Effect of experimental acute necrotizing pancreatitis on sodium and L-type calcium current in rat cardiomyocytes

AIM: To study the effect of experimental acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) on sodium and L-type calcium current in rat cardiomyocytes. METHODS: I_Na and I_Ca-L were recorded using whole cell patch-clamp techniques from left ventricular myocytes in ANP model established by retrograde injection of 3.5% sodium taurocholate 2.5 mL/kg into pancreatic duct. RESULTS: Peak I_Na current density (at -30 mV) was significantly reduced in ANP (12.45±2.26)pA/pF,n=16] compared with sham (25.32±3.31)pA/pF,n=14], P<0.01; I_Ca-L current density (at +10 mV) was also significantly reduced in ANP (3.63±0.65)pA/pF,n=16] compared with sham (5.46±1.03)pA/pF,n=12], P<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: There were changes in both I_Na and I_Ca-L in cardiomyocytes of ANP. These changes may underlie the altered excitability and abnormally short transmembrane action potentials and repolarization of cardiomyocytes, thus contributing to arrhymias in ANP.