title: Pannexin-1 Deficient Mice Have an Increased Susceptibility for Atrial Fibrillation and Show a QT-Prolongation Phenotype.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pannexin-1 (Panx1) is an ATP release channel that is ubiquitously expressed and coupled to several ligand-gated receptors. In isolated cardiac myocytes, Panx1 forms large conductance channels that can be activated by Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Here we characterized the electrophysiological function of these channels in the heart in vivo, taking recourse to mice with Panx1 ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiac phenotyping of Panx1 knock-out mice (Panx1(-/-)) was performed by employing a molecular, cellular and functional approach, including echocardiography, surface and telemetric ECG recordings with QT analysis, physical stress testing and quantification of heart rate variability. In addition, an in vivo electrophysiological study entailed programmed electrical stimulation using an intracardiac octapolar catheter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Panx1 deficiency results in a higher incidence of AV-block, delayed ventricular depolarisation, significant prolongation of QT- and rate corrected QT-interval and a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation after intraatrial burst stimulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Panx1 seems to play an important role in murine cardiac electrophysiology and warrants further consideration in the context of hereditary forms of atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: University Childrenx00B4;s Hospital Duesseldorf, Pediatric Cardiology, Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petric
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dannenberg
authors.forename: Tillman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahres
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clasen
authors.forename: Klaus G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Zhaoping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Birgit C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Donner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C503631:Panx1 protein, mouse