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An N-/L-type calcium channel blocker, cilnidipine, suppresses autonomic, electrical, and structural remodelling associated with atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT: AIMS:Autonomic dysfunction can promote atrial fibrillation (AF) and results from AF-related remodelling. N-type Ca2+-channels (NTCCs) at sympathetic nerve terminals mediate Ca2+-entry that triggers neurotransmitter release. AF-associated remodelling plays an important role in AF pathophysiology but the effects of NTCC inhibition on such remodelling is unknown. Here, we investigated the ability of a clinically available Ca2+-channel blocker (CCB) with NTCC-blocking activity to suppress the arrhythmogenic effects of AF-promoting remodelling in dogs. METHODS AND RESULTS:Mongrel dogs were kept in AF by right atrial tachypacing at 600 bpm. Four groups were studied under short-term AF (7?days): (i) Shams, instrumented but without tachypacing (n?=?5); (ii) a placebo group, tachypaced while receiving placebo (n?=?6); (iii) a control tachypacing group receiving nifedipine (10?mg orally twice-daily; n?=?5), an L-type CCB; and (iv) a cilnidipine group, subjected to tachypacing and treatment with cilnidipine (10?mg orally twice-daily; n?=?7), an N-/L-type CCB. With cilnidipine therapy, dogs with 1-week AF showed significantly reduced autonomic changes reflected by heart rate variability (decreases in RMSSD and pNN50) and plasma norepinephrine concentrations. In addition, cilnidipine-treated dogs had decreased extracellular matrix gene expression vs. nifedipine-dogs. As in previous work, atrial fibrosis had not yet developed after 1-week AF, so three additional groups were studied under longer-term AF (21?days): (i) Shams, instrumented without tachypacing or drug therapy (n?=?8); (ii) a placebo group, tachypaced while receiving placebo (n?=?8); (iii) a cilnidipine group, subjected to tachypacing during treatment with cilnidipine (10?mg twice-daily; n?=?8). Cilnidipine attenuated 3-week AF effects on AF duration and atrial conduction, and suppressed AF-induced increases in fibrous-tissue content, decreases in connexin-43 expression and reductions in sodium-channel expression. CONCLUSIONS:Cilnidipine, a commercially available NTCC-blocking drug, prevents AF-induced autonomic, electrical and structural remodelling, along with associated AF promotion.

SUBMITTER: Tajiri K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6873085 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Imbalanced activation of the cardiac autonomic nervous system triggers postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). Neuronal calcium overload induces apoptosis. We hypothesize that epicardial injection of timed-release nanoformulated CaCl2 (nCaCl2) into left atrial ganglionic plexi (GP) modulates autonomic function and suppresses POAF. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to determine whether nCaCl2 GP therapy suppresses POAF. METHODS:We used a novel canine model of POAF with implanted radiotelemetry to record nerve activity (NA) from the left stellate ganglion (SNA), left cardiac vagus nerve, and GP. At week 3, nCaCl2 (n = 7) or vehicle control (sham; n = 3) was injected into left pulmonary vein GP (LGP), followed by right pulmonary vein GP at week 4. Atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and atrial fibrillation vulnerability (AFV) were assessed in vivo. Resting and exercise NA and heart rate (HR) were assessed before and after LGP treatment. RESULTS:AERP decreased (P < .0001) and AFV increased (P = .008) at week 3 vs baseline. However, nCaCl2-LGP treatment reversed these changes and restored them to baseline after 1 week (P = .04). Subsequent nCaCl2-right pulmonary vein GP treatment further reduced AFV (P = .03). In contrast, AFV increased (P = .001) and AERP remained decreased (P = .01) 1 week after sham-LGP treatment vs baseline. nCaCl2-LGP treatment reduced NA from GP (P < .02) and NA from the left cardiac vagus nerve (P < .05) and increased SNA (P < .02). Despite increased SNA, HR was decreased (P < .01) with loss of HR-SNA correlation (R = 0.62). After sham-LGP treatment, NA was unchanged and HR-SNA remained correlated (R = 0.95). Histology confirmed nCaCl2-GP colocalization, apoptosis, and loss of immunoreactivity in nCaCl2-treated somas. CONCLUSION:Epicardial injection of nCaCl2 into left atrial GP induced neuroapoptosis and modulated autonomic function. This reversed a postoperative reduction in AERP and suppressed POAF.

Project description:Importance:The association between obesity, an established risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), and response to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) remains unclear. Objective:To test the hypothesis that obesity differentially mediates response to AADs in patients with symptomatic AF and in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and pacing induced AF. Design, Setting, and Participants:An observational cohort study was conducted including 311 patients enrolled in a clinical-genetic registry. Mice fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks were also evaluated. The study was conducted from January 1, 2018, to June 2, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures:Symptomatic response was defined as continuation of the same AAD for at least 3 months. Nonresponse was defined as discontinuation of the AAD within 3 months of initiation because of poor symptomatic control of AF necessitating alternative rhythm control therapy. Outcome measures in DIO mice were pacing-induced AF and suppression of AF after 2 weeks of treatment with flecainide acetate or sotalol hydrochloride. Results:A total of 311 patients (mean [SD] age, 65 [12] years; 120 women [38.6%]) met the entry criteria and were treated with a class I or III AAD for symptomatic AF. Nonresponse to class I AADs in patients with obesity was less than in those without obesity (30% [obese] vs 6% [nonobese]; difference, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.37; P?=?.001). Both groups had similar symptomatic response to a potassium channel blocker AAD. On multivariate analysis, obesity, AAD class (class I vs III AAD [obese] odds ratio [OR], 4.54; 95% Wald CI, 1.84-11.20; P?=?.001), female vs male sex (OR, 2.31; 95% Wald CI, 1.07-4.99; P?=?.03), and hyperthyroidism (OR, 4.95; 95% Wald CI, 1.23-20.00; P?=?.02) were significant indicators of the probability of failure to respond to AADs. Pacing induced AF in 100% of DIO mice vs 30% (P?<?.001) in controls. Furthermore, DIO mice showed a greater reduction in AF burden when treated with sotalol compared with flecainide (85% vs 25%; P?<?.01). Conclusions and Relevance:Results suggest that obesity differentially mediates response to AADs in patients and in mice with AF, possibly reducing the therapeutic effectiveness of sodium channel blockers. These findings may have implications for the management of AF in patients with obesity.

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An N-/L-type calcium channel blocker, cilnidipine, suppresses autonomic, electrical, and structural remodelling associated with atrial fibrillation.

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