Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks

The spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rate of sinoatrial nodal cells (SANC) is regulated by a system of intracellular Ca2+ and membrane ion current clocks driven by Ca2+-calmodulin-activated adenylyl cyclase-protein kinase-A signaling. The mean AP-cycle length (APCL) and APCL variability info...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashley N. Wirth, Kenta Tsutsui, Victor A. Maltsev, Edward G. Lakatta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.977807/full
_version_ 1798015710532730880
author Ashley N. Wirth
Kenta Tsutsui
Victor A. Maltsev
Edward G. Lakatta
author_facet Ashley N. Wirth
Kenta Tsutsui
Victor A. Maltsev
Edward G. Lakatta
author_sort Ashley N. Wirth
collection DOAJ
description The spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rate of sinoatrial nodal cells (SANC) is regulated by a system of intracellular Ca2+ and membrane ion current clocks driven by Ca2+-calmodulin-activated adenylyl cyclase-protein kinase-A signaling. The mean AP-cycle length (APCL) and APCL variability inform on the effectiveness of clock coupling. Endogenous ATP metabolite adenosine binds to adenosine receptors (A1, A3) that couple to Gi protein-coupled receptors, reducing spontaneous AP firing rate via Gβγ signaling that activates IKAch,Ado. Adenosine also inhibits adenylyl cyclase activity via Gαi signaling, impacting cAMP-mediated protein kinase-A-dependent protein phosphorylation. We hypothesize that in addition to IKAch,Ado activation, adenosine impacts also Ca2+via Gαi signaling and that both effects reduce AP firing rate by reducing the effectiveness of the Ca2+ and membrane clock coupling. To this end, we measured Ca2+ and membrane potential characteristics in enzymatically isolated single rabbit SANC. 10 µM adenosine substantially increased both the mean APCL (on average by 43%, n = 10) and AP beat-to-beat variability from 5.1 ± 1.7% to 7.2 ± 2.0% (n = 10) measured via membrane potential and 5.0 ± 2.2% to 10.6 ± 5.9% (n = 40) measured via Ca2+ (assessed as the coefficient of variability = SD/mean). These effects were mediated by hyperpolarization of the maximum diastolic membrane potential (membrane clock effect) and suppression of diastolic local Ca2+releases (LCRs) (Ca2+-clock effect): as LCR size distributions shifted to smaller values, the time of LCR occurrence during diastolic depolarization (LCR period) became prolonged, and the ensemble LCR signal became reduced. The tight linear relationship of coupling between LCR period to the APCL in the presence of adenosine “drifted” upward and leftward, i.e. for a given LCR period, APCL was prolonged, becoming non-linear indicating clock uncoupling. An extreme case of uncoupling occurred at higher adenosine concentrations (>100 µM): small stochastic LCRs failed to self-organize and synchronize to the membrane clock, thus creating a failed attempt to generate an AP resulting in arrhythmia and cessation of AP firing. Thus, the effects of adenosine to activate Gβγ and IKACh,Ado and to activate Gαi, suppressing adenylyl cyclase activity, both contribute to the adenosine-induced increase in the mean APCL and APCL variability by reducing the fidelity of clock coupling and AP firing rate.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T15:39:07Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6182c06d2b6d45fdb13f5fc4b977bba5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-042X
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T15:39:07Z
publishDate 2022-11-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Physiology
spelling doaj.art-6182c06d2b6d45fdb13f5fc4b977bba52022-12-22T04:15:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2022-11-011310.3389/fphys.2022.977807977807Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocksAshley N. WirthKenta TsutsuiVictor A. MaltsevEdward G. LakattaThe spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rate of sinoatrial nodal cells (SANC) is regulated by a system of intracellular Ca2+ and membrane ion current clocks driven by Ca2+-calmodulin-activated adenylyl cyclase-protein kinase-A signaling. The mean AP-cycle length (APCL) and APCL variability inform on the effectiveness of clock coupling. Endogenous ATP metabolite adenosine binds to adenosine receptors (A1, A3) that couple to Gi protein-coupled receptors, reducing spontaneous AP firing rate via Gβγ signaling that activates IKAch,Ado. Adenosine also inhibits adenylyl cyclase activity via Gαi signaling, impacting cAMP-mediated protein kinase-A-dependent protein phosphorylation. We hypothesize that in addition to IKAch,Ado activation, adenosine impacts also Ca2+via Gαi signaling and that both effects reduce AP firing rate by reducing the effectiveness of the Ca2+ and membrane clock coupling. To this end, we measured Ca2+ and membrane potential characteristics in enzymatically isolated single rabbit SANC. 10 µM adenosine substantially increased both the mean APCL (on average by 43%, n = 10) and AP beat-to-beat variability from 5.1 ± 1.7% to 7.2 ± 2.0% (n = 10) measured via membrane potential and 5.0 ± 2.2% to 10.6 ± 5.9% (n = 40) measured via Ca2+ (assessed as the coefficient of variability = SD/mean). These effects were mediated by hyperpolarization of the maximum diastolic membrane potential (membrane clock effect) and suppression of diastolic local Ca2+releases (LCRs) (Ca2+-clock effect): as LCR size distributions shifted to smaller values, the time of LCR occurrence during diastolic depolarization (LCR period) became prolonged, and the ensemble LCR signal became reduced. The tight linear relationship of coupling between LCR period to the APCL in the presence of adenosine “drifted” upward and leftward, i.e. for a given LCR period, APCL was prolonged, becoming non-linear indicating clock uncoupling. An extreme case of uncoupling occurred at higher adenosine concentrations (>100 µM): small stochastic LCRs failed to self-organize and synchronize to the membrane clock, thus creating a failed attempt to generate an AP resulting in arrhythmia and cessation of AP firing. Thus, the effects of adenosine to activate Gβγ and IKACh,Ado and to activate Gαi, suppressing adenylyl cyclase activity, both contribute to the adenosine-induced increase in the mean APCL and APCL variability by reducing the fidelity of clock coupling and AP firing rate.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.977807/fullsinoatrial node (SAN)adenosinecoupled-clock pacemaker systemcalcium releasesarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)cardiac arrhythmia
spellingShingle Ashley N. Wirth
Kenta Tsutsui
Victor A. Maltsev
Edward G. Lakatta
Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
Frontiers in Physiology
sinoatrial node (SAN)
adenosine
coupled-clock pacemaker system
calcium release
sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)
cardiac arrhythmia
title Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
title_full Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
title_fullStr Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
title_full_unstemmed Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
title_short Adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
title_sort adenosine reduces sinoatrial node cell action potential firing rate by uncoupling its membrane and calcium clocks
topic sinoatrial node (SAN)
adenosine
coupled-clock pacemaker system
calcium release
sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)
cardiac arrhythmia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.977807/full
work_keys_str_mv AT ashleynwirth adenosinereducessinoatrialnodecellactionpotentialfiringratebyuncouplingitsmembraneandcalciumclocks
AT kentatsutsui adenosinereducessinoatrialnodecellactionpotentialfiringratebyuncouplingitsmembraneandcalciumclocks
AT victoramaltsev adenosinereducessinoatrialnodecellactionpotentialfiringratebyuncouplingitsmembraneandcalciumclocks
AT edwardglakatta adenosinereducessinoatrialnodecellactionpotentialfiringratebyuncouplingitsmembraneandcalciumclocks