Calmodulin kinase II and arrhythmias in a mouse model of cardiac hypertrophy.
Calmodulin kinase (CaMK) II is linked to arrhythmia mechanisms in cellular models where repolarization is prolonged. CaMKII upregulation and prolonged repolarization are general features of cardiomyopathy, but the role of CaMKII in arrhythmias in cardiomyopathy is unknown.



We studied a mouse model of cardiac hypertrophy attributable to transgenic (TG) overexpression of a constitutively active form of CaMKIV that also has increased endogenous CaMKII activity. ECG-telemetered TG mice had significantly more arrhythmias than wild-type (WT) littermate controls at baseline, and arrhythmias were additionally increased by isoproterenol. Arrhythmias were significantly suppressed by an inhibitory agent targeting endogenous CaMKII. TG mice had longer QT intervals and action potential durations than WT mice, and TG cardiomyocytes had frequent early afterdepolarizations (EADs), a hypothesized mechanism for triggering arrhythmias. EADs were absent in WT cells before and after isoproterenol, whereas EAD frequency was unaffected by isoproterenol in TG mice. L-type Ca2+ channels (LTTCs) can activate EADs, and LTCC opening probability (Po) was significantly higher in TG than WT cardiomyocytes before and after isoproterenol. A CaMKII inhibitory peptide equalized TG and WT LTCC Po and eliminated EADs, whereas a peptide antagonist of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger current, also hypothesized to support EADs, was ineffective.



These findings support the hypothesis that CaMKII is a proarrhythmic signaling molecule in cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Cellular studies point to EADs as a triggering mechanism for arrhythmias but suggest that the increase in arrhythmias after beta-adrenergic stimulation is independent of enhanced EAD frequency.
Department of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn, USA.
Yuejin
Y
Wu
Joel
J
Temple
Rong
R
Zhang
Igor
I
Dzhura
Wei
W
Zhang
Robert
R
Trimble
Dan M
DM
Roden
Robert
R
Passier
Eric N
EN
Olson
Roger J
RJ
Colbran
Mark E
ME
Anderson
D000200:Action Potentials; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D054734:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000201:enzymology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D010641:Phenotype; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001596:Benzylamines; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D054734:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007545:Isoproterenol; D013449:Sulfonamides; C072105:KN 93; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides; C517683:CAMK4 protein, human; C517685:Camk4 protein, mouse