Gap junctional uncoupling plays a trigger role in the antiarrhythmic effect of ischaemic preconditioning

Uncoupling of GJs prior to ischaemia either by PC or CBX preserves the electrical coupling of cells and results in an antiarrhythmic effect during a subsequent ischaemic insult, indicating that a partial closure of gap junctions may play a trigger role in the protection. In contrast, when CBX is administered in PC dogs the protection both against GJ uncoupling and arrhythmias is markedly attenuated, suggesting that the antiarrhythmic protection, at least in part, is mediated through GJs.