Ellagic acid and gingerol, activators of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, ameliorate diabetes mellitus-induced diastolic dysfunction in isolated murine ventricular myocardia

The effects of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) activators, ellagic acid and gingerol, on the contraction and Ca2+ transient were examined in isolated myocardia from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and compared with control mice. The time required for relaxation of the right ventricular free wall was significantly longer in streptozotocin-treated mice. The basal Ca2+ concentration of isolated ventricular myocytes from streptozotocin-treated mice was significantly higher than those from control mice. The Ca2+ transient decay rate was significantly lower in myocytes from streptozotocin-treated mice. Cyclopiazonic acid, a SERCA inhibitor, decreased the rate of relaxation and the rate of Ca2+ transient decay; these effects were larger in control mice. Both ellagic acid and gingerol accelerated the rate of relaxation and the rate of Ca2+ transient decay; these effects were larger in the streptozotocin-treated mice. The acceleration of relaxation by ellagic acid and gingerol was completely inhibited by cyclopiazonic acid. These results suggest that the diabetes mellitus-induced myocardial diastolic dysfunction is partly caused by reduction of SERCA function and can be ameliorated by SERCA activators.