title: Electrophysiological effects of lysophosphatidylcholine on HL-1 cardiomyocytes assessed with a microelectrode array system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sudden death due to malignant ventricular arrhythmias is the most important cause of death in acute myocardial infarction. Improved knowledge about the pathophysiology underlying these arrhythmias is essential in the search for new anti-arrhythmic strategies. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a hydrolysis product of (membrane) phospholipid degradation, is one of the most potent pro-arrhythmic substances that accumulate in the human heart during myocardial ischemia. The aim of this study was to set up and validate an in vitro experimental system for studies on the effects of LPC on electrophysiological parameters in beating cardiomyocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spontaneously beating HL-1 cardiomyocytes were cultured on multielectrode array microchips for three days for the recording of electrical activities in the form of field potentials (FP). FPs were recorded at baseline and after addition of 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 µM of LPC to the cell medium (n=9). We found that LPC could induce rapid effects on electrical parameters in the HL-1 cells. The overall half-maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) of LPC was around 12 µM. The beating rate and peak-peak amplitude of FP thus decreased at concentrations ≥ 12 µM and were inversely proportional to increased LPC concentration. The duration of FP was significantly prolonged with LPC above 12 µM and was concentration-dependent. LPC delayed signal propagation, an effect which was mimicked by blocking gap junctions with heptanol and attenuated by pre-treatment with isoprenaline and atropine. Finally, asynchronous activity was induced by LPC at >12 µM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPC induced prompt and pronounced electrophysiological alterations that may underlie its observed pro-arrhythmic properties. Our in vitro model with HL-1 cells and microelectrode array system may be a useful tool for preclinical studies of electrophysiological effects of various pathophysiological concepts.
authors: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Bruna stråket 16, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Sigfus
authors: S
authors: Gizurarson
authors: Yangzhen
authors: Y
authors: Shao
authors: Azra
authors: A
authors: Miljanovic
authors: Truls
authors: T
authors: Råmunddal
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Borén
authors: Lennart
authors: L
authors: Bergfeldt
authors: Elmir
authors: E
authors: Omerovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008839:Microelectrodes; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D001285:Atropine; D007545:Isoproterenol