enalaprilat-anhydrous and Arrhythmias--Cardiac

Chronic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEIs) treatment can suppress arrhythmogenesis. To examine whether the effect is more immediate and independent of suppression of pathological remodelling, we tested the antiarrhythmic effect of short-term ACE inhibition in healthy normotensive rats. Wistar rats were administered with enalaprilat (ENA, i.p., 5 mg/kg every 12 h) or vehicle (CON) for 2 weeks. Intraarterial blood pressure in situ was measured in A. carotis. Cellular shortening was measured in isolated, electrically paced cardiomyocytes. Standard 12-lead electrocardiography was performed, and hearts of anaesthetized open-chest rats were subjected to 6-min ischemia followed by 10-min reperfusion to examine susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. Expressions of calcium-regulating proteins (SERCA2a, cardiac sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase; CSQ, calsequestrin; TRD, triadin; PLB, phospholamban; Thr(17)-PLB-phosphorylated PLB at threonine-17, FKBP12.6, FK506-binding protein, Cav1.2-voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel alpha 1C subunit) were measured by Western blot; mRNA levels of L-type calcium channel (Cacna1c), ryanodine receptor (Ryr2) and potassium channels Kcnh2 and Kcnq1 were measured by qRT-PCR. ENA decreased intraarterial systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure (by 20%, and by 31%, respectively, for both P < 0.05) but enhanced shortening of cardiomyocytes at basal conditions (by 34%, P < 0.05) and under beta-adrenergic stimulation (by 73%, P < 0.05). Enalaprilat shortened QTc interval duration (CON 78 ± 1 ms vs. ENA 72 ± 2 ms; P < 0.05) and significantly decreased the total duration of ventricular fibrillations (VF) and the number of VF episodes (P < 0.05). Reduction in arrhythmogenesis was associated with a pronounced upregulation of SERCA2a (CON 100 ± 20 vs. ENA 304 ± 13; P < 0.05) and complete absence of basal Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of PLB at Thr(17). Short-term ACEI treatment can provide protection against I/R injury-induced ventricular arrhythmias in healthy myocardium, and this effect is associated with increased SERCA2a expression.

Topics: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Blotting, Western; Calcium Channels, L-Type; Cell Separation; Electrolytes; Enalaprilat; Heart Ventricles; Isoproterenol; Male; Myocardial Contraction; Myocardium; Myocytes, Cardiac; Organ Size; Potassium Channels; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury; RNA, Messenger; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Ultrasonography; Up-Regulation

We have investigated the contribution of the renin-angiotensin system to the damage caused by 40-min global ischemia in the isolated rat heart. A converting enzyme inhibitor, enalaprilat (70 nM), an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, compound 89 (2 microM), and an inhibitor of rat renin, CGP 44099A (20 nM), given before ischemia reduced the median duration of ventricular fibrillation on reperfusion to a similar extent (5.53, 5.72, and 5.14 min, respectively, compared to 13.98 min in the control group) but had no effect on creatine phosphokinase release (22.2 +/- 2.6, 22.1 +/- 6.8, and 24.1 +/- 3.6, IU/30 min, respectively, compared to 19.9 +/- 1.9 IU/30 min) or recovery or left ventricular developed pressure (67 +/- 6, 73 +/- 7 and 71 +/- 6%, respectively, compared to 66 +/- 3% after 30 min reperfusion). The increase in coronary resistance and left ventricular diastolic pressure on reperfusion was not affected by any of the agents. All three agents also tended to reduce the duration of ventricular fibrillation when given only on reperfusion. We conclude that angiotensinogen is present in the rat heart and it is converted to angiotensin I by a renin or a renin-like aspartic proteinase. The angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin II by converting enzyme. The angiotensin II formed is an important mediator of postreperfusion ventricular fibrillation in the isolated rat heart but does not contribute to the reduction in mechanical function produced by global ischemia in this preparation.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Creatine Kinase; Enalaprilat; Imidazoles; In Vitro Techniques; Losartan; Male; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Oligopeptides; Perfusion; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Renin-Angiotensin System; Tetrazoles