Effect of Purine Co-Transmitters on Automatic Activity Caused by Norepinephrine in Myocardial Sleeves of Pulmonary Veins

Abstract

We studied the effect of extracellular purine nucleotides (NAD and ATP) on spontaneous arrhythmogenic activity caused by norepinephrine in myocardial sleeves of pulmonary veins. In pulmonary veins, NAD and ATP reduced the frequency of action potentials and their duration at regular type of spontaneous activity caused by norepinephrine. NAD and ATP lengthened the intervals between spike bursts at periodic (burst) type of spontaneous activity. In addition, ATP shortened the duration of spike bursts and the number of action potentials in the "bursts" caused by norepinephrine in the pulmonary veins. It was hypothesized that NAD and ATP attenuate the effects of sympathetic stimulation and when released together with norepinephrine from sympathetic endings in vivo, probably, reduce arrhythmogenic activity in myocardial sleeves of pulmonary veins.