Affiliation:
1. Department of Cardiac Sciences, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, GAC66, Health Research Innovation Centre, 3280 Hospital Drive N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
2. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Abstract
Abstract
Aims
Heart rate (HR) is a critical indicator of cardiac performance that is determined by sinoatrial node (SAN) function and regulation. Natriuretic peptides, including C-type NP (CNP), have been shown to modulate ion channel function in the SAN when applied exogenously. CNP is the only NP that acts as a ligand for natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B). Despite these properties, the ability of CNP and NPR-B to regulate HR and intrinsic SAN automaticity in vivo, and the mechanisms by which it does so, are incompletely understood. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the role of NPR-B signalling in regulating HR and SAN function.
Methods and results
We have used NPR-B deficient mice (NPR-B+/−) to study HR regulation and SAN function using telemetry in conscious mice, intracardiac electrophysiology in anaesthetized mice, high-resolution optical mapping in isolated SAN preparations, patch-clamping in isolated SAN myocytes, and molecular biology in isolated SAN tissue. These studies demonstrate that NPR-B+/− mice exhibit slow HR, increased corrected SAN recovery time, and slowed SAN conduction. Spontaneous AP firing frequency in isolated SAN myocytes was impaired in NPR-B+/− mice due to reductions in the hyperpolarization activated current (If) and L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L). If and ICa,L were reduced due to lower cGMP levels and increased hydrolysis of cAMP by phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) in the SAN. Inhibiting PDE3 or restoring cGMP signalling via application of 8-Br-cGMP abolished the reductions in cAMP, AP firing, If, and ICa,L, and normalized SAN conduction, in the SAN in NPR-B+/− mice. NPR-B+/− mice did not exhibit changes in SAN fibrosis and showed no evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or changes in ventricular function.
Conclusions
NPR-B plays an essential physiological role in maintaining normal HR and SAN function by modulating ion channel function in SAN myocytes via a cGMP/PDE3/cAMP signalling mechanism.
Funder
Canadian Institutes of Health Research to R.A.R.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Research Award
Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Libin Cardiovascular Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship
Libin Cardiovascular Institute Doctoral Research Award
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Physiology (medical),Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine,Physiology
Cited by
17 articles.
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