Biomaterial Database

Protective effects of free polyunsaturated fatty acids on arrhythmias induced by lysophosphatidylcholine or palmitoylcarnitine in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. 1996

J X Kang, and A Leaf

Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.

Cultured, spontaneously beating, neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were used to examine the effects of various free fatty acids added to the medium perfusing the cells on lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)- or acylcarnitine-induced arrhythmias. Perfusion of the cells with LPC or palmitoylcarnitine (2-10 microM) induced sustained tachyrhythmia with episodes of spasmodic contractures and fibrillation. Free PUFA (10-15 microM) including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) and linoleic acid (18:2n-6) were able to effectively prevent as well as terminate the LPC or acylcarnitine-induced arrhythmias. In contrast, monounsaturated oleic acid (18:1n-9) and saturated stearic acid (18:0) did not have such effects. The protective effects of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) could be reversed by cell perfusion with delipidated bovine serum albumin. To determine the potential primary action by which the PUFA exert the antiarrhythmic effects, measurements of intracellular Ca2+ levels and the response of the cells to electrical pacing in the absence or presence of the PUFA were performed and the effects of verapamil (a L-type Ca2+ channel blocker), tetrodotoxin (a Na+ channel blocker) and Ca2+ ionophore A23187 on the cell contraction and the cytosolic Ca2+ levels were compared with that of the PUFA. Results suggest that an inhibitory effect on the electrical automaticity/excitability of the cardiac myocyte rather than a reduction in cytosolic Ca2+ underlie the protective effects of PUFA. In conclusion, free PUFAs are able to effectively protect the cardiac myocytes against the arrhythmias induced by low concentrations of lysophosphatidylcholine or palmitoylcarnitine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008244	Lysophosphatidylcholines	Derivatives of PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINES obtained by their partial hydrolysis which removes one of the fatty acid moieties.	Lysolecithin,Lysolecithins,Lysophosphatidylcholine
D009200	Myocardial Contraction	Contractile activity of the MYOCARDIUM.	Heart Contractility,Inotropism, Cardiac,Cardiac Inotropism,Cardiac Inotropisms,Contractilities, Heart,Contractility, Heart,Contraction, Myocardial,Contractions, Myocardial,Heart Contractilities,Inotropisms, Cardiac,Myocardial Contractions
D009206	Myocardium	The muscle tissue of the HEART. It is composed of striated, involuntary muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC) connected to form the contractile pump to generate blood flow.	Muscle, Cardiac,Muscle, Heart,Cardiac Muscle,Myocardia,Cardiac Muscles,Heart Muscle,Heart Muscles,Muscles, Cardiac,Muscles, Heart
D010172	Palmitoylcarnitine	A long-chain fatty acid ester of carnitine which facilitates the transfer of long-chain fatty acids from cytoplasm into mitochondria during the oxidation of fatty acids.	Palmitylcarnitine,Hexadecanoylcarnitine
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D002304	Cardiac Pacing, Artificial	Regulation of the rate of contraction of the heart muscles by an artificial pacemaker.	Pacing, Cardiac, Artificial,Artificial Cardiac Pacing,Artificial Cardiac Pacings,Cardiac Pacings, Artificial,Pacing, Artificial Cardiac,Pacings, Artificial Cardiac
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D005231	Fatty Acids, Unsaturated	FATTY ACIDS in which the carbon chain contains one or more double or triple carbon-carbon bonds.	Fatty Acids, Polyunsaturated,Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid,Unsaturated Fatty Acid,Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids,Acid, Polyunsaturated Fatty,Acid, Unsaturated Fatty,Acids, Polyunsaturated Fatty,Acids, Unsaturated Fatty,Fatty Acid, Polyunsaturated,Fatty Acid, Unsaturated,Unsaturated Fatty Acids
D006321	Heart	The hollow, muscular organ that maintains the circulation of the blood.	Hearts
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia