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Age‐dependent electrocardiographic changes in Pgc‐1β deficient murine hearts

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Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology

Published online on

Abstract

Increasing evidence implicates chronic energetic dysfunction in human cardiac arrhythmias. Mitochondrial impairment through Pgc‐1β knockout is known to produce a murine arrhythmic phenotype. However, the cumulative effect of this with advancing age and its electrocardiographic basis has not been previously studied. Young (12‐16 weeks) and aged (>52 weeks), WT (n = 5 and 8) and Pgc‐1β‐/‐ (n = 9 and 6), mice were anaesthetised and used for electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings. Time intervals separating successive ECG deflections were analysed for differences between groups before and after β1‐adrenergic (intraperitoneal dobutamine 3 mg/kg) challenge. Heart rates before dobutamine challenge were indistinguishable between groups. The Pgc‐1β‐/‐ genotype however displayed compromised nodal function in response to adrenergic challenge. This manifest as an impaired heart rate response suggesting a functional defect at the level of the sino‐atrial node, and a negative dromotropic response suggesting an atrioventricular conduction defect. Incidences of the latter were most pronounced in the aged Pgc‐1β‐/‐ mice. Moreover, Pgc‐1β‐/‐ mice displayed electrocardiographic features consistent with the existence of a pro‐arrhythmic substrate. Firstly, ventricular activation was prolonged in these mice consistent with slowed action potential conduction and is reported here for the first time. Additionally, Pgc‐1β‐/‐ mice had shorter repolarisation intervals, These were likely attributable to altered K+ conductance properties, ultimately resulting in a shortened QTc interval, which is also known to be associated with increased arrhythmic risk. ECG analysis thus yielded electrophysiological findings bearing on potential arrhythmogenecity in intact Pgc‐1β‐/‐ systems in widespread cardiac regions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.