DREADD technology reveals major impact of Gq signalling on cardiac electrophysiology.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Signalling via Gq-coupled receptors is of profound importance in many cardiac diseases such as hypertrophy and arrhythmia. Nevertheless, owing to their widespread expression and the inability to selectively stimulate such receptors in vivo, their relevance for cardiac function is not well understood. We here use DREADD technology to understand the role of Gq-coupled signalling in vivo in cardiac function.

Methods and results

We generated a novel transgenic mouse line that expresses a Gq-coupled DREADD (Dq) in striated muscle under the control of the muscle creatine kinase promotor. In vivo injection of the DREADD agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) resulted in a dose-dependent, rapid mortality of the animals. In vivo electrocardiogram data revealed severe cardiac arrhythmia

SUBMITTER: Kaiser E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6736079 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature