Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ cycling is governed by the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) and SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a). Abnormal SR Ca2+ cycling is thought to be the primary cause of Ca2+ alternans that can elicit ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. Although alterations in either RyR2 or SERCA2a function are expected to affect SR Ca2+ cycling, whether and to what extent altered RyR2 or SERCA2a function affects Ca2+ alternans is unclear. Here we employed a gain-of-function RyR2 variant (R4496C) and the phospholamban-knockout (PLB-KO) mouse model to assess the effect of genetically enhanced RyR2 or SERCA2a function on Ca2+ alternans. Confocal Ca2+ imaging revealed that RyR2-R4496C shortened SR Ca2+ release refractoriness and markedly suppressed rapid pacing-induced Ca2+ alternans. Interestingly, despite enhancing RyR2 function, intact RyR2-R4496C hearts exhibited no detectable spontaneous SR Ca2+ release events during pacing. Unlike for RyR2, enhancing SERCA2a function by ablating PLB exerted a relatively minor effect on Ca2+ alternans in intact hearts expressing RyR2 wildtype or a loss-of-function RyR2 variant, E4872Q, that promotes Ca2+ alternans. Furthermore, partial SERCA2a inhibition with 3 µM 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) also had little impact on Ca2+ alternans, while strong SERCA2a inhibition with 10 µM tBHQ markedly reduced the amplitude of Ca2+ transients and suppressed Ca2+ alternans in intact hearts. Our results demonstrate that enhanced RyR2 function suppresses Ca2+ alternans in the absence of spontaneous Ca2+ release and that RyR2, but not SERCA2a, is a key determinant of Ca2+ alternans in intact working hearts, making RyR2 an important therapeutic target for cardiac alternans.

Peer Reviewed