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Altered gene expression may underlie prolonged duration of the QT interval and ventricular action potential in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat heart

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Abstract

Ventricular electrical conduction has been investigated in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat. Diabetes was induced with a single injection of STZ (60 mg/kg bodyweight, ip). The ECG was measured continuously, in vivo, using a biotelemetry system. Left ventricular action potentials were recorded with an extracellular suction electrode. Expression of mRNA transcripts for selected ion transport proteins was measured in left ventricle with real-time RT-PCR. At 10 weeks after STZ treatment, in vivo heart rate (HR) was reduced (267 ± 3 vs. 329 ± 5 BPM), QRS complex duration and QT interval were prolonged in diabetic rats compared to controls. In vitro spontaneous HR was reduced and paced heart action potential repolarization was prolonged in diabetic rats compared to controls. The mRNA expression for Kcnd2 (I to channel) and Kcne2 (I kr channel) was significantly reduced in diabetic rats compared to controls. Altered gene expression and, in particular, genes that encode K+ channel proteins may underlie delayed propagation of electrical activity in the ventricular myocardium of STZ-induced diabetic rat.

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Acknowledgements

Project Grant from Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, UAE University

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, UAE University, P.O. Box 17666, Al Ain, UAE

    F. C. Howarth & M. A. Qureshi

  2. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE

    M. Shafiullah

  3. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Anatomy, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE

    R. S. Hameed & E. Adeghate

  4. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE

    E. Zilahi & A. Al Haj

  5. Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    M. Jacobson

  6. Zoonoses and Emerging Infections Group, Clinical Virology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria

    N. Nowotny

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  1. F. C. Howarth
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  2. M. Jacobson
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Correspondence to F. C. Howarth.

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Howarth, F.C., Jacobson, M., Qureshi, M.A. et al. Altered gene expression may underlie prolonged duration of the QT interval and ventricular action potential in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat heart. Mol Cell Biochem 328, 57–65 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-009-0074-9

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