Background: Electroanatomical adaptations during the neonatal to adult phase have not been comprehensively studied in preclinical animal models. To explore the impact of age as a biological variable on cardiac electrophysiology, we employed neonatal and adult guinea pigs, which are a recognized animal model for developmental research.
Methods: Healthy guinea pigs were categorized into three age groups (neonates, n=10; younger adults, n=13; and older adults, n=26). Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were collected in vivo from anesthetized animals (2-3% isoflurane). A Langendorff-perfusion system was employed for optical assessment of epicardial action potentials and calcium transients, using intact excised heart preparations. Optical data sets were analyzed and metric maps were constructed using Kairosight 3.0.
Results: The allometric relationship between heart weight and body weight diminishes with age, as it is strongest at the neonatal stage (R 2 = 0.84) and completely abolished in older adults (R 2 = 1E-06). Neonatal hearts exhibit circular activation waveforms, while adults show prototypical elliptical shapes. Neonatal conduction velocity (40.6±4.0 cm/s) is slower than adults (younger adults: 61.6±9.3 cm/s; older adults: 53.6±9.2 cm/s). Neonatal hearts have a longer action potential duration (APD) and exhibit regional heterogeneity (left apex; APD30: 68.6±5.6 ms, left basal; APD30: 62.8±3.6), which was absent in adult epicardium. With dynamic pacing, neonatal hearts exhibit a flatter APD restitution slope (APD70: 0.29±0.04) compared to older adults (0.49±0.04). Similar restitution characteristics are observed with extrasystolic pacing, with a flatter slope in neonatal hearts (APD70: 0.54±0.1) compared to adults (Younger adults: 0.85±0.4; Older adults: 0.95±0.7). Finally, neonatal hearts display unidirectional excitation-contraction coupling, while adults exhibit bidirectionality.
Conclusion: The transition from neonatal to adulthood in guinea pig hearts is characterized by transient changes in electroanatomic properties. Age-specific patterns can influence cardiac physiology, pathology, and therapies for cardiovascular diseases. Understanding postnatal heart development is crucial to evaluating therapeutic eligibility, safety, and efficacy.
What is known: Age-specific cardiac electroanatomical characteristics have been documented in humans and some preclinical animal models. These age-specific patterns can influence cardiac physiology, pathology, and therapies for cardiovascular diseases.
What the study adds: Cardiac electroanatomical characteristics are age-specific in guinea pigs, a well-known preclinical model for developmental studies. Age-dependent adaptations in cardiac electrophysiology are readily observed in the electrocardiogram recordings and via optical mapping of epicardial action potentials and calcium transients. Our findings reveal unique activation and repolarization characteristics between neonatal and adult animals.