Heart failure in mice induces a dysfunction of the sinus node associated with reduced CaMKII signaling

Dysfunction of the sinoatrial node (SAN), the natural heart pacemaker, is common in heart failure (HF) patients. SAN spontaneous activity relies on various ion currents in the plasma membrane (voltage clock), but intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) release via ryanodine receptor 2 (RYR2; Ca²⁺ clock) plays an important synergetic role. Whereas remodeling of voltage-clock components has been revealed in HF, less is known about possible alterations to the Ca²⁺ clock. Here, we analyzed [Ca²⁺]_i handling in SAN from a mouse HF model after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and compared it with sham-operated animals. ECG data from awake animals showed slower heart rate in HF mice upon autonomic nervous system blockade, indicating intrinsic sinus node dysfunction. Confocal microscopy analyses of SAN cells within whole tissue showed slower and less frequent [Ca²⁺]_i transients in HF. This correlated with fewer and smaller spontaneous Ca²⁺ sparks in HF SAN cells, which associated with lower RYR2 protein expression level and reduced phosphorylation at the CaMKII site. Moreover, PLB phosphorylation at the CaMKII site was also decreased in HF, which could lead to reduced sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) function and lower sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ content, further depressing the Ca²⁺ clock. The inhibition of CaMKII with KN93 slowed [Ca²⁺]_i transient rate in both groups, but this effect was smaller in HF SAN, consistent with less CaMKII activation. In conclusion, our data uncover that the mechanism of intrinsic pacemaker dysfunction in HF involves reduced CaMKII activation.