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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a growing public health problem without adequate therapies. Angiotensin II and reactive oxygen species are validated risk factors for AF in patients, but the molecular pathways connecting reactive oxygen species and AF are unknown. The Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has recently emerged as a reactive oxygen species–activated proarrhythmic signal, so we hypothesized that oxidized CaMKIIδ could contribute to AF.

We found that oxidized CaMKII was increased in atria from AF patients compared with patients in sinus rhythm and from mice infused with angiotensin II compared with mice infused with saline. Angiotensin II–treated mice had increased susceptibility to AF compared with saline-treated wild-type mice, establishing angiotensin II as a risk factor for AF in mice. Knock-in mice lacking critical oxidation sites in CaMKIIδ (MM-VV …