L-Type Calcium Channel Inhibition Contributes to the Proarrhythmic Effects of Aconitine in Human Cardiomyocytes

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 5;12(1):e0168435. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168435. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Aconitine (ACO) is well-known for causing lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmias. While cardiac Na+ channel opening during repolarization has long been documented in animal cardiac myocytes, the cellular effects and mechanism of ACO in human remain unexplored. This study aimed to assess the proarrhythmic effects of ACO in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). ACO concentration-dependently (0.3 ~ 3.0 μM) shortened the action potentials (AP) durations (APD) in ventricular-like hiPSC-CMs by > 40% and induced delayed after-depolarization. Laser-scanning confocal calcium imaging analysis showed that ACO decreased the duration and amplitude of [Ca2+]i transients and increased in the beating frequencies by over 60%. Moreover, ACO was found to markedly reduce the L-type calcium channel (LTCC) currents (ICa,L) in hiPSC-CMs associated with a positive-shift of activation and a negative shift of inactivation. ACO failed to alter the peak and late Na+ currents (INa) in hiPSC-CMs while it drastically increased the late INa in Guinea-pig ventricular myocytes associated with enhanced activation/delayed inactivation of INa at -55 mV~ -85 mV. Further, the effects of ACO on ICa,L, INa and the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (Ikr) were validated in heterologous expression systems by automated voltage-clamping assays and a moderate suppression of Ikr was observed in addition to concentration-dependent ICa,L inhibition. Lastly, increased beating frequency, decreased Ca2+ wave and shortened field potential duration were recorded from hiPSC-CMs by microelectrode arrays assay. In summary, our data demonstrated that LTCC inhibition could play a main role in the proarrhythmic action of ACO in human cardiomyocytes.

MeSH terms

  • Aconitine / toxicity*
  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques

Substances

  • Calcium Channels, L-Type
  • Aconitine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by: National Medical Research Council, NMRC CG12Aug09, Dr Heming Wei; Duke-NUS GOH Cardiovascular Research Award, GCR/2012/0006, Dr Heming Wei; National Natural Science Foundation of China, NSFC, 81273600, Suwen Su; Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, C2011206145, H2013206147, Suwen Su; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81273600, 31171097, Dr Chuan Wang; and the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China, No. C2011206145,C2014206419, Dr Chuan Wang. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.