title: Toward an understanding of the molecules that sense myocardial ischemia.
abstract: Cardiac afferent neurons are activated in the setting of myocardial ischemia and mediate the sensation of angina. However, the precise stimuli and receptive molecules responsible are not completely understood. To further investigate the molecular components involved, cardiac afferents were isolated in dissociated culture and patch-clamp experiments were performed on these cells. It was found that acidic pH evoked large inward currents in almost all cardiac sympathetic afferents. By comparison, the responses to other potential chemical mediators were inconsistent and much smaller. The biophysical properties of the acid-evoked currents in cardiac afferents match the acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 371 EMRB, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. chris-benson@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sutherland
mesh_terms: D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C112231:ASIC3 protein, human; D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015222:Sodium Channels; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate