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Phosphodiesterase 2 Protects Against Catecholamine-Induced Arrhythmia and Preserves Contractile Function After
Christiane Vettel1, Marta Lindner1, Matthias Dewenter1
1From the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany (C.V., T.W.); Institute of Pharmacology, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) Heart Center, Georg August University Medical School Göttingen, Germany (C.V., M.D., M.R., S.M.); UMR-S 1180, INSERM, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Châtenay-Malabry, France (M.L., H.M., S.K., P.L., J.L., G.V., R.F.); Department of Molecular Cardiology and Epigenetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany (M.D.); Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg and Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V., Dortmund, Germany (K.L., C.S.); Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University of Würzburg, and West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen, Germany (K.L.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Technology Dresden, Germany (S.L., M.W., A.E.-A.); Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, Center of Molecular Cardiology, UMG Heart Center, Georg August University Medical School Göttingen, Germany (F.E.M., S.S.); Department of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology and Angiology, University of Kiel, Germany (S.S.); BAYER Pharma AG, Wuppertal, Germany (A.G., M.H., F.W.); University Heart Center, Department of General and Interventional Cardiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany (F.J.B.); and DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner sites Heidelberg/Mannheim, Göttingen and Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany (C.V., M.D., M.R., S.M., F.E.M., S.S., F.J.B., T.W.).
Rationale:
Phosphodiesterase 2 is a dual substrate esterase, which has the unique property to be stimulated by cGMP, but primarily hydrolyzes cAMP. Myocardial phosphodiesterase 2 is upregulated in human heart failure, but its role in the heart is unknown.
Objective:
To explore the role of phosphodiesterase 2 in cardiac function, propensity to arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction.
Methods And Results:
Pharmacological inhibition of phosphodiesterase 2 (BAY 60-7550, BAY) led to a significant positive chronotropic effect on top of maximal β-adrenoceptor activation in healthy mice. Under pathological conditions induced by chronic catecholamine infusions, BAY reversed both the attenuated β-adrenoceptor-mediated inotropy and chronotropy. Conversely, ECG telemetry in heart-specific phosphodiesterase 2-transgenic (TG) mice showed a marked reduction in resting and in maximal heart rate, whereas cardiac output was completely preserved because of greater cardiac contraction. This well-tolerated phenotype persisted in elderly TG with no indications of cardiac pathology or premature death. During arrhythmia provocation induced by catecholamine injections, TG animals were resistant to triggered ventricular arrhythmias. Accordingly, Ca2+-spark analysis in isolated TG cardiomyocytes revealed remarkably reduced Ca2+ leakage and lower basal phosphorylation levels of Ca2+-cycling proteins including ryanodine receptor type 2. Moreover, TG demonstrated improved cardiac function after myocardial infarction.
Conclusions:
Endogenous phosphodiesterase 2 contributes to heart rate regulation. Greater phosphodiesterase 2 abundance protects against arrhythmias and improves contraction force after severe ischemic insult. Activating myocardial phosphodiesterase 2 may, thus, represent a novel intracellular antiadrenergic therapeutic strategy protecting the heart from arrhythmia and contractile dysfunction.
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