title: Exendin-4 attenuates ischemia-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glucagon-like peptide-1 and its receptor agonist-exendin-4 (Ex-4) have been shown to provide beneficial effects for cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the effects of Ex-4 on ischemia-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anesthetized male rats were once treated with Ex-4 (5 μg/kg, i.v.) 1 h before ischemia in the absence and/or presence of 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5-HD, 10 mg/kg, i.v., a specific inhibitor of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium [KATP] channels) which were once injected 10 min before ischemia. And then subjected to ischemia for 30 min. Ventricular arrhythmias were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 30-min ischemia, Ex-4 significantly reduced the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) (p < 0.05). The duration of ventricular tachycardia (VT) + VF, the number of VT + VF episodes and the severity of arrhythmias were all significantly reduced by Ex-4 compared to those in myocardial ischemia group (p < 0.05 for all). Administration of 5-HD abolished the protective effects of Ex-4 on VF incidence, the duration of VT + VF, the number of VT + VF episodes and the severity of arrhythmias (p < 0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that Ex-4 could attenuate ischemia-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rats in which mitochondrial KATP channels may be involved.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yongbo
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jie
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daoqun
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhiqiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003652:Decanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000077270:Exenatide; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006880:Hydroxy Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014688:Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D003652:Decanoic Acids; D006880:Hydroxy Acids; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010455:Peptides; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D014688:Venoms; C117780:mitochondrial K(ATP) channel; C052853:5-hydroxydecanoic acid; D000077270:Exenatide