Background: Arrhythmias are one manifestation of the cardiotoxicity that results from doxorubicin (Doxo) administration. Although cardiotoxicity is an anticipated outcome in anticancer therapies, there is still a lack of treatment options available for its effective management. This study sought to evaluate the possible cardioprotective effect of complex d-limonene (DL) plus hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HβDL) during treatment with Doxo, focusing on the arrhythmic feature.
Methods: Cardiotoxicity was induced in Swiss mice with Doxo 20 mg/kg, with 10 mg/kg of HβDL being administered 30 min before the Doxo. Plasma CK-MB and LDH levels were analyzed. Cellular excitability and susceptibility to cardiac and cardiomyocyte arrhythmias were evaluated using in vivo (pharmacological cardiac stress) and in vitro (burst pacing) ECG protocols. Ca2+ dynamics were also investigated. The expression of CaMKII and its activation by phosphorylation and oxidation were evaluated by western blot, and molecular docking was used to analyze the possible interaction between DL and CaMKII.
Results: Electrocardiograms showed that administration of 10 mg/kg of HβDL prevented Doxo-induced widening of the QRS complex and QT interval. HβDL also prevented cardiomyocyte electrophysiological changes that trigger cellular arrhythmias, such as increases in action potential duration and variability; decreased the occurrence of delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) and triggered activities (TAs), and reduced the incidence of arrhythmia in vivo. Ca2+ waves and CaMKII overactivation caused by phosphorylation and oxidation were also decreased. In the in silico study, DL showed potential inhibitory interaction with CaMKII.
Conclusion: Our results show that 10 mg/kg of βDL protects the heart against Doxo-induced cardiotoxicity arrhythmias, and that this is probably due to its inhibitory effect on CaMKII hyperactivation.
Keywords: Arrhythmia; CaMKII; Cardiotoxicity; Cyclodextrin; Doxorubicin; d-Limonene.
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