Inhibition of Small Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium (SK) Channels Prevents Arrhythmias in Rat Atria During β-Adrenergic and Muscarinic Receptor Activation

Sympathetic and vagal activation is linked to atrial arrhythmogenesis. Here we investigated the small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK)-channel pore-blocker N-(pyridin-2-yl)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiazol-2-amine (ICA) on action potential (AP) and atrial fibrillation (AF) parameters in isolated rat atria during β-adrenergic [isoprenaline (ISO)] and muscarinic M2 [carbachol (CCh)] activation. Furthermore, antiarrhythmic efficacy of ICA was benchmarked toward the class-IC antiarrhythmic drug flecainide (Fleca). ISO increased the spontaneous beating frequency but did not affect other AP parameters. As expected, CCh hyperpolarized resting membrane potential (-6.2 ± 0.9 mV), shortened APD90 (24.2 ± 1.6 vs. 17.7 ± 1.1 ms), and effective refractory period (ERP; 20.0 ± 1.3 vs. 15.8 ± 1.3 ms). The duration of burst pacing triggered AF was unchanged in the presence of CCh compared to control atria (12.8 ± 5.3 vs. 11.2 ± 3.6 s), while β-adrenergic activation resulted in shorter AF durations (3.3 ± 1.7 s) and lower AF-frequency compared to CCh. Treatment with ICA (10 μM) in ISO -stimulated atria prolonged APD90 and ERP, while the AF burden was reduced (7.1 ± 5.5 vs. 0.1 ± 0.1 s). In CCh-stimulated atria, ICA treatment also resulted in APD90 and ERP prolongation and shorter AF durations. Fleca treatment in CCh-stimulated atria prolonged APD90 and ERP and abbreviated the AF duration to a similar extent as with ICA. Muscarinic activated atria constitutes a more arrhythmogenic substrate than β-adrenoceptor activated atria. Pharmacological inhibition of SK channels by ICA is effective under both conditions and equally efficacious to Fleca.