title: Effects of phloretin and phloridzin on Ca2+ handling, the action potential, and ion currents in rat ventricular myocytes.
abstract: The effects of the phytoestrogens phloretin and phloridzin on Ca(2+) handling, cell shortening, the action potential, and Ca(2+) and K(+) currents in freshly isolated cardiac myocytes from rat ventricle were examined. Phloretin increased the amplitude and area and decreased the rate of decline of electrically evoked Ca(2+) transients in the myocytes. These effects were accompanied by an increase in the Ca(2+) load of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, as determined by the area of caffeine-evoked Ca(2+) transients. An increase in the extent of shortening of the myocytes in response to electrically evoked action potentials was also observed in the presence of phloretin. To further examine possible mechanisms contributing to the observed changes in Ca(2+) handling and contractility, the effects of phloretin on the cardiac action potential and plasma membrane Ca(2+) and K(+) currents were examined. Phloretin markedly increased the action potential duration in the myocytes, and it inhibited the Ca(2+)-independent transient outward K(+) current (I(to)). The inwardly rectifying K(+) current, the sustained outward delayed rectifier K(+) current, and L-type Ca(2+) currents were not significantly different in the presence and absence of phloretin, nor was there any evidence that the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger was affected. The effects of phloretin on Ca(2+) handling in the myocytes are consistent with its effects on I(to). Phloridzin did not significantly alter the amplitude or area of electrically evoked Ca(2+) transients in the myocytes, nor did it have detectable effects on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) load, cell shortening, or the action potential.
authors: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada. E-mail
authors: Marnie L
authors: ML
authors: Olson
authors: Margaret E
authors: ME
authors: Kargacin
authors: Christopher A
authors: CA
authors: Ward
authors: Gary J
authors: GJ
authors: Kargacin
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects*; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010693:Phloretin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010695:Phlorhizin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D007473:Ion Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D002110:Caffeine; D010695:Phlorhizin; D010693:Phloretin; D002118:Calcium