Calcineurin trapped in liposomes inhibits the action potentials of isolated 3-days-old embryonic chick ventricle.

Calcineurin, an intracellular protein phosphatase (type 2B), is reported to inhibit L-type (slow) calcium channels and thereby play a key role in channel inactivation. The present study was undertaken to examine effects of calcineurin on slow channel dependent action potentials of 3-days-old embryonic chick ventricle and to assess the role of this enzyme in regulation of developing slow channels. Calcineurin trapped in phosphatidylcholine-liposomes to facilitate its intracellular uptake was found to inhibit maximal upstroke velocity (+Vmax), overshoot and duration of action potentials. At higher doses of calcineurin containing liposomes the preparations ceased to exhibit spontaneous activity but elicited electrically driven action potentials with lower +Vmax and overshoot. These observations show that calcineurin down-modulates the embryonic cardiac slow channels under basal conditions.