title: Differential modulation of the cardiac L- and T-type calcium channel currents by isoflurane.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Volatile anesthetics exert their negative chronotropic and inotropic effects, in part by depressing the L- and T-type calcium channels. This study examines and compares the dose-dependent effects of isoflurane on atrial L- and T-type calcium currents (I(Ca,L) and I(Ca,T)) and ventricular I(Ca,L).
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole cell I(Ca) was recorded from enzymatically isolated guinea pig cardiomyocytes. Current-voltage relations for atrial and ventricular I(Ca,L) was obtained from holding potentials of -90 and -50 mV to test a potential of +60 mV in 10-mV increments. Atrial I(Ca,T) was determined by subtraction of currents obtained from holding potentials of -50 and -90 mV. Steady state inactivation was determined using standard two-pulse protocols, and data were fitted with the Boltzmann equation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Isoflurane depressed I(Ca) in a dose-dependent manner, with Kd values of 0.23+/-0.03, 0.34+/-0.03, and 0.71+/-0.02 mM of anesthetic for atrial I(Ca,T) and I(Ca,L) and ventricular (ICa,L), respectively, and caused a significant (P < 0.05) hyperpolarizing shift in steady state inactivation. At 1.2 and 1.6 mm, isoflurane caused a significant (P < 0.05) depolarizing shift in the steady state activation in ventricular I(Ca,L) but not in atrial I(Ca,L) or I(Ca,T). In addition to the depression of I(Ca,L), isoflurane also induced a hyperpolarizing shift in the reversal potential of I(Ca) for both atrial and ventricular L-type calcium channels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that atrial I(Ca,T) is more sensitive to isoflurane than atrial I(Ca,L), and ventricular I(Ca,L) was the least responsive to the anesthetic. These differential sensitivities of the calcium channels in the atrial and ventricular chambers might reflect phenotypic differences in the calcium channels or differences in modulation by the anesthetic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Begic
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.forename: Z J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Bosnjak
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects*; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type / Q000187:drug effects*; D002469:Cell Separation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007530:Isoflurane