Inhibitory Effects of Nobiletin on Voltage-Gated Na+ Channel in Rat Ventricular Myocytes Based on Electrophysiological Analysis and Molecular Docking Method

Nobiletin (NOB) has attracted much attention owing to its outstanding bioactivities. This study aimed to investigate its anti-arrhythmic effect through electrophysiological and molecular docking studies. We assessed the anti-arrhythmic effects of NOB using aconitine-induced ventricular arrhythmia in a rat model and the electrophysiological effects of NOB on rat cardiomyocytes utilizing whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Moreover, we investigated the binding characters of NOB with rNav1.5, rNav1.5/QQQ, and hNa(V)1.5 via docking analysis, comparing them with amiodarone and aconitine. NOB pretreatment delayed susceptibility to ventricular premature and ventricular tachycardia and decreased the incidence of fatal ventricular fibrillation. Whole-cell patch-clamp assays demonstrated that the peak current density of the voltage-gated Na+ channel current was reversibly reduced by NOB in a concentration-dependent manner. The steady-state activation and recovery curves were shifted in the positive direction along the voltage axis, and the steady-state inactivation curve was shifted in the negative direction along the voltage axis, as shown by gating kinetics. The molecular docking study showed NOB formed a pi-pi stacking interaction with rNav1.5 and rNav1.5/QQQ upon Phe-1762, which is the homolog to Phe-1760 in hNa(V)1.5 and plays an important role in antiarrhythmic action This study reveals that NOB may act as a class I sodium channel anti-arrhythmia agent.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that Nobiletin (NOB) has anti-arrhythmic effects by delaying susceptibility to arrhythmias and reducing the incidence of fatal ventricular fibrillation. Whole-cell patch-clamp assays show that NOB reversibly reduces the peak current density of the voltage-gated Na+ channel current and shifts the activation and inactivation curves. Molecular docking analysis reveals the specific interaction between NOB and specific target sites.