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de Lepper AGW, Buck CMA, van 't Veer M, Huberts W, van de Vosse FN, Dekker LRC. From evidence-based medicine to digital twin technology for predicting ventricular tachycardia in ischaemic cardiomyopathy. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, INTERFACE 2022; 19:20220317. [PMID: 36128708 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Survivors of myocardial infarction are at risk of life-threatening ventricular tachycardias (VTs) later in their lives. Current guidelines for implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) implantation to prevent VT-related sudden cardiac death is solely based on symptoms and left ventricular ejection fraction. Catheter ablation of scar-related VTs is performed following ICD therapy, reducing VTs, painful shocks, anxiety, depression and worsening heart failure. We postulate that better prediction of the occurrence and circuit of VT, will improve identification of patients at risk for VT and boost preventive ablation, reducing mortality and morbidity. For this purpose, multiple time-evolving aspects of the underlying pathophysiology, including the anatomical substrate, triggers and modulators, should be part of VT prediction models. We envision digital twins as a solution combining clinical expertise with three prediction approaches: evidence-based medicine (clinical practice), data-driven models (data science) and mechanistic models (biomedical engineering). This paper aims to create a mutual understanding between experts in the different fields by providing a comprehensive description of the clinical problem and the three approaches in an understandable manner, leveraging future collaborations and technological innovations for clinical decision support. Moreover, it defines open challenges and gains for digital twin solutions and discusses the potential of hybrid modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlijn M A Buck
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel van 't Veer
- Department of Cardiology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Huberts
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Frans N van de Vosse
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Lukas R C Dekker
- Department of Cardiology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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2
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Xiong Z, Cheng Z, Lin X, Xu C, Liu X, Wang D, Luo X, Zhang Y, Jiang H, Qiao N, Zheng M. Facing small and biased data dilemma in drug discovery with enhanced federated learning approaches. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 65:529-539. [PMID: 34319533 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-1946-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) models usually require large amounts of high-quality training data, which is in striking contrast to the situation of small and biased data faced by current drug discovery pipelines. The concept of federated learning has been proposed to utilize distributed data from different sources without leaking sensitive information of the data. This emerging decentralized machine learning paradigm is expected to dramatically improve the success rate of AI-powered drug discovery. Here, we simulated the federated learning process with different property and activity datasets from different sources, among which overlapping molecules with high or low biases exist in the recorded values. Beyond the benefit of gaining more data, we also demonstrated that federated training has a regularization effect superior to centralized training on the pooled datasets with high biases. Moreover, different network architectures for clients and aggregation algorithms for coordinators have been compared on the performance of federated learning, where personalized federated learning shows promising results. Our work demonstrates the applicability of federated learning in predicting drug-related properties and highlights its promising role in addressing the small and biased data dilemma in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Xiong
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, and School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ziqiang Cheng
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, and School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Xinyuan Lin
- Laboratory of Health Intelligence, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518100, China
| | - Chi Xu
- Laboratory of Health Intelligence, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518100, China
| | - Xiaohong Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, and School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dingyan Wang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaomin Luo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Laboratory of Health Intelligence, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518100, China
| | - Hualiang Jiang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, and School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Nan Qiao
- Laboratory of Health Intelligence, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518100, China.
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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3
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Benson AP, Stevenson-Cocks HJ, Whittaker DG, White E, Colman MA. Multi-scale approaches for the simulation of cardiac electrophysiology: II - Tissue-level structure and function. Methods 2020; 185:60-81. [PMID: 31988002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational models of the heart, from cell-level models, through one-, two- and three-dimensional tissue-level simplifications, to biophysically-detailed three-dimensional models of the ventricles, atria or whole heart, allow the simulation of excitation and propagation of this excitation, and have provided remarkable insight into the normal and pathological functioning of the heart. In this article we present equations for modelling cellular excitation (i.e. the cell action potential) from both a phenomenological and a biophysical perspective. Hodgkin-Huxley formalism is discussed, along with the current generation of biophysically-detailed cardiac cell models. Alternative Markovian formulations for modelling ionic currents are also presented. Equations describing propagation of this cellular excitation, through one-, two- and three-dimensional idealised or realistic tissues, are then presented. For all types of model, from cell to tissue, methods for discretisation and integration of the underlying equations are discussed. The article finishes with a discussion of two tissue-level experimental imaging techniques - diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging - that can be used to provide data for parameterisation and validation of cell- and tissue-level cardiac models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan P Benson
- School of Biomedical Sciences University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| | | | - Dominic G Whittaker
- School of Biomedical Sciences University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Ed White
- School of Biomedical Sciences University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Michael A Colman
- School of Biomedical Sciences University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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4
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Kaul H. Respiratory healthcare by design: Computational approaches bringing respiratory precision and personalised medicine closer to bedside. Morphologie 2019; 103:194-202. [PMID: 31711740 DOI: 10.1016/j.morpho.2019.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Precision medicine represents a potentially powerful means to alleviate the growing burden of chronic respiratory diseases. To realise its potential, however, we need a systems level understanding of how biological events (signalling pathways, cell-cell interactions, tissue mechanics) integrate across multiple spatial and temporal scales to give rise to pathology. This can be achieved most practically in silico: a paradigm that offers tight control over model parameters and rapid means of testing and generating mechanistic hypotheses. Patient-specific computational models that can enable identification of pathological mechanisms unique to patients' (omics, physiological, and anatomical) profiles and, therefore, personalised drug targets represent a major milestone in precision medicine. Current patient-based models in literature, especially medical devices, cardiac modelling, and respiratory medicine, rely mostly on (partial/ordinary) differential equations and have reached relatively advanced level of maturity. In respiratory medicine, patient-specific simulations mainly include subject scan-based lung mechanics models that can predict pulmonary function, but they treat the (sub)cellular processes as "black-boxes". A recent advance in simulating human airways at a cellular level to make clinical predictions raises the possibility of linking omics and cell level data/models with lung mechanics to understand respiratory pathology at a systems level. This is significant as this approach can be extended to understanding pathologies in other organs as well. Here, I will discuss ways in which computational models have already made contributions to personalised healthcare and how the paradigm can expedite clinical uptake of precision medicine strategies. I will mainly focus on an agent-based, asthmatic virtual patient that predicted the impact of multiple drug pharmacodynamics at the patient level, its potential to develop efficacious precision medicine strategies in respiratory medicine, and the regulatory and ethical challenges accompanying the mainstream application of such models.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Kaul
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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5
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Perez Alday EA, Whittaker DG, Benson AP, Colman MA. Effects of Heart Rate and Ventricular Wall Thickness on Non-invasive Mapping: An in silico Study. Front Physiol 2019; 10:308. [PMID: 31024330 PMCID: PMC6460935 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Non-invasive cardiac mapping—also known as Electrocardiographic imaging (ECGi)—is a novel, painless and relatively economic method to map the electrical activation and repolarization patterns of the heart, providing a valuable tool for early identification and diagnosis of conduction abnormalities and arrhythmias. Moreover, the ability to obtain information on cardiac electrical activity non-invasively using ECGi provides the potential for a priori information to guide invasive surgical procedures, improving success rates, and reducing procedure time. Previous studies have shown the influence of clinical variables, such as heart rate, heart size, endocardial wall, and body composition on surface electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements. The influence of clinical variables on the ECG variability has provided information on cardiovascular control and its abnormalities in various pathologies. However, the effects of such clinical variables on the Body Surface Potential (BSP) and ECGi maps have yet to be systematically investigated. Methods: In this study we investigated the effects of heart size, intracardiac thickness, and heart rate on BSP and ECGi maps using a previously-developed 3D electrophysiologically-detailed ventricles-torso model. The inverse solution was solved using the three different Tikhonov regularization methods. Results: Through comparison of multiple measures of error/accuracy on the ECGi reconstructions, our results showed that using different heart geometries to solve the forward and inverse problems produced a larger estimated focal excitation location. An increase of ~2 mm in the Euclidean distance error was observed for an increase in the heart size. However, the estimation of the location of focal activity was still able to be obtained. Similarly, a Euclidean distance increase was observed when the order of regularization was reduced. For the case of activation maps reconstructed at the same ectopic focus location but different heart rates, an increase in the errors and Euclidean distance was observed when the heart rate was increased. Conclusions: Non-invasive cardiac mapping can still provide useful information about cardiac activation patterns for the cases when a different geometry is used for the inverse problem compared to the one used for the forward solution; rapid pacing rates can induce order-dependent errors in the accuracy of reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Andres Perez Alday
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Dominic G Whittaker
- School of Biomedical Science and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Alan P Benson
- School of Biomedical Science and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Michael A Colman
- School of Biomedical Science and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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6
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Trayanova NA, Boyle PM, Nikolov PP. Personalized Imaging and Modeling Strategies for Arrhythmia Prevention and Therapy. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018; 5:21-28. [PMID: 29546250 PMCID: PMC5847279 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this article is to review advances in computational modeling of the heart, with a focus on recent non-invasive clinical imaging- and simulation-based strategies aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients with arrhythmias and structural heart disease. Following a brief overview of the field of computational cardiology, we present recent applications of the personalized virtual-heart approach in predicting the optimal targets for infarct-related ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation ablation, and in determining risk of sudden cardiac death in myocardial infarction patients. The hope is that with such models at the patient bedside, therapies could be improved, invasiveness of diagnostic procedures minimized, and health-care costs reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Institute for Computational Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Patrick M Boyle
- Institute for Computational Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Plamen P Nikolov
- Institute for Computational Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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7
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Lyon A, Mincholé A, Martínez JP, Laguna P, Rodriguez B. Computational techniques for ECG analysis and interpretation in light of their contribution to medical advances. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20170821. [PMID: 29321268 PMCID: PMC5805987 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Widely developed for clinical screening, electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings capture the cardiac electrical activity from the body surface. ECG analysis can therefore be a crucial first step to help diagnose, understand and predict cardiovascular disorders responsible for 30% of deaths worldwide. Computational techniques, and more specifically machine learning techniques and computational modelling are powerful tools for classification, clustering and simulation, and they have recently been applied to address the analysis of medical data, especially ECG data. This review describes the computational methods in use for ECG analysis, with a focus on machine learning and 3D computer simulations, as well as their accuracy, clinical implications and contributions to medical advances. The first section focuses on heartbeat classification and the techniques developed to extract and classify abnormal from regular beats. The second section focuses on patient diagnosis from whole recordings, applied to different diseases. The third section presents real-time diagnosis and applications to wearable devices. The fourth section highlights the recent field of personalized ECG computer simulations and their interpretation. Finally, the discussion section outlines the challenges of ECG analysis and provides a critical assessment of the methods presented. The computational methods reported in this review are a strong asset for medical discoveries and their translation to the clinical world may lead to promising advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Lyon
- Department of Computer Science, British Heart Foundation, Oxford, UK
| | - Ana Mincholé
- Department of Computer Science, British Heart Foundation, Oxford, UK
| | - Juan Pablo Martínez
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation (BSICoS) Group, University of Zaragoza, CIBER-BBN, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Pablo Laguna
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation (BSICoS) Group, University of Zaragoza, CIBER-BBN, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Blanca Rodriguez
- Department of Computer Science, British Heart Foundation, Oxford, UK
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8
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Colman MA, Perez Alday EA, Holden AV, Benson AP. Trigger vs. Substrate: Multi-Dimensional Modulation of QT-Prolongation Associated Arrhythmic Dynamics by a hERG Channel Activator. Front Physiol 2017; 8:757. [PMID: 29046643 PMCID: PMC5632683 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Prolongation of the QT interval of the electrocardiogram (ECG), underlain by prolongation of the action potential duration (APD) at the cellular level, is linked to increased vulnerability to cardiac arrhythmia. Pharmacological management of arrhythmia associated with QT prolongation is typically achieved through attempting to restore APD to control ranges, reversing the enhanced vulnerability to Ca2+-dependent afterdepolarisations (arrhythmia triggers) and increased transmural dispersion of repolarisation (arrhythmia substrate) associated with APD prolongation. However, such pharmacological modulation has been demonstrated to have limited effectiveness. Understanding the integrative functional impact of pharmacological modulation requires simultaneous investigation of both the trigger and substrate. Methods: We implemented a multi-scale (cell and tissue) in silico approach using a model of the human ventricular action potential, integrated with a model of stochastic 3D spatiotemporal Ca2+ dynamics, and parameter modification to mimic prolonged QT conditions. We used these models to examine the efficacy of the hERG activator MC-II-157c in restoring APD to control ranges, examined its effects on arrhythmia triggers and substrates, and the interaction of these arrhythmia triggers and substrates. Results: QT prolongation conditions promoted the development of spontaneous release events underlying afterdepolarisations during rapid pacing. MC-II-157c applied to prolonged QT conditions shortened the APD, inhibited the development of afterdepolarisations and reduced the probability of afterdepolarisations manifesting as triggered activity in single cells. In tissue, QT prolongation resulted in an increased transmural dispersion of repolarisation, which manifested as an increased vulnerable window for uni-directional conduction block. In some cases, MC-II-157c further increased the vulnerable window through its effects on INa. The combination of stochastic release event modulation and transmural dispersion of repolarisation modulation by MC-II-157c resulted in an integrative behavior wherein the arrhythmia trigger is reduced but the arrhythmia substrate is increased, leading to variable and non-linear overall vulnerability to arrhythmia. Conclusion: The relative balance of reduced trigger and increased substrate underlies a multi-dimensional role of MC-II-157c in modulation of cardiac arrhythmia vulnerability associated with prolonged QT interval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Colman
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Erick A Perez Alday
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Arun V Holden
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Alan P Benson
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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9
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Trayanova NA, Chang KC. How computer simulations of the human heart can improve anti-arrhythmia therapy. J Physiol 2016; 594:2483-502. [PMID: 26621489 DOI: 10.1113/jp270532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, the state-of-the-art in cardiac computational modelling has progressed rapidly. The electrophysiological function of the heart can now be simulated with a high degree of detail and accuracy, opening the doors for simulation-guided approaches to anti-arrhythmic drug development and patient-specific therapeutic interventions. In this review, we outline the basic methodology for cardiac modelling, which has been developed and validated over decades of research. In addition, we present several recent examples of how computational models of the human heart have been used to address current clinical problems in cardiac electrophysiology. We will explore the use of simulations to improve anti-arrhythmic pacing and defibrillation interventions; to predict optimal sites for clinical ablation procedures; and to aid in the understanding and selection of arrhythmia risk markers. Together, these studies illustrate how the tremendous advances in cardiac modelling are poised to revolutionize medical treatment and prevention of arrhythmia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Kelly C Chang
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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10
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Loewe A, Wilhelms M, Schmid J, Krause MJ, Fischer F, Thomas D, Scholz EP, Dössel O, Seemann G. Parameter Estimation of Ion Current Formulations Requires Hybrid Optimization Approach to Be Both Accurate and Reliable. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2016; 3:209. [PMID: 26793704 PMCID: PMC4710757 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2015.00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational models of cardiac electrophysiology provided insights into arrhythmogenesis and paved the way toward tailored therapies in the last years. To fully leverage in silico models in future research, these models need to be adapted to reflect pathologies, genetic alterations, or pharmacological effects, however. A common approach is to leave the structure of established models unaltered and estimate the values of a set of parameters. Today's high-throughput patch clamp data acquisition methods require robust, unsupervised algorithms that estimate parameters both accurately and reliably. In this work, two classes of optimization approaches are evaluated: gradient-based trust-region-reflective and derivative-free particle swarm algorithms. Using synthetic input data and different ion current formulations from the Courtemanche et al. electrophysiological model of human atrial myocytes, we show that neither of the two schemes alone succeeds to meet all requirements. Sequential combination of the two algorithms did improve the performance to some extent but not satisfactorily. Thus, we propose a novel hybrid approach coupling the two algorithms in each iteration. This hybrid approach yielded very accurate estimates with minimal dependency on the initial guess using synthetic input data for which a ground truth parameter set exists. When applied to measured data, the hybrid approach yielded the best fit, again with minimal variation. Using the proposed algorithm, a single run is sufficient to estimate the parameters. The degree of superiority over the other investigated algorithms in terms of accuracy and robustness depended on the type of current. In contrast to the non-hybrid approaches, the proposed method proved to be optimal for data of arbitrary signal to noise ratio. The hybrid algorithm proposed in this work provides an important tool to integrate experimental data into computational models both accurately and robustly allowing to assess the often non-intuitive consequences of ion channel-level changes on higher levels of integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Loewe
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Mathias Wilhelms
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Jochen Schmid
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Mathias J Krause
- Institute of Applied and Numerical Mathematics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Fathima Fischer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Dierk Thomas
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Eberhard P Scholz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Olaf Dössel
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Gunnar Seemann
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
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11
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Loewe A, Wilhelms M, Fischer F, Scholz EP, Dössel O, Seemann G. Arrhythmic potency of human ether-à-go-go-related gene mutations L532P and N588K in a computational model of human atrial myocytes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 16:435-43. [DOI: 10.1093/europace/eut375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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12
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Pervolaraki E, Anderson RA, Benson AP, Hayes-Gill B, Holden AV, Moore BJR, Paley MN, Zhang H. Antenatal architecture and activity of the human heart. Interface Focus 2014; 3:20120065. [PMID: 24427520 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2012.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We construct the components for a family of computational models of the electrophysiology of the human foetal heart from 60 days gestational age (DGA) to full term. This requires both cell excitation models that reconstruct the myocyte action potentials, and datasets of cardiac geometry and architecture. Fast low-angle shot and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) of foetal hearts provides cardiac geometry with voxel resolution of approximately 100 µm. DT-MRI measures the relative diffusion of protons and provides a measure of the average intravoxel myocyte orientation, and the orientation of any higher order orthotropic organization of the tissue. Such orthotropic organization in the adult mammalian heart has been identified with myocardial sheets and cleavage planes between them. During gestation, the architecture of the human ventricular wall changes from being irregular and isotropic at 100 DGA to an anisotropic and orthotropic architecture by 140 DGA, when it has the smooth, approximately 120° transmural change in myocyte orientation that is characteristic of the adult mammalian ventricle. The DT obtained from DT-MRI provides the conductivity tensor that determines the spread of potential within computational models of cardiac tissue electrophysiology. The foetal electrocardiogram (fECG) can be recorded from approximately 60 DGA, and RR, PR and QT intervals between the P, R, Q and T waves of the fECG can be extracted by averaging from approximately 90 DGA. The RR intervals provide a measure of the pacemaker rate, the QT intervals an index of ventricular action potential duration, and its rate-dependence, and so these intervals constrain and inform models of cell electrophysiology. The parameters of models of adult human sinostrial node and ventricular cells that are based on adult cell electrophysiology and tissue molecular mapping have been modified to construct preliminary models of foetal cell electrophysiology, which reproduce these intervals from fECG recordings. The PR and QR intervals provide an index of conduction times, and hence propagation velocities (approx. 1-10 cm s(-1), increasing during gestation) and so inform models of tissue electrophysiology. Although the developing foetal heart is small and the cells are weakly coupled, it can support potentially lethal re-entrant arrhythmia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health , University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh EH16 4T3 , UK
| | - Alan P Benson
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , UK
| | - Barrie Hayes-Gill
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , University of Nottingham , Nottingham NG7 2RD , UK
| | - Arun V Holden
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , UK
| | - Benjamin J R Moore
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , UK
| | - Martyn N Paley
- Department of Cardiovascular Science , University of Sheffield Medical School , Sheffield S10 2RX , UK
| | - Henggui Zhang
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK
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13
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Trayanova NA, Boyle PM. Advances in modeling ventricular arrhythmias: from mechanisms to the clinic. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2013; 6:209-24. [PMID: 24375958 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Modern cardiovascular research has increasingly recognized that heart models and simulation can help interpret an array of experimental data and dissect important mechanisms and interrelationships, with developments rooted in the iterative interaction between modeling and experimentation. This article reviews the progress made in simulating cardiac electrical behavior at the level of the organ and, specifically, in the development of models of ventricular arrhythmias and fibrillation, as well as their termination (defibrillation). The ability to construct multiscale models of ventricular arrhythmias, representing integrative behavior from the molecule to the entire organ, has enabled mechanistic inquiry into the dynamics of ventricular arrhythmias in the diseased myocardium, in understanding drug-induced proarrhythmia, and in the development of new modalities for defibrillation, to name a few. In this article, we also review the initial use of ventricular models of arrhythmia in personalized diagnosis, treatment planning, and prevention of sudden cardiac death. Implementing individualized cardiac simulations at the patient bedside is poised to become one of the most thrilling examples of computational science and engineering approaches in translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Walton RD, Benson AP, Hardy MEL, White E, Bernus O. Electrophysiological and structural determinants of electrotonic modulation of repolarization by the activation sequence. Front Physiol 2013; 4:281. [PMID: 24115934 PMCID: PMC3792354 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 09/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial dispersion of repolarization is known to play an important role in arrhythmogenesis. Electrotonic modulation of repolarization by the activation sequence has been observed in some species and tissue preparations, but to varying extents. Our study sought to determine the mechanisms underlying species- and tissue-dependent electrotonic modulation of repolarization in ventricles. Epi-fluorescence optical imaging of whole rat hearts and pig left ventricular wedges were used to assess epicardial spatial activation and repolarization characteristics. Experiments were supported by computer simulations using realistic geometries. Tight coupling between activation times (AT) and action potential duration (APD) were observed in rat experiments but not in pig. Linear correlation analysis found slopes of −1.03 ± 0.59 and −0.26 ± 0.13 for rat and pig, respectively (p < 0.0001). In rat, maximal dispersion of APD was 11.0 ± 3.1 ms but dispersion of repolarization time (RT) was relatively homogeneous (8.2 ± 2.7, p < 0.0001). However, in pig no such difference was observed between the dispersion of APD and RT (17.8 ± 6.1 vs. 17.7 ± 6.5, respectively). Localized elevations of APD (12.9 ± 8.3%) were identified at ventricular insertion sites of rat hearts both in experiments and simulations. Tissue geometry and action potential (AP) morphology contributed significantly to determining influence of electrotonic modulation. Simulations of a rat AP in a pig geometry decreased the slope of AT and APD relationships by 70.6% whereas slopes were increased by 75.0% when implementing a pig AP in a rat geometry. A modified pig AP, shortened to match the rat APD, showed little coupling between AT and APD with greatly reduced slope compared to the rat AP. Electrotonic modulation of repolarization by the activation sequence is especially pronounced in small hearts with murine-like APs. Tissue architecture and AP morphology play an important role in electrotonic modulation of repolarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Walton
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology, University of Leeds Leeds, UK ; Unité Inserm 1045, Centre de Recherche Cardio-Thoracique, Université Bordeaux Segalen Bordeaux, France ; L'Institut de Rythmologie et Modélisation Cardiaque, Université de Bordeaux Bordeaux, France
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15
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Trayanova NA, O'Hara T, Bayer JD, Boyle PM, McDowell KS, Constantino J, Arevalo HJ, Hu Y, Vadakkumpadan F. Computational cardiology: how computer simulations could be used to develop new therapies and advance existing ones. Europace 2013; 14 Suppl 5:v82-v89. [PMID: 23104919 DOI: 10.1093/europace/eus277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews the latest developments in computational cardiology. It focuses on the contribution of cardiac modelling to the development of new therapies as well as the advancement of existing ones for cardiac arrhythmias and pump dysfunction. Reviewed are cardiac modelling efforts aimed at advancing and optimizing existent therapies for cardiac disease (defibrillation, ablation of ventricular tachycardia, and cardiac resynchronization therapy) and at suggesting novel treatments, including novel molecular targets, as well as efforts to use cardiac models in stratification of patients likely to benefit from a given therapy, and the use of models in diagnostic procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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16
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Winslow RL, Trayanova N, Geman D, Miller MI. Computational medicine: translating models to clinical care. Sci Transl Med 2013; 4:158rv11. [PMID: 23115356 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3003528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Because of the inherent complexity of coupled nonlinear biological systems, the development of computational models is necessary for achieving a quantitative understanding of their structure and function in health and disease. Statistical learning is applied to high-dimensional biomolecular data to create models that describe relationships between molecules and networks. Multiscale modeling links networks to cells, organs, and organ systems. Computational approaches are used to characterize anatomic shape and its variations in health and disease. In each case, the purposes of modeling are to capture all that we know about disease and to develop improved therapies tailored to the needs of individuals. We discuss advances in computational medicine, with specific examples in the fields of cancer, diabetes, cardiology, and neurology. Advances in translating these computational methods to the clinic are described, as well as challenges in applying models for improving patient health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raimond L Winslow
- The Institute for Computational Medicine, Center for Cardiovascular Bioinformatics and Modeling, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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17
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Quinn TA, Kohl P. Combining wet and dry research: experience with model development for cardiac mechano-electric structure-function studies. Cardiovasc Res 2013; 97:601-11. [PMID: 23334215 PMCID: PMC3583260 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvt003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the development of the first mathematical cardiac cell model 50 years ago, computational modelling has become an increasingly powerful tool for the analysis of data and for the integration of information related to complex cardiac behaviour. Current models build on decades of iteration between experiment and theory, representing a collective understanding of cardiac function. All models, whether computational, experimental, or conceptual, are simplified representations of reality and, like tools in a toolbox, suitable for specific applications. Their range of applicability can be explored (and expanded) by iterative combination of 'wet' and 'dry' investigation, where experimental or clinical data are used to first build and then validate computational models (allowing integration of previous findings, quantitative assessment of conceptual models, and projection across relevant spatial and temporal scales), while computational simulations are utilized for plausibility assessment, hypotheses-generation, and prediction (thereby defining further experimental research targets). When implemented effectively, this combined wet/dry research approach can support the development of a more complete and cohesive understanding of integrated biological function. This review illustrates the utility of such an approach, based on recent examples of multi-scale studies of cardiac structure and mechano-electric function.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Alexander Quinn
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Heart Science Centre, Harefield UB9 6JH, UK.
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18
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Trayanova NA. Computational cardiology: the heart of the matter. ISRN CARDIOLOGY 2012; 2012:269680. [PMID: 23213566 PMCID: PMC3505657 DOI: 10.5402/2012/269680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the newest developments in computational cardiology. It focuses on the contribution of cardiac modeling to the development of new therapies as well as the advancement of existing ones for cardiac arrhythmias and pump dysfunction. Reviewed are cardiac modeling efforts aimed at advancing and optimizing existent therapies for cardiac disease (defibrillation, ablation of ventricular tachycardia, and cardiac resynchronization therapy) and at suggesting novel treatments, including novel molecular targets, as well as efforts to use cardiac models in stratification of patients likely to benefit from a given therapy, and the use of models in diagnostic procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Hackerman Hall Room 216, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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Maury P, Extramiana F, Giustetto C, Cardin C, Rollin A, Duparc A, Mondoly P, Denjoy I, Delay M, Messali A, Leenhardt A, Marangoni D. Microvolt T-wave alternans in short QT syndrome. PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY: PACE 2012; 35:1413-9. [PMID: 22897428 DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2012.03491.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND T-wave alternans (TWA) is an accepted marker of risk for malignant ventricular arrhythmias, for which prognosis value has been established in different populations. Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a very rare primary electrical disease carrying the risk of ventricular fibrillation. TWA in SQTS has not been evaluated yet. METHODS Thirteen patients with SQTS (QT = 308 ± 16 ms, QTc = 329 ± 10 ms, heart rate = 69 ± 8 beats/min) underwent microvolt TWA measurement using spectral analysis. TWA testing was performed using Heartwave II (Cambridge Heart™, Inc., Bedford, MA, USA) during bicycle exercice and classified as negative, positive, or indeterminate according to the published standards for clinical interpretation. RESULTS Twelve patients were male (mean age 23 ± 5 years). Five were asymptomatic, three presented with aborted sudden cardiac death, and five with unexplained syncope. Six patients belonged to two unrelated families, while familial cases of SQTS were present for two other patients. A familial history of sudden death (SD) was present for seven patients. Ventricular fibrillation was inducible in three patients. Four patients were implanted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and one presented with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia during follow-up. TWA was negative in each but one patient (indeterminate). Maximal negative heart rate was 118 ± 12 beats/min. Patients with previous SD displayed significant shorter QT and higher resting heart rate compared to the remaining cases. CONCLUSIONS TWA testing is negative in 12 of 13 SQTS patients, even in the symptomatic or inducible ones. Measurement of TWA using conventional protocol and criteria for risk stratification in SQTS seems therefore useless.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Maury
- University Hospital Rangueil, Toulouse, France University Hospital Bichat Paris, France.
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20
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Roberts BN, Yang PC, Behrens SB, Moreno JD, Clancy CE. Computational approaches to understand cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2012; 303:H766-83. [PMID: 22886409 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.01081.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac rhythms arise from electrical activity generated by precisely timed opening and closing of ion channels in individual cardiac myocytes. These impulses spread throughout the cardiac muscle to manifest as electrical waves in the whole heart. Regularity of electrical waves is critically important since they signal the heart muscle to contract, driving the primary function of the heart to act as a pump and deliver blood to the brain and vital organs. When electrical activity goes awry during a cardiac arrhythmia, the pump does not function, the brain does not receive oxygenated blood, and death ensues. For more than 50 years, mathematically based models of cardiac electrical activity have been used to improve understanding of basic mechanisms of normal and abnormal cardiac electrical function. Computer-based modeling approaches to understand cardiac activity are uniquely helpful because they allow for distillation of complex emergent behaviors into the key contributing components underlying them. Here we review the latest advances and novel concepts in the field as they relate to understanding the complex interplay between electrical, mechanical, structural, and genetic mechanisms during arrhythmia development at the level of ion channels, cells, and tissues. We also discuss the latest computational approaches to guiding arrhythmia therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron N Roberts
- Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medical College/The Rockefeller University/Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
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21
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Vandenberg JI, Perry MD, Perrin MJ, Mann SA, Ke Y, Hill AP. hERG K+ Channels: Structure, Function, and Clinical Significance. Physiol Rev 2012; 92:1393-478. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00036.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 463] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) encodes the pore-forming subunit of the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K+ channel, Kv11.1, which are expressed in the heart, various brain regions, smooth muscle cells, endocrine cells, and a wide range of tumor cell lines. However, it is the role that Kv11.1 channels play in the heart that has been best characterized, for two main reasons. First, it is the gene product involved in chromosome 7-associated long QT syndrome (LQTS), an inherited disorder associated with a markedly increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Second, blockade of Kv11.1, by a wide range of prescription medications, causes drug-induced QT prolongation with an increase in risk of sudden cardiac arrest. In the first part of this review, the properties of Kv11.1 channels, including biogenesis, trafficking, gating, and pharmacology are discussed, while the second part focuses on the pathophysiology of Kv11.1 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I. Vandenberg
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Matthew D. Perry
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mark J. Perrin
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Stefan A. Mann
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ying Ke
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Adam P. Hill
- Mark Cowley Lidwill Research Programme in Cardiac Electrophysiology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; and University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
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Modulation of hERG potassium channel gating normalizes action potential duration prolonged by dysfunctional KCNQ1 potassium channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:11866-71. [PMID: 22745159 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1205266109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetic disease characterized by a prolonged QT interval in an electrocardiogram (ECG), leading to higher risk of sudden cardiac death. Among the 12 identified genes causal to heritable LQTS, ∼90% of affected individuals harbor mutations in either KCNQ1 or human ether-a-go-go related genes (hERG), which encode two repolarizing potassium currents known as I(Ks) and I(Kr). The ability to quantitatively assess contributions of different current components is therefore important for investigating disease phenotypes and testing effectiveness of pharmacological modulation. Here we report a quantitative analysis by simulating cardiac action potentials of cultured human cardiomyocytes to match the experimental waveforms of both healthy control and LQT syndrome type 1 (LQT1) action potentials. The quantitative evaluation suggests that elevation of I(Kr) by reducing voltage sensitivity of inactivation, not via slowing of deactivation, could more effectively restore normal QT duration if I(Ks) is reduced. Using a unique specific chemical activator for I(Kr) that has a primary effect of causing a right shift of V(1/2) for inactivation, we then examined the duration changes of autonomous action potentials from differentiated human cardiomyocytes. Indeed, this activator causes dose-dependent shortening of the action potential durations and is able to normalize action potentials of cells of patients with LQT1. In contrast, an I(Kr) chemical activator of primary effects in slowing channel deactivation was not effective in modulating action potential durations. Our studies provide both the theoretical basis and experimental support for compensatory normalization of action potential duration by a pharmacological agent.
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