Restoration of calcium handling properties of adult cardiac myocytes from hypertrophied hearts

Abstract

Reductions in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (Serca2a) levels are thought to underlie the prolonged calcium (Ca2+) transients and consequent reduced contractile performance seen in human cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In freshly isolated cardiac myocytes from rats with monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy we found reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Serca2a expression and prolonged Ca2+ transients, characteristic of hypertrophic cardiac disease. Modulation of intracellular Ca2+ levels, Ca2+ kinetics or Ca2+ sensitivity is the focus of many current therapeutic approaches to improve contractile performance in the hypertrophic or failing heart. However, the func..