica, NY, 13501, USA

    Hector Barajas-Martinez, Robert J. Goodrow, Dan Hu, Payal Patel, Mayurika Desai, Brian K. Panama, Jacqueline A. Treat, Gary L. Aistrup & Jonathan M. Cordeiro

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  1. Hector Barajas-Martinez
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  2. Robert J. Goodrow
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  3. Dan Hu
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  4. Payal Patel
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  5. Mayurika Desai
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  7. Jacqueline A. Treat
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  9. Jonathan M. Cordeiro
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan M. Cordeiro.

Ethics declarations

This investigation conforms to the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the National Institutes of Health (The Eighth Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011)).

Funding Sources

This study was supported by the Free and Accepted Masons of New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Wisconsin, Washington, and Rhode Island (to JMC).

Conflicts of Interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Barajas-Martinez, H., Goodrow, R.J., Hu, D. et al. Biophysical and molecular comparison of sodium current in cells isolated from canine atria and pulmonary vein. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 469, 703–712 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-017-1956-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-017-1956-4

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