Modulation of Spontaneous Action Potential Rate by Inositol Trisphosphate in Myocytes from the Rabbit Atrioventricular Node

TL;DR

This study shows that inositol trisphosphate (IP3) can influence the pacemaking rate of cells in the rabbit atrioventricular node, a key part of the heart's conduction system.

Contribution

The study is the first to demonstrate that IP3 modulates pacemaking in AVN cells, revealing a novel regulatory mechanism in cardiac conduction.

Findings

IP3-R2 is present in AVN cells and overlaps partially with RyR2 receptors.

Activation of IP3 receptors increases spontaneous action potential rate and diastolic depolarization rate.

Inhibition of IP3 receptors slows pacemaking, confirming their role in AVN cell function.

Abstract

The atrioventricular node (AVN) is a key component of the cardiac conduction system and takes over pacemaking of the ventricles if the sinoatrial node fails. IP3 (inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate) can modulate excitability of myocytes from other regions of the heart, but it is not known whether IP3 receptor (IP3-R) activation modulates AVN cell pacemaking. Consequently, this study investigated effects of IP3 on spontaneous action potentials (APs) from AVN cells isolated from rabbit hearts. Immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging demonstrated the presence of IP3-R2 in isolated AVN cells, with partial overlap with RyR2 ryanodine receptors seen in co-labelling experiments. In whole-cell recordings at physiological temperature, application of 10 µM membrane-permeant Bt3-(1,4,5)IP3-AM accelerated spontaneous AP rate and increased diastolic depolarization rate, without direct effects on ICa,L, IKr, If or INCX. By contrast, application via the patch pipette of 5 µM of the IP3-R inhibitor xestospongin C led to a slowing in spontaneous AP rate and prevented 10 µM Bt3-(1,4,5)IP3-AM application from increasing the AP rate. UV excitation of AVN cells loaded with caged-IP3 led to an acceleration in AP rate, the magnitude of which increased with the extent of UV excitation. 2-APB slowed spontaneous AP rate, consistent with a role for constitutive IP3-R activity; however, it was also found to inhibit ICa,L and IKr, confounding its use for studying IP3-R. Under AP voltage clamp, UV excitation of AVN cells loaded with caged IP3 activated an inward current during diastolic depolarization. Collectively, these results demonstrate that IP3 can modulate AVN cell pacemaking rate.

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