Oxidative stress in early metabolic syndrome impairs cardiac RyR2 and SERCA2a activity and modifies the interplay of these proteins during Ca waves.

We investigated how oxidative stress (OS) alters Ca handling in ventricular myocytes in early metabolic syndrome (MetS) in sucrose-fed rats. The effects of -acetyl cysteine (NAC) or dl-Dithiothreitol (DTT) on systolic Ca transients (SCaTs), diastolic Ca sparks (CaS) and Ca waves (CaW), recorded by confocal techniques, and L-type Ca current (I), assessed by whole-cell patch clamp, were evaluated in MetS and Control cells. MetS myocytes exhibited decreased SCaTs and CaS frequency but unaffected CaW propagation.