BackgroundAtrialfibrillation(AF)isthemostcommonsustainedcardiacarrhythmiawithouteffectivetreatment.AFisassociatedwithatrialconductiondisturbancescausedbyelectricaland/orstructuralremodel-ing.Buttheroleofconnexin(Cx)43intheregulationofLtypecalciumchannel(LCC)remainsunclear.WehypothesizedthatCx43mightco-localizeandregulatetheLtypecalciumchannelcurrent(ICa,L).MethodsReal-timePCRandwhole-cellpatchclampwereusedtodetecttheexpressionofLCC1csubunitandthecurrentdensityofICa,L,beforeandafterCx43knockingdownrespectively.Theco-localizationofCx43withLCCwasinvestigatedbyco-immunoprecipitationandconfocalmicroscopy.ResultsKnockingdownofCx43significantlyinhibitedthecurrentdensityofICa,LthroughdecreasingthegeneexpressionofLCCα1cinculturedatrium-derivedmyocytes(HL-1cells).Cx43co-localizedwithLCCα1csubunitinatrialmyocytes.ConclusionsCx43regulatestheICa,LinatrialmyoctyesthroughLCC,representingapotentialpathogenicmechanisminatrialarrhythmias.
