Functional modulation of atrio-ventricular conduction by enhanced late sodium current and calcium-dependent mechanisms in <i>Scn5a1798insD/+</i> mice
Mathilde R. Rivaud, Gerard A. Marchal, Rianne Wolswinkel, John A. Jansen, Ingeborg van der Made, Leander Beekman, Adrián Ruiz‐Villalba, Antonius Baartscheer, Sridharan Rajamani, Luiz Belardinelli, Toon A.B. van Veen, Cristina Basso, Gaetano Thiene, Esther E. Creemers, Connie R. Bezzina, Carol Ann Remme
Abstract
AIMS: SCN5A mutations are associated with arrhythmia syndromes, including Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3), and cardiac conduction disease. Long QT syndrome type 3 patients display atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction slowing which may contribute to arrhythmogenesis. We here investigated the as yet unknown underlying mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed electrophysiological and molecular alterations underlying AV-conduction abnormalities in mice carrying the Scn5a1798insD/+ mutation. Langendorff-perfused Scn5a1798insD/+ hearts showed prolonged AV-conduction compared to wild type (WT) without changes in atrial and His-ventricular (HV) conduction. The late sodium current (INa,L) inhibitor ranolazine (RAN) normalized AV-conduction in Scn5a1798insD/+ mice, likely by preventing the mutation-induced increase in intracellular sodium ([Na+]i) and calcium ([Ca2+]i) concentrations. Indeed, further enhancement of [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i by the Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain caused excessive increase in AV-conduction time in Scn5a1798insD/+ hearts. Scn5a1798insD/+ mice from the 129P2 strain displayed more severe AV-conduction abnormalities than FVB/N-Scn5a1798insD/+ mice, in line with their larger mutation-induced INa,L. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) caused excessive prolongation of AV-conduction in FVB/N-Scn5a1798insD/+ mice (while HV-intervals remained unchanged), which was prevented by chronic RAN treatment. Scn5a1798insD/+-TAC hearts showed decreased mRNA levels of conduction genes in the AV-nodal region, but no structural changes in the AV-node or His bundle. In Scn5a1798insD/+-TAC mice deficient for the transcription factor Nfatc2 (effector of the calcium-calcineurin pathway), AV-conduction and conduction gene expression were restored to WT levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a detrimental role for enhanced INa,L and consequent calcium dysregulation on AV-conduction in Scn5a1798insD/+ mice, providing evidence for a functional mechanism underlying AV-conduction disturbances secondary to gain-of-function SCN5A mutations.