Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin-L increases arrhythmogenic sarcoplasmic reticulum-mediated calcium release in rat cardiomyocytes.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

African trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma brucei species, leads to both neurological and cardiac dysfunction and can be fatal if untreated. While the neurological-related pathogenesis is well studied, the cardiac pathogenesis remains unknown. The current study exposed isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes and adult rat hearts to T. brucei to test whether trypanosomes can alter cardiac function independent of a systemic inflammatory/immune response.

Methods and results

Using confocal imaging, T. brucei and T. brucei culture media (supernatant) caused an increased frequency of arrhythmogenic spontaneous diastolic sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-mediated Ca(2+) release (Ca(2+) waves) in isolated adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes. Studies utilising inhibitors, recombinant

SUBMITTER: Elliott EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3797627 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature