Reduction in Junctophilin 2 Expression in Cardiac Nodal Tissue Results in Intracellular Calcium-Driven Increase in Nodal Cell Automaticity

Background: Spontaneously depolarizing nodal cells comprise the pacemaker of the heart. Intracellular calcium (Ca²⁺) plays a critical role in mediating nodal cell automaticity and understanding this so-called Ca²⁺ clock is critical to understanding nodal arrhythmias. We previously demonstrated a role for Jph2 (junctophilin 2) in regulating Ca²⁺-signaling through inhibition of RyR2 (ryanodine receptor 2) Ca²⁺ leak in cardiac myocytes; however, its role in pacemaker function and nodal arrhythmias remains unknown. We sought to determine whether nodal Jph2 expression silencing causes increased sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodal cell automaticity due to aberrant RyR2 Ca²⁺ leak.

Methods: A tamoxifen-inducible, nodal tissue-specific, knockdown mouse of Jph2 was achieved using a Cre-recombinase-triggered short RNA hairpin directed against Jph2 (Hcn4:shJph2). In vivo cardiac rhythm was monitored by surface ECG, implantable cardiac telemetry, and intracardiac electrophysiology studies. Intracellular Ca²⁺ imaging was performed using confocal-based line scans of isolated nodal cells loaded with fluorescent Ca²⁺ reporter Cal-520. Whole cell patch clamp was conducted on isolated nodal cells to determine action potential kinetics and sodium-calcium exchanger function.

Results: Hcn4:shJph2 mice demonstrated a 40% reduction in nodal Jph2 expression, resting sinus tachycardia, and impaired heart rate response to pharmacologic stress. In vivo intracardiac electrophysiology studies and ex vivo optical mapping demonstrated accelerated junctional rhythm originating from the atrioventricular node. Hcn4:shJph2 nodal cells demonstrated increased and irregular Ca²⁺ transient generation with increased Ca²⁺ spark frequency and Ca²⁺ leak from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This was associated with increased nodal cell AP firing rate, faster diastolic repolarization rate, and reduced sodium-calcium exchanger activity during repolarized states compared to control. Phenome-wide association studies of the JPH2 locus identified an association with sinoatrial nodal disease and atrioventricular nodal block.

Conclusions: Nodal-specific Jph2 knockdown causes increased nodal automaticity through increased Ca²⁺ leak from intracellular stores. Dysregulated intracellular Ca²⁺ underlies nodal arrhythmogenesis in this mouse model.