CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE OF THE HYPERTENSIVE RATS TO LIGHT INCREASES THE RISK OF MALIGNANT CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS - OMACOR CARDIOPROTECTION

Abstract

Objective: Light pollution disturbs circadian rhythm, and this can also be deleterious to the heart by increased susceptibility to arrhythmias. Herein, we investigated if rats exposed to continuous light had altered myocardial gene transcripts and/or protein expression which affects arrhythmogenesis. We then assessed if Omacorâ supplementation benefitted affected rats. Design and method: Male and female spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar rats (WR) were housed under standard 12 h/12 h light/dark cycles or exposed to 6-weeks continuous 300 lux light for 24 h. Half the rats were then treated with 200 mg/100 g b.w. Omacorâ. Results: Continuous light resulted in higher male rat vulnerability to malignant ventricular fibrillation (VF). This was linked with myocardial connexin-43 (Cx43) down-regulation and deteriorated intercellular electrical coupling, due in part to increased pro-inflammatory NF-kB and iNOS transcripts and decreased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase transcripts. Omacorâ treatment increased the electrical threshold to induce the VF linked with amelioration of myocardial Cx43 mRNA and Cx43 protein levels and the suppression of NF-kB and iNOS. This indicates that rat exposure to continuous light results in deleterious cardiac alterations jeopardizing intercellular Cx43 channel-mediated electrical communication, thereby increasing the risk of malignant arrhythmias. Conclusions: The adverse effects were attenuated by treatment with Omacorâ, thus supporting its potential benefit and the relevance of monitoring omega-3 index in human populations at risk. This research was supported by Slovak VEGA 2/0002/20, 2/0158/19, APVV 18-0548, 19-0317 and EU ITMS 26230120009.