Abstract 14844: Ampk is Required for Maintaining Atrial Metabolism and Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Background: AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) has a critical role in cellular substrate and energy metabolism, regulating fatty acid oxidation, stimulating glucose transport and glycolysis. AMPK is crucial in the LV, preventing ischemic injury and heart failure. Atrial AMPK depletion induces atrial fibrillation in mice, but the role of AMPK in regulating atrial metabolism and oxidative stress is unknown. Methods: Atrial AMPK was selectively depleted in mice, utilizing sarcolipin-Cre mediated deletion of floxed α1 and α2 catalytic subunits (AMPKdKO). Floxed littermate mice were controls (CON). Microarray, immunoblotting, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and electron microscope (EM) were used to access the gene, protein, metabolism, and mitochondria changes. Results: Pathway analysis of microarray data showed that fatty acid metabolism was downregulated in the AMPKdKO vs. CON atria (n=4 per group, p<0.0001). PGC1-α and downstream genes regulating fatty acid metabolism, including acyl-CoA thioesterase (ACOT), long-chain fatty acid-CoA ligase (ACSL), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2), and fatty acid binding protein (FABP) were reduced in the AMPKdKO vs. CON atria (at 1 week of age). Atrial long-chain fatty acyl-CoA and acyl-carnitine levels were decreased (by LC-MS) in the AMPKdKO vs. CON atria (at 4 and 8 weeks of age) (n=3-4 per group, p<0.05). EM images showed evidence of swollen, broken and degraded mitochondrial in AMPKdKO atria (at 8 weeks age). Atrial expression of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD2 and PRDX3, was reduced (by immunoblotting) in AMPKdKO vs. CON atria (n=3-4, p<0.05). Conclusion: AMPK regulates critical mechanisms regulating atrial fatty acid metabolism and oxidative stress. Loss of atrial AMPK reduces the concentration of critical fatty acid intermediates for oxidative mitochondrial metabolism. These metabolic alterations may contribute to structural and electrical remodeling, and ensuing atrial fibrillation, that results from the loss of AMPK in the atria.