Mutations in the gene encoding for the intracellular protein dystrophin cause severe forms of muscular dystrophy. These so-called dystrophinopathies are characterized by skeletal muscle weakness and degeneration. Dystrophin deficiency also gives rise to considerable complications in the heart, including cardiomyopathy development and arrhythmias. The current understanding of the pathomechanisms in the dystrophic heart is limited, but there is growing evidence that dysfunctional voltage-dependent ion channels in dystrophin-deficient cardiomyocytes play a significant role. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge about abnormalities in voltage-dependent sarcolemmal ion channel properties in the dystrophic heart, and discuss the potentially underlying mechanisms, as well as their pathophysiological relevance.
Keywords: animal models; calcium channels; cardiac ion channel abnormalities; dystrophic cardiomyopathy; dystrophin deficiency; dystrophinopathies; potassium channels; sodium channels.