Restoration of calcium release synchrony: A novel target for heart failure and ventricular arrhythmia.

Myocardial calcium (Ca) signaling plays a crucial role in contractile function and membrane electrophysiology. An abnormal myocardial Ca transient is linked to heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias. At the subcellular level, the synchronous release of Ca sparks from sarcoplasmic Ca release units determines the configuration and amplitude of the global Ca transient.

Cardioprotective effects of dantrolene in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice.

Background: Doxorubicin (Dox) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent, but its usage is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Intracellular calcium dysregulation has been reported to be involved in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DICM). The cardioprotective role of RyR stabilizer dantrolene (Dan) on the calcium dynamics of DICM has not yet been explored.