Rationale
In the working heart coronary blood flow is linked to the production of metabolites, which modulate tone of smooth muscle in a redox-dependent manner. Voltage-gated potassium channels, which play a role in controlling membrane potential in vascular smooth muscle, have certain members that are redox sensitive.
Objective
To determine the role of redox-sensitive Kv1.5 channels in coronary metabolic flow regulation.
Methods and Results
In mice (wild type [WT], Kv1.5 null [Kv1.5−/−], and Kv1.5−/− and WT with inducible, smooth muscle specific expression of Kv1.5 channels) we measured mean arterial pressure (MAP), myocardial blood flow (MBF), myocardial tissue pO2, and ejection fraction (EF) before and after inducing cardiac stress with norepinephrine (NE). Cardiac work (CW) was estimated as the product of MAP and heart rate. Isolated arteries were studied to establish if genetic alterations modified vascular reactivity.
Despite higher levels of CW in the Kv1.5−/− (versus WT at baseline and all doses of NE), MBF was lower in Kv1.5−/− than in WT. At high levels of CW, tissue pO2 dropped significantly along with EF. Expression of Kv1.5 channels in smooth muscle in the null background rescued this phenotype of impaired metabolic dilation. In isolated vessels from Kv1.5−/− mice, relaxation to H2O2 was impaired, but responses to adenosine and acetylcholine were normal compared to WT.
Conclusions
Kv1.5 channels in vascular smooth muscle play a critical role in coupling myocardial blood flow to cardiac metabolism. Absence of these channels disassociates metabolism from flow resulting in cardiac pump dysfunction and tissue hypoxia.