P2 purinoceptors contribute to ATP-induced inhibition of L-type Ca2+ current in rabbit atrial myocytes

Cardiac purinergic signalling in health and disease

This review is a historical account about purinergic signalling in the heart, for readers to see how ideas and understanding have changed as new experimental results were published. Initially, the focus is on the nervous control of the heart by ATP as a cotransmitter in sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory nerves, as well as in intracardiac neurons. Control of the heart by centers in the brain and vagal cardiovascular reflexes involving purines are also discussed. The actions of adenine nucleotides and nucleosides on cardiomyocytes, atrioventricular and sinoatrial nodes, cardiac fibroblasts, and coronary blood vessels are described. Cardiac release and degradation of ATP are also described. Finally, the involvement of purinergic signalling and its therapeutic potential in cardiac pathophysiology is reviewed, including acute and chronic heart failure, ischemia, infarction, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, syncope, hypertrophy, coronary artery disease, angina, diabetic cardiomyopathy, as well as heart transplantation and coronary bypass grafts.

Activation of purinergic receptors by ATP induces ventricular tachycardia by membrane depolarization and modifications of Ca2+ homeostasis

Cardiac myocytes are continuously exposed to extracellular nucleotides secreted by the myocytes themselves, nerve terminals, or platelets and other blood cells during coronary perfusion, and the concentrations of such extracellular nucleotides are known to increase during cardiac ischemia and hypoxia. The effects of the extracellular nucleotides ATP, ADP, UTP, and adenosine on ventricular arrhythmogenic properties were explored in 36 Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts using monophasic action potential recording. Extracellular nucleotides induced arrhythmic phenomena in form of ectopic activity and ventricular tachycardia in a potency order of ATP (n=7) > ADP (n=5) > UTP (n=3) approximately adenosine (n=3). The purinergic receptor antagonists suramin and pyridoxal phosphate-6-azo(benzene-2,4-disulphonic acid) reduced the incidence of ATP-triggered arrhythmias. In isolated ventricular myocytes, ATP induced sustained increases in diastolic Ca2+ and triggered multiple Ca2+ waves, which were inhibited by suramin but not by the L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist nifedipine. In whole-cell patch clamp experiments, extracellular ATP induced two distinct types of inward currents, which were inhibited by suramin and PPADS, suggesting activation of P2X receptors. ATP also induced delayed after-depolarizations and ectopic action potentials in current clamped ventricular myocytes. In conclusion, extracellular ATP activates purinergic receptors and induces arrhythmic activity through modifications of Ca2+ homeostasis and an activation of depolarizing membrane currents.

Cellular Distribution and Functions of P2 Receptor Subtypes in Different Systems

This review is aimed at providing readers with a comprehensive reference article about the distribution and function of P2 receptors in all the organs, tissues, and cells in the body. Each section provides an account of the early history of purinergic signaling in the organ?cell up to 1994, then summarizes subsequent evidence for the presence of P2X and P2Y receptor subtype mRNA and proteins as well as functional data, all fully referenced. A section is included describing the plasticity of expression of P2 receptors during development and aging as well as in various pathophysiological conditions. Finally, there is some discussion of possible future developments in the purinergic signaling field.

Increased sensitivity of neonate atrial myocytes to adenosine A1 receptor stimulation in regulation of the L-type Ca2+ current

Adenosine has cardioprotective effects against ischemia, and newborn hearts show high resistance to ischemia. The effects of purinoceptor stimulation by adenosine and ATP on the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) were examined in atrial cells from neonate and adult rabbits. ICa was measured by the membrane-perforated patch method. Adenosine inhibited the isoproterenol-stimulated ICa more potently in neonate cells than in adult cells. The high sensitivity of neonate myocytes to adenosine was accompanied not only by an increased maximum response but also by a lower IC50 concentration. ATP also inhibited isoproterenol-stimulated ICa. The effect of ATP on neonate cells was stronger than that on adult cells at high concentrations (greater than or = 100 microM). The effect of adenosine was antagonized by an A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX). DPCPX or an ecto-5'-nucleosidase inhibitor (alpha,beta-methylene-ADP) blocked most (approximately 60%) of the effect of ATP (30 microM), and co-addition of DPCPX and suramin (P2 receptor blocker) abolished the effect of ATP. Suramin alone did not reduce the effect of ATP significantly in neonate cells. Both the effects of adenosine and ATP were eliminated by pre-treatment with pertussis toxin or by superfusion with forskolin plus 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Inhibitors of the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway did not affect the adenosine inhibition of ICa. In summary, neonatal myocardial cells are highly sensitive to adenosine A1 receptor stimulation. ATP stimulates both the adenosine A1 and P2 receptors. Adenosine A1 receptor stimulation, as a result of hydrolysis of ATP, predominantly mediates the effect of ATP, and the role of P2 receptors in the ATP inhibition of ICa is relatively small in neonate cells. The high sensitivity to adenosine may contribute to the ischemic tolerance of newborn hearts.

EP receptor-mediated inhibition by prostaglandin E(1) of cardiac L-type Ca(2+) current of rabbits

Prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) has cardioprotective effects on the ischemic-reperfused heart. To clarify the mechanisms underlying the protective action of PGE(1) on myocardium, we examined the effect of PGE(1) on the L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca)) using single atrial cells from rabbits. PGE(1) did not show a significant effect on basal I(Ca) but inhibited the I(Ca) prestimulated by isoproterenol (Iso, 30 nM). This inhibition was concentration dependent (EC(50) = 0.027 microM). Both sulprostone, a specific PGE receptor subtype (EP(1) and EP(3)) agonist, and 11-deoxy-PGE(1), an EP(3) agonist, inhibited the Iso-stimulated I(Ca), similar to PGE(1). Pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) abolished the PGE(1) inhibition of I(Ca). Both the application of forskolin plus IBMX and intracellular dialysis with 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate eliminated the effect of PGE(1). PGE(1) did not show any further inhibition of I(Ca) when the effect of Iso was almost fully antagonized by acetylcholine. Methylene blue (guanylate cyclase inhibitor), KT-5823 (cGMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor), and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine (type II phosphodiesterase inhibitor) did not significantly change the inhibitory effect of PGE(1). These findings suggest that 1) PGE(1) inhibits Iso-stimulated I(Ca) by binding to the EP(3) receptor and 2) the PTX-sensitive and cAMP-dependent pathway is involved in the PGE(1) inhibition of I(Ca), but the nitric oxide-cGMP-dependent pathway is not. The PGE(1)-induced antiadrenergic effect shown in this study may contribute to the PGE(1) protection of myocardium against ischemia.