title: Voltage-dependence of contraction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic myocytes.
abstract: Cardiac contractile dysfunction is frequently reported in human patients and experimental animals with type-1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the voltage-dependence of contraction in ventricular myocytes from the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat. STZ-induced diabetes was characterised by hyperglycaemia and hypoinsulinaemia. Other characteristics included reduced body and heart weight and raised blood osmolarity. Isolated ventricular myocytes were patched in whole cell, voltage-clamp mode after correcting for membrane capacitance and series resistance. From a holding membrane potential of -40 mV, test pulses were applied at potentials between -30 and +50 mV in 10 mV increments. L-type Ca2+ current (I Ca,L) density and contraction were measured simultaneously using a video-edge detection system. Membrane capacitance was not significantly altered between control and STZ-induced diabetic myocytes. The I Ca,L density was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced throughout voltage ranges (-10 mV to +10 mV) in myocytes from STZ-treated rats compared to age-matched controls. Moreover, the amplitude of contraction was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in myocytes from STZ-treated rats at all test potentials between -20 mV and +30 mV. However, in electrically field-stimulated (1 Hz) myocytes, the amplitude of contraction was not altered by STZ-treatment. It is suggested that in field-stimulated myocytes taken from STZ-induced diabetic hearts, prolonged action potential duration may promote increased Ca2+ influx via the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX), which may compensate for a reduction in Ca2+ trigger through L-type-Ca2+-channels and lead to normalised contraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bracken
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Woodall
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Howarth
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000502:physiology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D002118:Calcium