Atrial remodeling in diabetes is partially attributed to NF-κB/TGF-β signal transduction pathway activation. We examined whether the hyperglycemia-induced increased expression of NF-κB/TGF-β was dependent upon protein kinase C-β (PKCβ) and tested the hypothesis that selective inhibition of PKCβ using ruboxistaurin (RBX) can reduce NF-κB/TGF-β expression and inhibit abnormal atrial remodeling in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The effects of PKCβ inhibition on NF-κB/TGF-β signal transduction pathway-mediated atrial remodeling were investigated in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Mouse atrial cardiomyocytes (HL-1 cells) were cultured in low- or high-glucose or mannitol conditions in the presence or absence of small interference RNA that targeted PKCβ. PKCβ inhibition using ruboxistaurin (RBX, 1 mg/kg/day) decreased the expression of NF-κBp65, p-IκB, P38MARK, TNF-α, TGF-β, Cav1.2, and NCX proteins and inducibility of atrial fibrillation (AF) in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Exposure of cardiomyocytes to high-glucose condition activated PKCβ and increased NF-κB/TGF-β expression. Suppression of PKCβ expression by small interference RNA decreased high-glucose-induced NF-κB and extracellular signal-related kinase activation in HL-1 cells. Pharmacological inhibition of PKCβ is an effective method to reduce AF incidence in diabetic rat models by preventing NF-κB/TGF-β-mediated atrial remodeling.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Diabetes mellitus; Protein kinase C beta (PKCβ); Remodeling.