Modulation of basal L-type Ca2+ current by adenosine in ferret isolated right ventricular myocytes

1. The whole-cell configuration of the gigaohm seal voltage clamp and an internal perfusion technique were used to study the effects of adenosine on the basal L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) in enzymatically isolated right ventricular myocytes of ferrets. Basal L-type ICa was isolated by using a Na(+)- and K(+)-free saline (replacement by N-methyl-D-glucamine+, Cs+ and TEA+, respectively). All experiments were conducted at room temperature (22-24 degrees C). 2. Basal ICa was markedly reduced during exposure to adenosine in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.3 microM and maximum inhibition of 35%. This effect was completely abolished by 50 nM 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (CPDPX), a specific A1 adenosine receptor antagonist with an inhibition constant, Ki = 0.48 nM. Inhibition was also observed in the presence of 1 microM atropine. 3. Adenosine decreased basal ICa by decreasing the peak amplitude of ICa without significantly altering (i) the voltage dependence of the current-voltage relationship, (ii) the apparent reversal potential, (iii) the voltage dependence of steady-state activation and inactivation, (iv) the kinetics of inactivation at 0 mV, and (v) the kinetics of recovery from inactivation at -70 mV. 4. Pretreatment of cells with 0.4 microns/ml pertussis toxin (PTX) for 4 h at 37 degrees C produced greater than 90% ADP ribosylation of PTX-sensitive G proteins. PTX pretreatment significantly attenuated the adenosine-mediated decrease in ICa (35% in control; 4.6% after PTX pretreatment). 5. The peptide inhibitor (PKI) of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A at a concentration of 2 microM neither inhibited basal ICa nor attenuated the effects of adenosine on basal ICa. However, PKI decreased the stimulatory effects of 100 microM cAMP on ICa. 6. Increasing intracellular cAMP to a supra-saturable level by using 10 mM cAMP and 100 microM papaverine did not prevent adenosine from inhibiting ICa. 7. Consistent with the reduction of basal ICa, adenosine produced an inhibitory effect on the action potential under basal conditions, i.e. hyperpolarization of the plateau phase and marked shortening of action potential duration. These effects were concentration dependent. 8. These results demonstrate a reduction of the basal L-type ICa by adenosine in ferret ventricular myocardium. This reduction is not mediated by modification of voltage-dependent properties of macroscopic ICa. The shortening of action potentials may be explained in part by the reduction in ICa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)