| First Author | Gergs U | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol | Volume | 299 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | H788-98 |
| PubMed ID | 20639221 | Mgi Jnum | J:162771 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4819878 | Doi | 10.1152/ajpheart.00691.2009 |
| Citation | Gergs U, et al. (2010) Cardiac overexpression of the human 5-HT4 receptor in mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 299(3):H788-98 |
| abstractText | Serotonin (5-HT) exerts pleiotropic effects in the human cardiovascular system. Some of the effects are thought to be mediated via 5-HT(4) receptors, which are expressed in the human atrium and in ventricular tissue. However, a true animal model to study these receptors in more detail has been hitherto lacking. Therefore, we generated, for the first time, a transgenic (TG) mouse with cardiac myocyte-specific expression of the human 5-HT(4) receptor. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed expression of the receptor at the mRNA and protein levels. Stimulation of isolated cardiac preparations by isoproterenol increased phospholamban phosphorylation at Ser(16) and Thr(17) sites. 5-HT increased phosphorylation only in TG mice but not in wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, 5-HT increased contractility in isolated perfused hearts from TG mice but not WT mice. These effects of 5-HT could be blocked by the 5-HT(4) receptor-selective antagonist GR-125487. An intravenous infusion of 5-HT increased left ventricular contractility in TG mice but not in WT mice. Similarly, the increase in contractility by 5-HT in isolated cardiomyocytes from TG mice was accompanied by and probably mediated through an increase in L-type Ca(2+) channel current and in Ca(2+) transients. In intact animals, echocardiography revealed an inotropic and chronotropic effect of subcutaneously injected 5-HT in TG mice but not in WT mice. In isolated hearts from TG mice, spontaneous polymorphic atrial arrhythmias were noted. These findings demonstrate the functional expression of 5-HT(4) receptors in the heart of TG mice, and a potential proarrhythmic effect in the atrium. Therefore, 5-HT(4) receptor-expressing mice might be a useful model to mimic the human heart, where 5-HT(4) receptors are present and functional in the atrium and ventricle of the healthy and failing heart, and to investigate the influence of 5-HT in the development of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. |
