Effects of interleukin-2 on bioelectric activity of rat atrial myocardium under normal conditions and during gradual stretching.

Using micro-electrode technique we studied the effects of interleukin-2 (50 ng/ml) on bio-electric activity of rat atrial myocardium under normal conditions and after gradual stretching of the tissue. It was shown that interleukin-2 caused increasing in the duration of action potential at the levels of 25, 50, and 90% re-polarization. Perfusion with interleukin-2 resulted in appearance of frequent rhythm patterns followed by smooth transient fragments of paroxysmal tachyarrhythmia pacing into normal rhythms. In the presence of interleukin-2, stretching of the tissue by 1.7 mN led to appearance of abnormal bio-electrical activity, predominantly in the lengthening of the duration of action potential at the levels of 90% re-polarization. Close observation of both interleukin-2 induced action potential duration to 90% of re-polarization, hump-like depolarization and stretch induced hump-like alteration, indicate existence of a link between the interleukin-2 and stretch induced mechanisms.