The inter-chamber differences in the contractile function between left and right atrial cardiomyocytes in atrial fibrillation in rats

Introduction: The left and right atria (LA, RA) work under different mechanical and metabolic environments that may cause an intrinsic inter-chamber diversity in structure and functional properties between atrial cardiomyocytes (CM) in norm and provoke their different responsiveness to pathological conditions. In this study, we assessed a LA vs. RA difference in CM contractility in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and underlying mechanisms. Methods: We investigated the contractile function of single isolated CM from LA and RA using a 7-day acetylcholine (ACh)-CaCl₂ AF model in rats. We compared auxotonic force, sarcomere length dynamics, cytosolic calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) transients, intracellular ROS and NO production in LA and RA CM, and analyzed the phosphorylation levels of contractile proteins and actin-myosin interaction using an in vitro motility assay. Results: AF resulted in more prominent structural and functional changes in LA myocardium, reducing sarcomere shortening amplitude, and velocity of sarcomere relengthening in mechanically non-loaded LA CM, which was associated with the increased ROS production, decreased NO production, reduced myofibrillar content, and decreased phosphorylation of cardiac myosin binding protein C and troponin I. However, in mechanically loaded CM, AF depressed the auxotonic force amplitude and kinetics in RA CM, while force characteristics were preserved in LA CM. Discussion: Thus, inter-atrial differences are increased in paroxysmal AF and affected by the mechanical load that may contribute to the maintenance and progression of AF.