Oxidative activation of CaMKII mediates arrhythmias and contractile dysfunction in an obstructive sleep apnea mouse model
Authors: Hegner P , Gugg M , Lebek S , Maier L S , Arzt M , Wagner S 
Published: October 2022

Background/Introduction

Atrial arrhythmias frequently occur in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. We recently demonstrated that CaMKII-dependent pro-arrhythmic activity is increased in patients with OSA, but the mechanisms of CaMKII activation remain unknown. Interestingly, OSA can lead to increased reactive oxygen species production, which may facilitate CaMKII activation by oxidation at methionine residues 281/282.

Purpose

We tested if oxidation of CaMKII is involved in the development of arrhythmias and contractile dysfunction in vitro and in vivo in a mouse model of obstructive sleep apnea by tongue enlargement.

Methods

Experiments were performed using 41 wild-type (WT) and 25 genetically modified mice lacking oxidative CaMKII activation due to mutation of methionine 281/282 to valine (MMVV mice). Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE, 100 μl) was injected into the tongue of 23 WT and 12 MMVV mice to induce OSA by sustained tongue enlargement as previously established. Whole body plethysmography was performed to confirm success of intervention. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and after 8 weeks to assess left-ventricular function. After 8 weeks, isolated atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes were incubated with the Ca-sensitive dye FURA-2 AM (5 μM, 15 min) and analyzed with epifluorescence microscopy under regular electrical field stimulation (1 Hz).

Results

PTFE injection resulted in an increased frequency of inspiratory flow limitations (IFLs/h) from 27.4±5.95 to 59.6±6.22 in PTFE mice (p&lt;0.001, fig. 1A). Interestingly, in WT PTFE mice, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, in %) was reduced at 8 weeks post procedure from 57.0±1.36 to 51.5±1.85 (p=0.001, fig. 1B). Importantly, mice lacking oxidative CaMKII activation were protected from such decline in contractile function, and LVEF was higher at 8 weeks vs. WT PTFE (p&lt;0.001, fig. 1B). Congruent with deterioration of contractility in vivo, the Ca transient amplitude after 30s pause (normalized to steady-state before pause) was decreased in ventricular cardiomyocytes of WT PTFE mice indicating increased SR Ca leak (p for interaction genotype x PTFE = 0.014, fig. 1C). In contrast to WT, the post-pause ratio was increased in MMVV PTFE mice (p=0.018, fig. 1C). In addition to contractile function, cellular arrhythmic events were analyzed as non-stimulated pro-arrhythmic events (NSEs) during steady-state electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz (fig. 1D, red arrows). NSE frequency was increased in atrial cardiomyocytes from WT PTFE mice with 0.050±0.005 compared to 0.018±0.003 s–1 in WT CTRL (p&lt;0.001, fig. 1D). Intriguingly, MMVV mice were protected from NSEs after PTFE treatment (0.020±0.004, p&lt;0.001 vs. WT PTFE, Fig. 1D).

Conclusion

In a mouse model of obstructive sleep apnea, contractile dysfunction and pro-arrhythmic activity are modulated by oxidative CaMKII activation, which may have therapeutic implications.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Medical Faculty at University of Regensburg