Hypericin activates L-type Ca2+ channels in cardiac myocytes

The effects and the mode of action of hypericin (1) were studied, in the dark, on the action potential (AP) and the L-type Ca2+ channel of frog atrial heart muscle, using intracellular microelectrode and patch-clamp techniques, respectively. In the presence of Ca2+ in Ringer solution, hypericin (1 to 4 mu M) did not markedly modify the AP. Total replacement of Ca2+ by Sr2+ in the solution (Ringer Sr2+) revealed that hypericin (4 mu M) prolonged the AP duration (APD). Hypericin dose-dependently increased the magnitude of the Sr(2+)current, which develops through L-type Ca2+ channels in the Ringer solution containing tetrodotoxin (0.7 mu M) and tetraethylammonium (10 mM), but did not modify the kinetics of activation and inactivation. This revealed that hypericin increased L-type Ca2+ channel conductance, which accounted for the APD lengthening. The hypericin-induced APD lengthening recorded in the Ringer Sr2+ was not prevented by (i) a blockade of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors by yohimbine (1 mu M), urapidil (1 mu M), and propanolol (50 mu M), respectively, and (ii) PKC blockade by staurosporine (1 mu M). The hypericin-induced APD lengthening recorded in the Ringer Sr2+ was prevented by blocking soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) activity by 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (13 mu M), which mimicked the effects of hypericin. Hypericin decreased the cellular cGMP level by 69% in atrial myocytes. The compound also decreased the cellular cGMP level by inhibiting sGC, thus cancelling the nucleotide inhibitory effect on the cardiac L-type Ca2+ channel.