Many drugs, including some commonly used medications, can cause abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death, as manifest by a prolonged QT interval in the electrocardiogram. Cardiac arrhythmias caused by drug-induced long QT syndrome are thought to result mainly from reductions in the delayed rectifier potassium ion (K+) current IKr. Here, we report a mechanism for drug-induced QT prolongation that involves changes in multiple ion currents caused by a decrease in phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. Treatment of canine cardiac myocytes with inhibitors of tyrosine kinases or PI3Ks caused an increase in action potential duration that was reversed by intracellular infusion of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. The inhibitors decreased the delayed rectifier K+ currents IKr and IKs, the L-type calcium ion (Ca2+) current ICa,L, and the peak sodium ion (Na+) current INa and increased the persistent Na+ current INaP. Computer modeling of the canine ventricular action potential showed that the drug-induced change in any one current accounted for less than 50% of the increase in action potential duration. Mouse hearts lacking the PI3K p110α catalytic subunit exhibited a prolonged action potential and QT interval that were at least partly a result of an increase in INaP. These results indicate that down-regulation of PI3K signaling directly or indirectly via tyrosine kinase inhibition prolongs the QT interval by affecting multiple ion channels. This mechanism may explain why some tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical use are associated with increased risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.

90024.n B S T R A C T We show how the antibiotic nystatin may be used in conjunction with microelectrodes to resolve transepithelial conductance G t into its components: Ga, apical membrane conductance; Gbl, basolateral membrane conductance; and Gj, junctional conductance. Mucosal addition of nystatin to rabbit urinary bladder in Na+-containing solutions caused Gt to increase severalfold to ca. 460/~mho/p.F, and caused the transepithelial voltage V t to approach +50 mV regardless of its initial value. From measurements of G t and the voltage-divider ratio as a function of time after addition or removal of nystatin, values for Ga, Gbl, and Gj of untreated bladder could be obtained. Nystatin proved to have no direct effect on Gbl or Gj but to increase Ga by about two orders of magnitude, so that the basolateral membrane then provided almost all of the electrical resistance in the transcellular pathway. The nystatin channel in the apical membrane was more permeable to cations than to anions. The dose-response curve for nystatin had a slope of 4.6. Use of nystatin permitted assessment of whether microelectrode impalement introduced a significant shunt conductance into the untreated apical membrane, with the conclusion that such a shunt was negligible in the present experiments. Nystatin caused a hyperpolarization of the basolateral membrane potential in Na+-containing solutions. This may indicate that the Na + pump in this membrane is electrogenic.

Several computational models based on experimental techniques and theories have been proposed to describe cytoskeleton (CSK) mechanics. Tensegrity is a prominent model for force generation, but it cannot predict mechanics of individual CSK components, nor explain the discrepancies from the different single cell stimulating techniques studies combined with cytoskeleton-disruptors. A new numerical concept that defines a multi-structural 3D finite element (FE) model of a single-adherent cell is proposed to investigate the biophysical and biochemical differences of the mechanical role of each cytoskeleton component under loading. The model includes prestressed actin bundles and microtubule within cytoplasm and nucleus surrounded by the actin cortex. We performed numerical simulations of atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments by subjecting the cell model to compressive loads. The numerical role of the CSK components was corroborated with AFM force measurements on U2OS-osteosarcoma cells and NIH-3T3 fibroblasts exposed to different cytoskeleton-disrupting drugs. Computational simulation showed that actin cortex and microtubules are the major components targeted in resisting compression. This is a new numerical tool that explains the specific role of the cortex and overcomes the difficulty of isolating this component from other networks in vitro. This illustrates that a combination of cytoskeletal structures with their own properties is necessary for a complete description of cellular mechanics.

The repertoire of ionic channels expressed in myocytes freshly isolated from microdissected interlobar and arcuate arteries of rat kidney and their integrative behavior in response to endothelin-1 (ET-1) were studied by identification and characterization of major whole cell current components using patch-clamp technique. In renal microvascular smooth muscle cells (RMSMC) dialyzed with K(+)-containing solution, rapidly inactivating (Ito) and sustained outward K+ currents were identified. Voltage-dependent Ito was categorized as "A" current based on its kinetics, sensitivity to 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and refractoriness to tetraethylammonium (TEA+). Ca(2+)-activated component of K+ current was completely blocked by 10 mM TEA+, whereas 5 mM 4-AP did not affect this current. Maximal Ca2+ current (ICa) recorded in Cs(+)-loaded RMSMC reached 250 pA when cells were bathed in a solution with 2.5 mM Ca2+. Two patterns of ICa differing in kinetics, voltage range of activation and inactivation, and sensitivity to nifedipine were identified as T and L currents. Ca(2+)-dependent current component showing reversal potential near Cl- current (ECl) and sensitivity to blocking action of 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid was identified as Ca(2+)-activated ECl. Activation of RMSMC with ET-1 (1-10 nM) induced elevation of [Ca2+]i and subsequent activation of Ca(2+)-activated ICl, which led to membrane depolarization sufficient to activate voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. ET-1-evoked transient reduction of ICa carried through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels was followed by augmentation of L-type ICa. ET-1-induced mobilization of intracellular Ca2+, accompanied by membrane depolarization, resulted in activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels, which can play the role of a feedback element terminating ET-1-induced membrane depolarization.

Background-In depolarized myocardial infarct epicardial border zones, the cardiac sodium channel (SCN5A) is largely inactivated, contributing to low action potential upstroke velocity (V max ), slow conduction, and reentry. We hypothesized that a fast inward current such as the skeletal muscle sodium channel (SkM1) operating more effectively at depolarized membrane potentials might restore fast conduction in epicardial border zones and be antiarrhythmic. Methods and Results-Computer simulations were done with a modified Hund-Rudy model. Canine myocardial infarcts were created by coronary ligation. Adenovirus expressing SkM1 and green fluorescent protein or green fluorescent protein alone (sham) was injected into epicardial border zones. After 5 to 7 days, dogs were studied with epicardial mapping, programmed premature stimulation in vivo, and cellular electrophysiology in vitro. Infarct size was determined, and tissues were immunostained for SkM1 and green fluorescent protein. In the computational model, modest SkM1 expression preserved fast conduction at potentials as positive as Ϫ60 mV; overexpression of SCN5A did not. In vivo epicardial border zone electrograms were broad and fragmented in shams (31.5Ϯ2.3 ms) and narrower in SkM1 (22.6Ϯ2.8 ms; Pϭ0.03). Premature stimulation induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia/fibrillation Ͼ60 seconds in 6 of 8 shams versus 2 of 12 SkM1 (Pϭ0.02). Microelectrode studies of epicardial border zones from SkM1 showed membrane potentials equal to that of shams and V max greater than that of shams as membrane potential depolarized (PϽ0.01). Infarct sizes were similar (sham, 30Ϯ2.8%; SkM1, 30Ϯ2.6%; Pϭ0.86). SkM1 expression in injected epicardium was confirmed immunohistochemically. Conclusions-SkM1 increases V max of depolarized myocardium and reduces the incidence of inducible sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia/fibrillation in canine infarcts. Gene therapy to normalize activation by increasing V max at depolarized potentials may be a promising antiarrhythmic strategy. Key Words: arrhythmia Ⅲ gene therapy Ⅲ ion channels Ⅲ myocardial infarction Ⅲ tachyarrhythmias R eentry accounts for Ϸ85% of serious arrhythmias complicating ischemic heart disease. 1 Prevention and treatment are rooted in early 20th century research on reentry. [2][3][4] The goals are to create bidirectional conduction block (with drugs that block Na ϩ channels, surgery, or ablation), to prolong refractoriness so that reentry fails (with drugs that usually prolong repolarization), or both in combination. 5 These therapies have drawbacks ranging from incomplete success to toxicity, including proarrhythmia. Editorial p 6 Clinical Perspective p 27Less attention has been paid to another therapeutic approach suggested many years ago 2-5 : reentry should terminate if an activating waveform persists in conducting at normal velocity, even through depolarized tissues. Therefore, we hypothesized that "improving" the efficiency of propagation through depolarized regions by increasing the maximum Received July 22, 2008; accep...

This paper develops techniques for equivalent circuit analysis of tight epithelia by alternating-current impedance measurements, and tests these techniques on rabbit urinary bladder. Our approach consists of measuring transepithelial impedance, also measuring the DC voltage-divider ratio with a microelectrode, and extracting values of circuit parameters by computer fit of the data to an equivalent circuit model. We show that the commonly used equivalent circuit models of epithelia give significant misfits to the impedance data, because these models (so-called "lumped models") improperly represent the distributed resistors associated with long and narrow spaces such as lateral intercellular spaces (LIS). We develop a new "distributed model" of an epithelium to take account of these structures and thereby obtain much better fits to the data. The extracted parameters include the resistance and capacitance of the apical and basolateral cell membranes, the series resistance, and the ratio of the cross-sectional area to the length of the LIS. The capacitance values yield estimates of real area of the apical and basolateral membranes. Thus, impedance analysis can yield morphological information (configuration of the LIS, and real membrane areas) about a living tissue, independently of electron microscopy. The effects of transport-modifying agents such as amiloride and nystatin can be related to their effects on particular circuit elements by extracting parameter values from impedance runs before and during application of the agent. Calculated parameter values have been validated by independent electrophysiological and morphological measurements.

Monitoring of bacteria concentrations is of great importance in drinking water management. Continuous real-time monitoring enables better microbiological control of the water and helps prevent contaminated water from reaching the households. We have developed a microfluidic sensor with the potential to accurately assess bacteria levels in drinking water in real-time. Multi frequency electrical impedance spectroscopy is used to monitor a liquid sample, while it is continuously passed through the sensor. We investigate three aspects of this sensor: First we show that the sensor is able to differentiate Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) bacteria from solid particles (polystyrene beads) based on an electrical response in the high frequency phase and individually enumerate the two samples. Next, we demonstrate the sensor’s ability to measure the bacteria concentration by comparing the results to those obtained by the traditional CFU counting method. Last, we show the sensor’s potential to distinguish between different bacteria types by detecting different signatures for S. aureus and E. coli mixed in the same sample. Our investigations show that the sensor has the potential to be extremely effective at detecting sudden bacterial contaminations found in drinking water, and eventually also identify them.

Fetal syncytiotrophoblasts form a unique fused multinuclear surface that is bathed in maternal blood, and constitutes the main interface between fetus and mother. Syncytiotrophoblasts are exposed to pathogens circulating in maternal blood, and appear to have unique resistance mechanisms against microbial invasion. These are due in part to the lack of intercellular junctions and their receptors, the Achilles heel of polarized mononuclear epithelia. However, the syncytium is immune to receptor-independent invasion as well, suggesting additional general defense mechanisms against infection. The difficulty of maintaining and manipulating primary human syncytiotrophoblasts in culture makes it challenging to investigate the cellular and molecular basis of host defenses in this unique tissue. Here we present a novel system to study placental pathogenesis using murine trophoblast stem cells (mTSC) that can be differentiated into syncytiotrophoblasts and recapitulate human placental syncytium. Consistent with previous results in primary human organ cultures, murine syncytiotrophoblasts were found to be resistant to infection with Listeria monocytogenes via direct invasion and cell-to-cell spread. Atomic force microscopy of murine syncytiotrophoblasts demonstrated that these cells have a greater elastic modulus than mononuclear trophoblasts. Disruption of the unusually dense actin structure – a diffuse meshwork of microfilaments - with Cytochalasin D led to a decrease in its elastic modulus by 25%. This correlated with a small but significant increase in invasion of L. monocytogenes into murine and human syncytium. These results suggest that the syncytial actin cytoskeleton may form a general barrier against pathogen entry in humans and mice. Moreover, murine TSCs are a genetically tractable model system for the investigation of specific pathways in syncytial host defenses.