Skip to content

Medicine Matters

Sharing successes, challenges and daily happenings in the Department of Medicine

Medicine Matters Home Article of the Week Oxidized CaMKII and O-GlcNAcylation cause increased atrial fibrillation in diabetic mice by distinct mechanisms

Oxidized CaMKII and O-GlcNAcylation cause increased atrial fibrillation in diabetic mice by distinct mechanisms

ARTICLE: Oxidized CaMKII and O-GlcNAcylation cause increased atrial fibrillation in diabetic mice by distinct mechanisms

AUTHORS: Olurotimi O Mesubi, Adam G Rokita, Neha AbrolYuejin Wu, Biyi Chen, Qinchuan WangJonathan M GrangerAnthony Tucker-BartleyElizabeth D LuczakKevin R MurphyPriya Umapathi, Partha S Banerjee, Tatiana N Boronina, Robert N Cole, Lars S Maier, Xander H Wehrens, Joel L Pomerantz, Long-Sheng Song, Rexford S Ahima, Gerald W Hart, Natasha E Zachara, Mark E Anderson

JOURNAL: J Clin Invest. 2021 Jan 19;131(2):95747. doi: 10.1172/JCI95747.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are major unsolved public health problems, and diabetes is an independent risk factor for AF. However, the mechanism(s) underlying this clinical association is unknown. ROS and protein O-GlcNAcylation (OGN) are increased in diabetic hearts, and calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) is a proarrhythmic signal that may be activated by ROS (oxidized CaMKII, ox-CaMKII) and OGN (OGN-CaMKII). We induced type 1 (T1D) and type 2 DM (T2D) in a portfolio of genetic mouse models capable of dissecting the role of ROS and OGN at CaMKII and global OGN in diabetic AF. Here, we showed that T1D and T2D significantly increased AF, and this increase required CaMKII and OGN. T1D and T2D both required ox-CaMKII to increase AF; however, we did not detect OGN-CaMKII or a role for OGN-CaMKII in diabetic AF. Collectively, our data affirm CaMKII as a critical proarrhythmic signal in diabetic AF and suggest ROS primarily promotes AF by ox-CaMKII, while OGN promotes AF by a CaMKII-independent mechanism(s). These results provide insights into the mechanisms for increased AF in DM and suggest potential benefits for future CaMKII and OGN targeted therapies.

For the full article, click here.

For a link to the abstract, click here.

Author's Take Video

nv-author-image

Kelsey Bennett