Cellular mechanism of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-induced atrial tachyarrhythmia in canine isolated arterially perfused right atria

1. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) induces atrial tachyarrhythmia (AT). However, the cellular mechanism responsible for this remains unclear. 2. In six canine isolated arterially perfused right atria, high-resolution optical mapping techniques were used to measure action potentials during control conditions and after PACAP injection (1 nmol). 3. During steady state pacing at a cycle length of 300 msec, the action potential duration was shorter during PACAP than during control (P < 0.001). In addition, maximum repolarization gradients during PACAP (4 +/- 1 msec/mm) were similar to those during control (5 +/- 1 msec/mm; n = 6). Transmural repolarization gradients were also similar between the two groups. 4. After PACAP, AT was easily initiated with a single premature extrastimulus and was associated with a focal pattern of activation. However, AT was not initiated by a single premature stimulus during control. 5. In conclusion, the PACAP-induced AT is associated with a focal pattern of activation that is independent of local repolarization gradients. These data suggest that increased dispersion of repolarization is not necessarily required for the induction of AT.