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Non-beta-blocking R-carvedilol enantiomer suppresses Ca2+ waves and stress-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia without lowering heart rate or blood pressure
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Non-beta-blocking R-carvedilol enantiomer suppresses Ca2+ waves and stress-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia without lowering heart rate or blood pressure

Jingqun Zhang, Qiang Zhou, Chris D. Smith, Haiyan Chen, Zhen Tan, Biyi Chen, Alma Nani, Guogen Wu, Long-Sheng Song, Michael Fill, …
The Biochemical journal, Vol.470(2), pp.233-242
09/01/2015
DOI: 10.1042/BJ20150548
PMCID: PMC4902270
PMID: 26348911

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Abstract

Carvedilol is the current beta-blocker of choice for suppressing ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT). However, carvedilol's benefits are dose-limited, attributable to its potent beta-blocking activity that can lead to bradycardia and hypotension. The clinically used carvedilol is a racemic mixture of beta-blocking S-carvedilol and non-beta-blocking R-carvedilol. We recently reported that novel non-beta-blocking carvedilol analogues are effective in suppressing arrhythmogenic Ca2+ waves and stress-induced VT without causing bradycardia. Thus, the non-beta-blocking R-carvedilol enantiomer may also possess this favourable anti-arrhythmic property. To test this possibility, we synthesized R-carvedilol and assessed its effect on Ca2+ release and VT. Like racemic carvedilol, R-carvedilol directly reduces the open duration of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2), suppresses spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells, Ca2+ waves in cardiomyocytes in intact hearts and stress-induced VT in mice harbouring a catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT)-causing RyR2 mutation. Importantly, R-carvedilol did not significantly alter heart rate or blood pressure. Therefore, the non-beta-blocking R-carvedilol enantiomer represents a very promising prophylactic treatment for Ca2+ triggered arrhythmia without the bradycardia and hypotension often associated with racemic carvedilol. Systematic clinical assessments of R-carvedilol as a new anti-arrhythmic agent may be warranted.
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology

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