Effects of interleukin-18 on bioelectric activity of rat atrial cardiomyocytes under normal conditions and during gradual stretching of the tissue

Abstract

Effects of IL-18 (50 ng/ml) on bioelectric activity of rat atrial cardiomyocytes under normal conditions and after gradual stretching of the tissue was studied using microelectrode technique. It was shown that in 85% experiments, IL-18 increased the duration of action potential at the level of 25, 50, and 90% repolarization without changing the magnitude of the resting potential, amplitude and repetition rate of action potentials, and cardiomyocyte contraction force. In addition, IL-18 abolished mechanically induced changes in the shape of action potentials during stretching.