Regulation of the transient outward K+ current by Ca2+/calmodulin- dependent protein kinases II in human atrial myocytes

Abstract

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II (CaMKII) have important functions in regulating cardiac excitability and contractility. In the present study, we examined whether CaMKII regulated the transient outward K+ current (I(to)) in whole-cell patch-clamped human atrial myocytes. We found that a specific CaMKII inhibitor, KN-93 (20 μmol/L), but not its inactive analog, KN-92, accelerated the inactivation of I(to) (τ(fast): 66.9±4.4 versus 43.0±4.4 ms, n=35; P<0.0001) and inhibited its maintained component (at +60 mV, 4.9±0.4 versus 2.8±0.4 pA/pF, n=35; P<0.0001), leading to an increase in the extent of its inactivation. Similar effects were observed by dialyzing cells with a peptide corresponding to CaMKII residues 281 to 309 or with autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide and by external application of the calmodulin inhibitor calmidazolium, which also suppressed the effects of KN-93. Furthermore, the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (500 nmol/L) slowed I(to) inactivation, increased I(sus), and inhibited the effects of KN- 93. Changes in [Ca2+](i) by dialyzing cells with ≃30 nmol/L Ca2+ or by using the fast Ca2+ buffer BAPTA had opposite effects on I(to). In BAPTA- loaded myocytes, I(to) was less sensitive to KN-93. In myocytes from patients in chronic atrial fibrillation, characterized by a prominent I(sus), KN-93 still increased the extent of inactivation of I(to). Western blot analysis of atrial samples showed that δ-CaMKII expression was enhanced during chronic atrial fibrillation. In conclusion, CaMKII control the extent of inactivation of I(to) in human atrial myocytes, a process that could contribute to I(to) alterations observed during chronic atrial fibrillation.