The mechanisms underlying ICa heterogeneity across murine left ventricle

L-type calcium current (I(Ca)) plays a critical role in excitation-contraction coupling (ECC). Unlike transient outward K(+) current (I(to)), it is controversial whether I(Ca) transmural gradient exists in left ventricle. Although previous studies have shown some evidences for I(Ca) heterogeneity, the mechanism is still unknown. In this study, the authors recorded I(Ca) from epicardial (EPI) and endocardial (ENDO) myocytes isolated from murine left ventricle using patch-clamp technique. It was found that I(Ca) density was obviously larger in EPI than in ENDO (7.3 ± 0.3 pA/pF vs. 6.2 ± 0.2 pA/pF, at test potential of +10 mV, P < 0.05). The characteristics of I(Ca) showed no difference between these two regions except for the fast inactivation time constants (9.9 ± 0.9 ms in EPI vs. 13.5 ± 0.9 ms in ENDO, at test potential of +10 mV, P < 0.05). In addition, it was explored the molecular mechanism underlying I(Ca) transmural gradient by Western blot. The authors demonstrated that a higher activity of CaMKII in ENDO cells induced more nuclear translocation of p65, a component of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB). Consequently, p65 in ENDO inhibited more transcription of Cav1.2, the main encoding gene for L-type calcium channels (LTCCs). These results reveal a difference in CaMKII/p65 signal pathway between EPI and ENDO that underlies this mechanism of I(Ca) heterogeneity in murine left ventricle.