Oxidative stress in early metabolic syndrome impairs cardiac RyR2 and SERCA2a activity and modifies the interplay of these proteins during Ca 2+ waves

We investigated how oxidative stress (OS) alters Ca 2+ handling in ventricular myocytes in early metabolic syndrome (MetS) in sucrose-fed rats. The effects of N -acetyl cysteine (NAC) or dl-Dithiothreitol (DTT) on systolic Ca 2+ transients (SCaTs), diastolic Ca 2+ sparks (CaS) and Ca 2+ waves (CaW), recorded by confocal techniques, and L-type Ca 2+ current (I Ca ), assessed by whole-cell patch clamp, were evaluated in MetS and Control cells. MetS myocytes exhibited decreased SCaTs and CaS frequency but unaffected CaW propagation. In Control cells, NAC/DTT reduced RyR2/SERCA2a activity blunting SCaTs, CaS frequency and CaW propagation, suggesting that basal ROS optimised Ca 2+ signalling by maintaining RyR2/SERCA2a function and that these proteins facilitate CaW propagation. Conversely, NAC/DTT in MetS recovered RyR2/SERCA2a function, improving SCaTs and CaS frequency, but unexpectedly decreasing CaW propagation. We hypothesised that OS decreases RyR2/SERCA2a activity at early MetS, and while decreased SERCA2a favours CaW propagation, diminished RyR2 restrains it.