Electrophysiological Modulation of Cardiomyocytic Tissue by Transfected Fibroblasts Expressing Potassium Channels

Abstract

Background— Traditional pharmacological therapies aiming to modify the abnormal electrophysiological substrate underlying cardiac arrhythmias may be limited by their relatively low efficacy, global cardiac activity, and significant proarrhythmic effects. We suggest a new approach, in which transfected cellular grafts expressing various ionic channels may be used to manipulate the local electrophysiological properties of cardiac tissue. To examine the feasibility of this concept, we tested the hypothesis that transfected fibroblasts expressing the voltage-sensitive potassium channel Kv1.3 can modify the electrophysiological properties of cardiomyocytic cultures.